In the manufacturing industry, the Temperature Indicating Control or TIC is a widely used automation equipment that aims to automate temperature monitoring process. It can be used in both heating or freezing process and environments. Most TICs are installed in fermentation tanks, cooling tanks and tunnels and many more. External components such as temperature sensors and relays are needed to completely automate a process system. These controllers sometimes are also configured to send out a signal or temperature reading to a main computer where a process engineer can monitor the whole plant process.

This project aims to replicate the aforementioned controller but reboot it in a user-friendly and interactive version. Most of the on-the-market TIC have robust design and few-understandable buttons making it accessible to experienced technicians or engineers only.

The gen4 micro-LCD 43DT is a robust display that can be easily mounted onto any existing hardware prototype, which makes it easier for users to adapt it to their prototypes or solutions. Processing power of the on-board Diablo16 is comparable or at even higher than existing TICs, it can compute and update temperature readings fast for any automation or manufacturing solution users may need.

Step 1: How It Works

The flow rate sensing is sampled and displayed every 60 seconds. After an alarm value is provided, monitoring and checking can be then conducted.

Step 2: Components

gen4 micro-LCD 43DT
LM35 Temperature Sensor
1K Ohm Resistor
5v Relay Module
gen4-PA GPIO Breakout Board
30 way FFC Cable
uSD Card
Micro USB Cable
Connecting Wires

Step 3: Build

Please take note of the pin assignment of the LM35, you may also change the relay to your desired. (1st image)

If you are using gen4-PA board, connect the display to the PC like the image. (2nd image)

Step 4: Program

Download the project file here.

Open the project using Workshop 4. This project uses the Visi Environment.

You can modify the properties of each widget.

Click on the “Build Copy/Load” button.

Note: This step could be skipped. However, compiling is essential for debugging purposes.

Connect the display to the PC using uUSB-PA5 and a mini USB cable. Make sure that you are connected to the right port. Red Button indicates that the device is not connected, Blue Button indicates that the device is connected to the right port.

Now click on the “(Build) Copy/Load” button.

Workshop 4 will prompt you to select a drive to copy the image files to a uSD Card. After selecting the correct drive, click OK.

The module will prompt you to insert the uSD card. (1st image)

Properly unmount the uSD Card from the PC and insert it to the uSD Card slot of the display module. The image below must appear on your display after completing the steps above. (2nd image)

Step 5:

Users must first enter a set point temperature value (set value) before pressing the start/stop button. After this, the monitoring starts. An LED (RED for OFF and GREEN for ON) will indicate if the monitor is operating. The status box at the button indicates the comparison result. Note that Relay does not turn ON yet (RED Led only.)