In this project, a control system is designed and deployed to independently control the opening of eight solenoid valves. Special considerations have been taken to implement the control signal as spike-and-hold, in accordance with the requirements specified in the valve datasheet.
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Nature
Desired Spike and Hold Signal
The Completed Version of
Control System
I used a differential amplifier to generate the signal. Specifically, I subtracted a charging capacitor's voltage from a steady 12V signal. Additionally, I implemented a user-friendly design featuring a 3-way toggle, allowing the valve to switch between 1. manual off, 2. automatic control by software, and 3. manual on, with LEDs indicating the states of each valve.
Along with designing the PCB board, I also wrote Python scripts to control an NI-DAQ device and send digital outputs for automatically controlling the valves when the toggles on the PCB are switched to the auto mode.
In the development process, I actively collaborated with my biologist colleagues to ensure that the design of this system met their specific needs and requirements. I also made certain that the system was user-friendly in both software and hardware interaction, providing a seamless and intuitive experience for the users.