Captronic Systems: Test, Measure, Control!

“Regardless of your age, if you have an undaunted belief in your dream, it will come true,” affirms Vinod Mathews, Founder & CEO of Captronic Systems. Mathews established Captronic Systems in the year 1999 following his dream to create something of his ‘own.’ The company set out as an equipment testing solutions provider and over the years evolved into a specialized design and development solutions company. Captronic Systems offers high-end, sophisticated solutions including RF, Hardware-in-the- Loop Simulation Systems, and Embedded solutions. Headquartered in Bangalore, India, Captronic Systems boasts the ability to integrate simulation in real time test solutions catering to all stages of product development, starting from R&D to manufacturing.

The company’s core strength lies in their expertise in developing Automated Test Equipment (ATE) in Aerospace, Automotive, and Radio Frequency (RF) domains. Their software solutions are used to test, measure, control, and analyze data from high-end industries, ranging from aerospace, automobile, manufacturing, telecommunications, and medical. Captronic Systems brings cutting-edge solutions and services for simulation of various Avionic Sub Systems, Radar Signal Simulation, and Channel Emulation for Aerospace and Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) in automotive sector.

The rising complexity in electronic systems has necessitated ‘complex simulation’ to test all aspects of the systems at the design stage. Understanding this need, Captronic Systems provides ground based testing of electronic subsystems that go into Aircraft, Vehicles, Defence Electronics, and Automobiles.

The testing is done at various stages of the product design, development, production, and maintenance using advanced simulation and then implemented to the hardware in the form of custom Automated Test Equipment.

Captronic Systems is currently working on technologies for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as Cameras, LIDAR, and Radars. The firm has also built the ATEs for Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) for India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). In the automotive field, the company develops custom testers for Infotainments Systems, Clusters, keyless entry, and engine ECUs. The simulation and testing for Avionics in Rustom II—India’s unmanned ariel vehicle, is also deployed by Captronic Systems.

Citing an example of how Captronic Systems turns technology and solutions into products, Mathews explains that they developed an Automated Test Equipment (ATE) to perform the test, maintenance, fault identification, repair, and retesting of all air borne Early Warning and Control LRUs at the Indian Air Force. The firm also deployed Brake management system real-time simulator to evaluate and optimize BMS control before integrating and evaluating control law on aircraft. The simulator performs BMS sub-system simulation (using Simulink), sensor simulation, and system failures. Mathews adds, “The Brake Management system real-time simulator that we developed using NI hardware and software is a reliable, consistent solution for hardware-in-loop simulation.” It helps scientists to evaluate and optimize the control law on LRU before integrating it on aircraft.

The Captronic Systems team has also developed “Dhvani,” a training simulator for the armed forces to automatically find the location of a bullet on target, jointly with National Aerospace Laboratories. Besides establishing itself as the ‘automation and test equipment specialist,’ Captronic Systems has undertaken a number of CSR activities. The firm has been supporting a school for the deaf & dumb for over ten years. Also, providing financial help for children in a couple of orphanages, Captronic systems continuously works with the philosophy “Childhood offers a window, an opportunity to open a brighter future.”