Upgrading the system for measuring the tightness of the spark plugs

The spark plug tightness measurement system has been used for many years at the customer’s site. The customer prepared the mechanical basis for the new system in his development workshops to expand production to other countries. Compared to the previous state, the system is modified. There is a computer with measuring technology in the switchboard, and the central stop is added. Central stop works by pushing the cups and turning off the heater, keeping the computer running.

The use of the measurement program should not change. New functionalities required some program modifications:

Adaptation to the above change to the central stop operation.
Possibly recall the measured sample data on the screen and print them directly in the same format as running measurement.
Export data from individual measurements to xls / csv / pdf.
Selection of data for export according to entered criteria – date, name, program, test result.
Modification of the control screen – constant overview of the set parameters of the program (temperature, test duration – e.g., 5min, 60min, allowed air leak – e.g., 2ccm, 0.6ccm, etc.)
Bulk Insert – import test program settings from TXT.
Possibility to set maximum pressure leak not only according to 2 standards but also the third option, where the maximum allowable pressure leak would be adjustable, via password.
Improve the comfort of entering new plug types and parameters into the program and deleting them without starting the measurement.
Language versions of the control program (libraries with a dictionary, currently using Russian).

The most beneficial solution to the problem is to use a measuring technique connected to the computer via USB. This solution eliminates the dependence of measuring technology on the computer and vice versa and allows any part of the measuring chain to be replaced with another (new) if necessary. We used the LabJack U6 measuring module (see picture). It is placed directly into the existing switchboard. This way, it is protected from environmental influences and possible theft. It is equipped with 14 common ground inputs, of which 11 are used for measurement. It is also equipped with 20 digital inputs and outputs. Only a part of them is used. The module is powered directly from the USB bus. The control computer is also located inside the switchboard. The system is controlled by an office computer with a 19-inch monitor and a wireless mouse and keyboard. These components are also standard.

The subject of delivery are further modules for signal processing and sensors, as follows:

Pressure: DMP311 / 160kPa pressure sensor,
temperature: Pt100 temperature sensors,
switchboard with measuring technology and signal conditioning circuits.

On investment in measuring program modifications, it has proved advantageous to invest in re-creating the same measuring program in 64-bit Windows environments. Specifically, it is now created in the Lazarus environment, which suits programs running in both Windows and Linux environments. At the same time, it is freeware so that the customer’s staff can modify the program without the need to spend for the license. We accepted a specific way was to minimize costs and keep the created program as much as possible with what the staff is accustomed to. It is based on creating the objects from which the original program is composed in the Lazarus environment. Then we rebuilt the measuring program from the created objects to be as close as possible to the original one.

More information request here.