Powering Innovation: Building the Gasglass Laser – A Q&A With Sparklike

By ·Categories: Industrial IoT·Published On: December 2nd, 2015·2 min read·

We recently had the chance to speak with Kai Niiranen, R&D Engineer at Sparklike, who worked  with our EU team on the company’s Gasglass Laser testing device. The system measures gas concentrations inside insulated gas (IG) products, avoiding the previous need to break or compromise the glass. We spoke with Kai about what Sparklike does and how the Gasglass Laser is revolutionizing IG testing, using our ML300 Industrial Fanless NUC PC at its heart.

Who is Sparklike and what do you make?

[Kai Niiranen] Sparklike is a leading manufacturer for non-invasive insulating glass gas fill analyzers. In 2015 we launched commercially a new product, that utilizes laser technology to solve the issues attached to currently used methods to test insulating glass gas concentration. The technology allows testing of complicated structures, such as energy efficient triple glazed units. This brings the level of quality assurance of these high performing glazing units on par with advanced product expectations.

What is the computer, in this case the ML300, responsible for inside the Gasglass Laser device?

Sparklike-ML300-Banner[KN] The ML300 runs our measuring control and analyzing software over a windows embedded 7 platform. This means, it controls the drivers and engines to collect data from the laser.  And, it runs the data analysis and user interface. Then, it communicates over an Ethernet and/or USB connection to indicate the concentrations of gasses inside the insulated glass. This obviously all happens in a very short period of time, and everything needs to be well synchronized. Mainly our analyzers work in a factory setting. Thus, the device and its parts need to tolerate a harsh environment that includes dust, heat and vibration.

What were your primary hardware requirements?

[KN] When looking for hardware solutions, we look at the problem first hand, and then look for solutions at hand that can be used to solve them. In terms of finding an industrial PC, we looked for a solution that was small, reasonably priced and passively cooled. It also needed to have the right connections to be able to interface with our analyzer. We chose the ML300 for the Glassgas laser. The size was right, it had all the necessary plug-ins, and enough power in a compact package. And, it still has the ability meet our needs for future development.

Read more about the Gasglass Laser from Sparklike in our full Sparklike Case Study.

Get the Latest Tech Updates

Subscribe to our newsletters to get updates from OnLogic delivered straight to your inbox. News and insights from our team of experts are just a click away. Hit the button to head to our subscription page.

Share

About the Author: Darek Fanton

Darek is the Communications Manager at OnLogic. His passion for both journalism and technology has led him from the newsrooms of local papers to the manufacturing floor of IBM. His background in news gathering has him always on the lookout for the latest in emerging tech and the best ways to share that information with readers. In addition to his affinity for words, Darek is a music lover, juggler and huge fan of terrible jokes.