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The execution of the hardware implementation can vary widely. For a simple retrofit solution using commercial-off-the-shelf hardware components, this will be mainly a procurement exercise. For an advanced product with complex, custom hardware, this will be a multi-disciplinary exercise combining mechanical engineering, electric and electronic engineering, control system design, and manufacturing.

A multi-disciplinary perspective

Take, for example, the Development of custom hardware often requires a multi-disciplinary perspective. Take, for example, the development of the predictive maintenance solution for Hydraulic Systems introduced in the case study section. Here, the design and manufacturing of the actual hydraulic systems components is not in scope. However, hardware design and manufacturing still includes a number of elements:

  • Custom hardware for the Data Acquisition hub
  • A number of custom sensor packages to monitor electric motors, hydraulic pumps, tanks, oil, filters, and so on
  • Custom connecting elements for fitting the sensors onto the hydraulic components

To develop this hardware, a number of different skills are required, including strong domain knowledge, knowledge about electronic systems, control systems, and embedded compute nodes.

If you are going from retrofit solutions towards hybrid digital/physical products - like a vacuum robot or a smart kitchen appliance - you will need to even include mechanical systems engineering to the equation.

The discipline which traditionally brings all these perspectives together is called mechatronics. Mechatronics combines mechanical system engineering, electronic system engineering, control system engineering and embedded as well as general IT system engineering. The intersection between mechanical systems and electronic systems is often referred to as electromechanics. The intersection between electronic systems and control systems includes control electronics. The intersection between control systems and computers includes digital control systems. Mechanical systems usually require mechanical CAD/CAM for system design and modelling, as well as validation via simulation. Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) is supporting this with collaboration platforms covering system requirements, design, analysis, verification and validation.

Mechatronics - a mutli-disciplinary perspective

Embedded hardware design and manufacturing

Embedded hardware design and manufacturing is often at the heart of an AIoT development, because even for a retrofit solution, this is often a key requirement. Even is standard CPUs, sensors and communications modules are used, they often have to be combined into a custom design to exactly fit the project requirements. During the planning phase, hardware requirements are captured and captured in a specification document. The analysis & design phase includes feasibility assessment, schematic PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design and layout, as well as BOM (Bill of Material) optimization. Procurement should not be underestimated, including component procurement and supply chain setup. The actual board bring-up includes hardware assembly, software integration, testing and validation, and certification. Manufacturing preparation includes machine configuration, assembly preparation, as well as automated inspection. After the SOP (Start of production), logistics and shipment operations as well as customer support will have to be ensured.

Embedded hardware design and manufacturing

Minimizing hardware costs vs. planning for digital growth

In the past, almost all digital/physical products have been optimized to minimize the hardware costs. This is especially true for mass-market products such as house hold appliances and other consumer products. In these markets, margins are often thin, and minimizing hardware costs is essential for the profit margin.

However, the introduction of smart phones has started to challenge this approach. Smart phones revenues and profits are now driven to a large extend by apps delivered through app stores. Smart phones are often equipped with new capabilities such as extra sensors, which have no concrete use cases upon release of the new hardware. Instead, the manufacturers are betting on the ingenuity of the external developer community to make use of these new capabilities, and delivered additional, shared revenue via apps.

The same holds true for some car manufacturers: Instead of minimizing the cost for the car BOM, they invest in more advanced hardware, even if this hardware is not fully utilized by the software in the beginning. Utilizing Over-the-Air capabilities, the OEMs are constantly optimizing and extending the software which is using the advanced hardware capabilities.

Of course this can be a huge bet, and it is not always clear whether it will pay off. Take, for example, a smart kitch appliance. Instead of building it according to a minimal spec, one can provide a more generous hardware spec, including additional sensors (cooking temperature, weight, volume, etc.), which might only be fully utilized after the Start of Production of the hardware - either by providing a partner app store, or even a fully open app store. In the early stages of such new product development, this can be a risk if there is no proof point that partners will jump on board, but on the other hand the upside can be significant.

Minimizing costs vs planning for digital growth

Managing system evolution

Example 1: Smart Phones

Hardware evolution

Example 2: EVs with DA/AD

Modern EV HW evolution