Developed electronics, firmware, and software for a machine to manufacture custom molds for radiation therapy filter production.

Context

A manufacturer of medical equipment used in making custom molds for producing filters for radiation therapy required electronics, embedded software, and PC software upgrades to two of their product lines.

Solution

BCA designed new simplified electronics residing on one board that controlled both product lines, developed firmware to control the electronics and communicate with PC software, and upgraded the client’s existing PC software.

The new electronic circuit board replaced both the 3rd-party board located in the PC and the motor-control electronics. The new card was located on the device, and commands from the PC were sent via a serial link to the device.

The legacy PC software was outdated not only in the look and feel, but also lacked important functionality. BCA updated the graphical user interface and added many new features, such as:

• Upgrading to a 32-bit program that could support the next generation of hardware driving the device motors.
• Developing a graphical display of the mold shape that the user could create by tracing the mouse over a template of the desired shape.
• Providing a method for the user to configure the cutter parameters.
• Allowing the user to enter patient information directly into the program.

Class II medical device.