We were asked to provide a driver and interface for a cockpit instrument in an RAF Harrier simulator. The instrument had to interface to a new control network as part of a major upgrade. The brief was to design, build, test and install the new interface within 4 weeks, over the winter holiday period! Our ability to both design, and manufacture allowed us to control all aspects of the new interface, and ensure all stages could be completed on time.

The design required an interface to a large number of indicators, switches, and stepper motors, and to link to the customers network control modules. To fit into the instrument, three PCBs were designed and interconnected via fine pitch ribbon cables.

The design was based on an altera Cyclone FPGA with specialist driver integrated circuits for the stepper motors and electromagenetic indicators. Where possible, all components were surface mounted. We were able to design the Cyclone FPGA logic and fully simulate it in parallel to the design and manufacture of the printed circuits. This ensured that the interface worked exactly as specified when installed into the simulator - on time!