Requirements Analysis
Requirements analysis is the first stage in a custom electronics development where what the job is, on which machine and in which environment it will work are put in writing before design begins. Supply voltage, the current to be drawn, ambient temperature, vibration and the user interface become clear at this stage; changing them afterwards is costly.
The questions asked in the analysis stage fall roughly under four headings, and the answer to each must be given as a number.
- Electrical: is the supply 12 V or 24 V, how many amperes is the continuous current, how many amperes flows at start-up, is there a possibility of reverse supply.
- Mechanical: which enclosure does the board go into, what is the connector type, how many metres is the cable length, does the mounting surface vibrate.
- Environmental: ambient temperature, humidity, dust, is there contact with wash water and chemicals.
- Functional: which input will drive which output, what position the outputs will take in case of a fault.
AXI's standard products were also born from the answers to the same questions: while the electronic skeleton of a tractor lift kit and a boat rudder driver are similar, environment and interface decisions separate the products from one another. In a custom project, commercial headings such as time and quantity are also tied to the output of this stage; exact figures only come about at the quotation stage after the requirements table is complete.
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