Production manufacturing system / Case study

Assembly-Line Control System

An end-to-end assembly-line control platform spanning physical equipment inputs, technician interfaces, application services, databases, reporting, virtualization, servers, and networks.

Role
End-to-end architecture, development, infrastructure specification, installation, integration, and production support
Timeframe
2015–2018
Employer
Calsonic Kansei
Technologies
Java / Angular / Ignition / Microsoft SQL Server / VMware / Industrial networking / High-availability networking / Automated guided carts / Torque tools

Initial scan

A manufacturing line operating nearly continuously needed a replacement for an aging control environment with recurring production failures.

  1. 01End-to-end ownership

    Designed the application, database, virtualization, server, and network infrastructure as one integrated operating environment.

  2. 02Equipment integration

    Integrated automated guided carts, torque tools, and physical equipment inputs.

  3. 03High availability

    Implemented VMware infrastructure and high-availability network failover.

  4. 04Production correction

    Diagnosed first-release database deadlocking and delivered a stable second implementation.

Overview

At Calsonic Kansei, I initially focused on stabilizing an aging assembly-line control environment and resolving recurring production failures. After the immediate problems were under control, I designed and built a replacement system from the ground up.

The work covered the complete operating stack, from individual physical inputs to application logic, reporting, virtualization, servers, and networks.

Manufacturing context

The line operated nearly continuously during the workweek. Unplanned downtime carried significant financial penalties, so architecture decisions had direct production consequences.

The problem

The legacy environment suffered recurring failures, and the replacement had to coordinate real-time manufacturing decisions across physical equipment, technician workflows, management reporting, application services, and infrastructure.

The system also needed an operating environment that I could install, diagnose, and support as one coherent platform.

My role

I owned the architecture and implementation across application code, database design, industrial integration, virtualization, servers, networking, installation, and production support.

The system

I designed or implemented:

  • The Microsoft SQL Server database and schema
  • Java middle-tier services and central control logic
  • Angular management reporting
  • Ignition technician interfaces
  • Automated guided cart and torque-tool integration
  • Physical equipment inputs
  • Server and VMware infrastructure
  • Network switches, racks, and high-availability failover

The platform consumed information from automated guided carts, torque tools, and other equipment, then used that information to make real-time production decisions and coordinate assembly-line behavior.

Infrastructure ownership

I specified and ordered the servers; installed the servers, switches, and racks; configured VMware; built the production network; implemented high-availability failover; and administered the operating environment.

Application and infrastructure behavior were treated as one production responsibility rather than separate projects.

Initial release and correction

The first production version exposed database deadlocking problems and was rolled back. I diagnosed the problem, revised the design, and delivered a stable second implementation.

The correction demonstrates production troubleshooting and accountability.

Operational effect

The stable second release replaced the failing legacy environment on the initial line and provided one supportable platform spanning control logic, interfaces, data, equipment, and infrastructure.

What this demonstrates

  • Full-stack and infrastructure ownership
  • Industrial-system integration
  • Production troubleshooting
  • Database and application architecture
  • High availability
  • Hardware and network deployment
  • End-to-end work from physical signals to enterprise systems

Let's talk

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