John Deere Cuts Costs with NI Sensors Plug&Play

Author(s):
Don Dunnwald - John Deere

Industry:
Industrial Controls/ Devices/ Systems

Products:

The Challenge:
Subjecting all John Deere agricultural, commercial, consumer, construction, and forestry equipment to a rigorous testing process to ensure product quality and improve process efficiency, which helps to reduce overall product cost.

The Solution:
Standardizing on new National Instruments Sensors Plug&Play technology to improve efficiency and accuracy.

NI Sensors Plug&Play Technology Reduces Time to Measurement

John Deere is one of the oldest industrial companies in the United States. Conducting business in more than 160 countries and reporting more than $15.5 billion in annual sales and revenue, John Deere is a leading manufacturer of agricultural, commercial, consumer, construction, and forestry equipment. John Deere subjects all of this equipment to a rigorous testing process to ensure product quality. This improves process efficiency, which helps to reduce overall product cost. John Deere Product Engineering Center in Waterloo, Iowa, has standardized on new National Instruments Sensors Plug&Play technology to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Sensors Plug&Play technology is based on the IEEE 1451.4 smart sensor standard, which reduces the time and challenges associated with sensor configuration. The standard establishes a universally accepted method of providing plug-and-play capability for sensors, similar to the plug-and-play capability of a USB mouse and a computer. In addition, IEEE 1451.4 defines a mechanism for adding self-describing behavior to sensors with an analog signal interface. This mixed-mode interface combines the traditional analog sensor signal with a low-cost serial digital link to access a Transducer Electronic Data Sheet (TEDS) embedded in the sensor. A TEDS sensor stores its data sheet electronically in an EEPROM onboard the sensor, which allows each sensor to identify and describe itself to the data acquisition system to which it is connected. To extend Sensors Plug&Play technology benefits to traditional analog sensors, Virtual TEDS provides the same TEDS in an electronic file format. With Virtual TEDS, technicians configure a sensor by using data stored in an electronic file, which they usually download from a database.

Sensors Plug&Play Simplifies Calibration and Sensor Tracking

John Deere chose to implement a Virtual TEDS system that includes an Oracle database and test stations outfitted with NI hardware and software. Engineers label each sensor with a unique identification number used to track the physical location of the sensor and organize it within the database. Initially, engineers will send the sensor to a metrology lab where it is calibrated. Then, they load the updated calibration information into a Virtual TEDS file and store the file in the database. From the lab, engineers send the sensor out to product testing facilities. Using a proprietary application that hooks into the Oracle database, technicians are able to quickly and easily query the electronic data sheet for a unique sensor. Once the technicians have downloaded the sensor-specific file, NI software will automatically configure the NI hardware for use with the sensor.

Traditionally, a sensor has a paper data sheet that contains its specifications and configuration data. A technician must take time to first locate the correct data sheet and then use the information to manually configure the sensor. With the ability to download and configure sensor information electronically, John Deere will reduce setup and configuration time for each measurement, which, in turn, reduces overall product testing cost.

Sensors Plug&Play Improves Accuracy

Using Virtual TEDS technology, John Deere will reduce time to measurement and improve measurement accuracy. Because each individual sensor has its own unique electronic data sheet, John Deere engineers can store sensor-specific calibration information in the Virtual TEDS file. This ensures that the technician uses the most up-to-date sensor parameters when configuring the sensor after it leaves the metrology lab. Configuring the sensor information electronically eliminates human transcription errors. Additionally, because the last calibration date of each sensor is stored in the database, the system is able to notify technicians when a sensor should be returned to the metrology lab for calibration. The improvement in accuracy will continue to make product testing more efficient, increase overall product quality, and reduce overall product development and manufacturing costs as more test stands are converted to accept Virtual TEDS.

For more information, contact:

Don Dunnwald

Senior Engineer

John Deere

P.O. Box 8000

Waterloo, IA 50704

Tel: (319) 292-8379

Fax: (319) 287-1308

E-mail: dunnwalddonaldj@johndeere.com

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