Motor Control Board

Case Study: Design and Manufacturing of a Motor Control Board for the Oil and Gas Industry

Published:January 2, 2021, Category: Ideas / Technology

Overview

A leading oilfield equipment provider partnered with us to develop a rugged and reliable Motor Control Board for use in remote and harsh oilfield environments. The board was required to control high-torque electric motors used in downhole and surface applications, including pumps, compressors, and valve actuators.

Objectives

  • Design a high-performance motor control board with real-time monitoring, speed control, and fault detection.
  • Ensure high reliability and resilience against extreme temperatures, vibrations, and electromagnetic interference (EMI).
  • Comply with IECEx/ATEX and ISO 16750 standards for use in hazardous locations.

Design Challenges

  • Operation in extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to +85°C.
  • Tolerance for high humidity, vibration, and dust exposure.
  • EMI shielding and intrinsic safety requirements.
  • Compact footprint to fit within a sealed motor housing.

Key Design Features

  • Microcontroller-based architecture with DSP for real-time motor control algorithms.
  • Isolated power sections for motor driver and control logic.
  • RS-485 and CAN communication interfaces for remote diagnostics and integration.
  • Integrated sensors for temperature, current, and vibration monitoring.
  • Protective conformal coating and industrial-grade PCB materials (FR-4 with 2oz copper).
  • H-Bridge MOSFET driver design with thermal shutdown and short circuit protection.

Manufacturing Highlights

  • Assembled in an ISO 9001 certified facility using automated SMT lines.
  • Selective soldering for high-current through-hole components.
  • In-circuit testing (ICT) and functional testing at each production stage.
  • Final assemblies underwent thermal cycling, vibration testing, and burn-in tests for reliability assurance.

Results

  • Delivered over 10,000 units deployed in field operations worldwide.
  • Achieved MTBF > 100,000 hours under harsh operating conditions.
  • Enabled predictive maintenance through real-time motor performance feedback.
  • Reduced downtime by 30% and improved motor efficiency by 18%.

Conclusion

This project demonstrated our capability to deliver mission-critical control electronics for the oil and gas industry. Our engineering and manufacturing teams ensured the Motor Control Board met stringent safety, reliability, and performance requirements in a highly demanding application.

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