Core Competencies
System Engineering
ABT's systems engineering specialists consider both the business and technical needs of all customers with the goal of providing a quality product that meets user needs. We deliver systems engineering expertise by integrating all the required disciplines and specialties into a team effort that functions within a structured development process, proceeding from concept to production to operation. ABT focuses on an interdisciplinary approach that defines customer needs and required functionality early in the development cycle, documents requirements, then proceeds with design synthesis and system validation while considering the complete problem.
Software Design and Development
Operating Systems
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Windows (XP/Vista)
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Linux
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RTOS (VxWorks, uC/OS-II, eRTOS)
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DOS (DOS6.22/ROMDOS/FreeDOS
Languages
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C/C++
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Ada
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SQL
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Assembler
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Visual Basic/Pascal
Applications
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System Simulation and Graphical User Interfaces
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Database Integration (Oracle, MySQL)
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Windows Driver Development
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Real-Time Control and Data Acquisition Systems
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Deeply Embedded Systems (No operating System)
Interfaces
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Aerospace Interfaces
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ARINC-429
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1553 Data Bus
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Industrial Interfaces
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Modbus/Modbus+/ModbusTCP
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CAN/DeviceNet/EthernetIP
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Profibus/High-speed Serial
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J1708/J1939
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802.3/802.11 Ethernet
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802.15.4/Zigbee
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Inertial Navigation Systems
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Litton LN100/LN251/LN270
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Honeywell TALIN
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Hardware Design and Development
Concept Development
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Systems Engineering
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Requirements Development
Hardware Design
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Schematic Capture
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Component Selection
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FPGA/CPLD Design
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Verilog/VHDL
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Simulation
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PCB Layout and Routing
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Signal Integrity Driven Routing
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Accel P-CAD/Cadence Allegro
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Prototype Assembly
Software/Firmware Design
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SW/FW Development
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SW/FW Testing
Testing
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Factory Functional Testing
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EMI/EMC Testing
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Environmental Testing
Rapid Prototyping
ABT, Inc. Engineering and Fabrication is a highly focused team of engineers and technicians that can work with you to transform your concepts to reality. Whether your design resides only on a paper napkin or has aged to the point of obsolescence, we can provide the right solution.
HWIL/System Simulation
mbedded systems are designed to control complex plants such as land vehicles, satellites, spacecrafts, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), aircrafts, weapon systems, marine vehicles, and jet engines. They generally require a high level of complexity within the embedded system to manage the complexity of the plant under control.
Hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulation achieves a highly realistic simulation of complex systems/equipment in an operational virtual environment. A typical HWIL system includes sensors to receive data from the control system, actuators to send data, a controller to process data, a human-machine interface (HMI) and a development postsimulation analysis platform. ABT's engineers and scientists define and create HWIL systems using innovative, modular, and cost-effective methodologies.
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M&S Requirements
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VV&A Requirements
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Accreditation Plan/Support
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Acceptability Criteria/Intended Use
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V&V Plan/Report Development
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V&V Documentation
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Capabilities/Limitations
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Acceptability Assessment
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Accreditation Decision
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Lessons Learned
Obsolescence Redesign
Extending the operational life of government military systems offers substantial savings to taxpayers. But test and auxiliary equipment often get left behind, creating serious logistics problems. Very often, as these systems age, some of their component IC's become obsolete and unavailable. This causes difficulty in maintaining the system. Those systems that have no complete data package or which have control specification drawings held by defunct businesses pose a different problem. In these cases it is necessary to reverse engineer to determine the operational parameters of the LRUs and design a replacement.
The engineers at Alpha Beta are expert at using Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and other hardware to integrate existing schematics and firmware so that the new design exactly matches the obsolete unit's form, fit and function, and provides years of new life for the system.
Many obsolete processors can be emulated using Intellectual Property (IP), incorporated into an FPGA. This eliminates any problems in obtaining the hardware processor and allows for unlimited production capability. Ideally, the original software is used verbatim, running on the emulated processor, so that only minimal software testing has to be performed. A processor different from the original can be used with "Code Morphing," where original code is translated into compatible instructions by FPGA hardware, typically at boot time, then stored in RAM and run. Code Morphing minimizes software risk, since the Code Morph operation is easily tested and characterized.
Very often, the FPGA can even include whatever RAM; EEPROM and/or Flash functionality was provided in the original design. This furthers reduces parts count, obsolescence issues and cost, and increases reliability.
ABT has the logic analyzers, protocol analyzers and Xilinx design seats necessary to accomplish almost any FPGA-based digital conversion.
Our years in business have given us a broad spectrum of work experience. Our staff of engineers has both breadth and depth of work experience.
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Analog design and analysis
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Power supply design
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RF (Radio, Telemetry, and Radar)
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Imaging (video capture, reformatting and storage)
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Real time software development
FPGA Design
The engineers at ABT are experts at using Xilinx Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and other hardware to integrate schematics and firmware. ABT has the logic analyzers, protocol analyzers and Xilinx design seats necessary to accomplish almost any FPGA-based digital conversion.
Our fully trained and experienced FGPA team provides full turnkey FPGA design services. We can participate in any phase of an FPGA development life cycle from initial architecture, test bench development, feature addition, or addressing parts obsolescence issues with existing designs. Very often, the FPGA can even include whatever RAM; EEPROM and/or Flash functionality was provided in the original design, further reducing parts count, obsolescence issues, and cost, while increasing reliability.
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Complete FPGA Life Cycle Support
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System Architecture
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Test Bench Development
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Debug and Verification
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Feature Development/Addition
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Design Transfer