SKANSKA ENGINEER IS LUCKY PRIZE WINNER AT THE MICROSOFT EUROPEAN LAUNCH OF WINDOWS CE .NET AND XP EMBEDDED

Main Menu | News By Date | News By Supplier | News By Category | About Us

SKANSKA ENGINEER IS LUCKY PRIZE WINNER AT THE MICROSOFT EUROPEAN LAUNCH OF WINDOWS CE .NET AND XP EMBEDDED
02 March 2002 - Arcom

Arcom applaud Microsoft (UK) on the organization and success of the recent European launch of Windows CE .NET and XP Embedded. As a Gold level partner in the Microsoft Windows Embedded Partner program (http://www.mswep.com), Arcom hosted the largest of the two Windows CE .NET hands-on labs and was pleased with the high level of interest and business potential shown in the Windows Embedded products.

Arcom held a prize draw for attendees of the event to win an Arcom Windows CE Development Kit for its National Semiconductor Geode embedded processor board (SBC-GX1). The £800 prize was won by Maurice O'Neill, Digital Electronics Engineer with Cementation Foundations Skanska (www.cementationfoundations.skanska.co.uk). Cementation specialize in design and construction of Deep Foundations and Ground Engineering. Cementation currently have a fully operational controller but are now planning to use Windows CE .NET to develop the next generation of the product.

The system serves as a front end controller and user interface for both Driven and Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) discipline piling rigs, providing process information graphically to the operator. The CFA system automatically controls the progress of the auger (giant boring tool) to ensure optimal pile construction, using analog output signals to control the hydraulic winch motor. Other parameters monitored during CFA pile construction include Depth encoder, Revolutions, Concrete delivery volume and Auger Verticality (angular displacement). The recorded pile construction data is transmitted back to the Field Data Acquisition Department for Analysis and Archiving, providing quality control and traceability.

O'Neill was very impressed with the comprehensive information presented at the Windows Embedded launch event, providing a detailed comparison between Windows CE .NET and XP Embedded OS. 'There are clear benefits in using familiar and readily available development tools to create an embedded PC based application' said O'Neill, adding that 'the ability to reuse code and port data directly into common desktop formats makes it easier for us to link the embedded system to the desktop platform for data analysis.' During the piling operation, Cementation expect the real time performance of Windows CE .NET to be more than adequate for this type of monitoring and control application. O'Neill also said that 'the demonstration of interrupt driven I/O control under Windows CE .NET in the Arcom hands-on lab was extremely useful. The practical exercise of monitoring the interrupt latency with the digital storage oscilloscope gave a good indication of the level of determinism to be achieved under Windows CE .NET. As for the Development Kits, I see that we can save time and money by starting with a CE .NET-ready hardware platform.'

For a more in-depth understanding of these new embedded operating systems, Microsoft encourage developers to register and attend the European Microsoft Devcon event to be held on April 23rd, 24th in Munich (www.microsoft.com/europe/windowsembedded/home.asp)

Arcom and Microsoft were also pleased to showcase several products from Marconi Data Systems, The Port of Felixstowe and Logic Controls Ltd which combine Arcom embedded PC technology and the Windows CE / NT Embedded operating systems.

http://www.arcom.com

About: Arcom
Founded in Cambridge in 1982, Arcom has grown to become one of the leading suppliers of embedded computer and communications processors.

Arcom's embedded software development and support capabilities are second-to-none in the industry. Our engineering and support teams in Kansas City (US) and Cambridge (UK) have an enormous depth of experience and knowledge in the field of embedded operating systems, communications protocols, and system design. We pride ourselves on being able to provide comprehensive development tools and excellent support to our OEM customers as they bring their products to the market.

Development Kits - we lead the embedded market with our strategy for new product introduction based on the 'blue-box' development kits. By combining new hardware solutions with the leading embedded operating systems we offer our customers a complete and rapid application development environment.

Embedded Boards - our range of embedded processor boards (x86 and XScale), PC/104 I/O modules, ISAbus and PCI add-on cards are all designed and manufactured by Arcom. This gives our customers fast and easy access to the highest level of technical support. All products are supported by a clearly defined life cycle and a commitment for long term availability.

PCs & Enclosures - we also recognize that customers need products to ease the integration of our embedded boards. Arcom's design team includes mechanical engineers who have developed a number of off the shelf enclosure solutions for stand alone and rack mounted systems.

Industrial Networking - since 1992, we have been actively involved in the integration and deployment of data acquisitions systems for the process control markets. Working with our key technology partners we now offer products and expertise to provide guaranteed data delivery from your field devices straight into your enterprise level applications.

Design & Build - we understand the drive to cost reduce products for high volume applications and to combine this with a 'complete technical solution'. We accept contracts to produce custom solutions which focus on the design of dedicated hardware, developing optimized operating system configurations or complete packaged system solutions.

Through a focused approach to innovative design backed by comprehensive development platforms, global marketing and low cost manufacturing, Arcom pursues an aggressive expansion of its customer base in North America, UK and France.

Arcom is a subsidiary of Spectris plc, the precision instrumentation and controls company.

Our business processes are accredited to the international QA standard ISO 9001 and our products hold all relevant certification.

More News:
  • For March 2002
  • From Arcom
  • For Drives and Controls