Case Studies
Aquatic Life: Compliance Data Logging when Cloud Connection Fails
Aquatic Life Ltd. manufactures the Aquahive smart, remote water quality monitoring platform that uses a host of sensors to monitor water quality for mine sites. This environmental compliance data is sent to the cloud where it can be accessed from anywhere for real-time analysis. Because there is always the risk of lost reception, this critical environmental data is logged locally to a DFX-IS RUGGEDrive memory token. Aquatic Life searched for a military-grade flash storage device and selected a Datakey RUGGEDrive solution that provided:
• SD Card Functionality (with SPI)
• -40C to +85C Industrial Temperature Operation
• A Rugged IP67-Rated Receptacle
Applications: Data Logging/Transfer and Firmware Updates
Market: Mining
CHF Solutions: Medical Disposable Authentication / Limit-Use
The Aquadex FlexFlow is CHF Solution’s answer to safely, and cost-effectively, removing excess fluid in patients. In the development process, CHF Solutions needed a disposable serial memory device to integrate into the Aquadex FlexFlow unit. The requirements for the memory device included:
• An off-the-shelf serial memory device to be included with the disposable circuit
• Ability to withstand sterilization
• Cost-effective device to perform limit-use functions and then be discarded
• High reliability—a key factor for medical devices used on patients
Applications: Authentication, Limit Use, Firmware Updates
Market: Medical
Delta Computer Systems: Secure Feature Enable/Update and Configuration Transfer
Delta Computer Systems manufactures advanced motion controllers. When designing the RMC200, a controller capable of controlling up to 32 axes, they wanted a flexible design that would include a secure “feature key” that would:
• Securely store the number of control loops and features purchased
• Allow customers to update the controller in the field
• Prevent the stored configuration data from being altered or duplicated
• Allow configuration data to be transferred to a spare controller
Applications: Feature Enable/Update, Configuration Transfer
Market: Industrial
Digi-Star: Ag Feed Recipe Upload and Data Logging/Transfer
Digi-Star, a manufacturer of feed management and other solutions for the agriculture industry, required a portable memory device that could be used to upload feed mixing information to their feed weighing system. It would also be used to transfer logged data of completed recipes back to a PC. The portable memory system needed to be:
• Easy for the farmer to use
• Rugged enough to survive in the harsh feed-lot environment
• Easily integrated, reducing R&D costs and speeding time-to-market
• Long-term product availability
Applications: Parameter Upload and Data Logging/Transfer
Market: Agriculture
Gasboy: Smart Credential for Fleet Unattended Fueling
Gasboy International, a division of Gilbarco, is the world’s largest manufacturer of fleet fuel dispensers. Their unattended fueling dispenser required a rugged credential that would:
• Identify users granting access to dispense fuel
• Log fuel usage and mileage data
• Be custom branded with Gasboy and Fleetkey logos
• Have long-term product availability
Applications: Access Control and Data Logging
Market: Commercial
Greentronics: Robust Data Logging for Crop Yield Data
Greentronics manufactures RiteYield a device that captures weight information as it is harvested. This yield data is combined with GPS data that is logged for later analysis. Greentronics liked that SD cards support an SPI interface, but were concerned about how the delicate SD socket would hold up in harsh ag environment. Instead they opted for a Datakey RUGGEDrive solution that provided:
• SD card functionality (with SPI)
• A rugged IP65-rated receptacle
• A simple adapter for connection to PCs
Applications: Data Logging/Transfer
Market: Agriculture
Mars Drinks: Cashless Payment System for Coffee Vending Machines
Mars Drinks markets their hot beverage products (tea, coffee, hot chocolate) through their KLIX brand vending machines. Wanting to increase marketability and sales of their hot beverages, they decided to incorporate a cashless payment option into their vending machines. They required a portable memory system with:
• A high cycle-life receptacle to support high usage
• A Custom-branded memory key
• Long-term product availability
Applications: Cashless Vending
Market: Commercial
St. Jude Medical: Sterilizable Memory Token for Medical Disposables
St. Jude Medical manufactures catheter mapping devices that are used to map the electrical fields in the heart. Their 64-electrode balloon catheter measures the electrical field at once compared to competitive devices that must be moved around and multiple measurements taken. St. Jude required a portable memory device that would:
• Be sterilizable
• Be low cost, as it would be disposed after a single use
• Have long-term product availability
Applications: Calibration Data Upload, Limit Use, Firmware Updates
Market: Medical
Stryker Endoscopy: Linking Wireless Medical Devices
The WiSe Wireless Platform produced by Stryker Endoscopy take video from an endoscopic camera and transmits it wirelessly across the operating room to high definition displays. Stryker needed a portable memory device to positively pair the video transmitter with the receiver monitor(s). They desired a portable memory solution that would:
• Be highly reliable and durable
• Be Stryker branded
• Have long-term product availability
Applications: Linking Wireless Medical Devices
Market: Medical
WECO: System Cloning and Data Logging for Fruit/Vegetable Sorters
Woodside Electronics Corporation (WECO) manufactures fruit and vegetable sorters used by food processors to increase worker productivity. Their sorting systems are often leased with software upgrades included. WECO required a robust removable memory system that could be used for:
• Delivering software updates
• Cloning one system’s setting to other sorters
• Storing crop yield data
Applications: Firmware Updates, System Cloning, Data Logging
Market: Agriculture