Industrial Connected Dosing Pump

Dosing Pump

Dosing pumps operating in industrial process environments carry more engineering complexity than the mechanics suggest. The electronics, firmware, communications architecture, and user interface all have to perform reliably in demanding conditions, integrate with existing plant infrastructure, and meet the certification requirements of global markets. For this international pump manufacturer, the opportunity was a next-generation programmable connected dosing pump that needed a complete electronics platform designed from the ground up.

DE Design Works led the specification development alongside the customer team and delivered the full electronics package from motor control to cloud connectivity.

Customer: International pump manufacturer, programmable connected dosing pump

Our Responsibilities:

  • Led specification development in collaboration with the customer team
  • Complete electronics PCBA package including:
    • Brushless motor controller/driver PCBA
    • Controller/user interface PCBA
    • Modular communication PCBAs
    • Communication protocol integration and support for Modbus RTU/TCP and Profibus
  • Embedded firmware for UI, pump control, and BLE
  • Industrial design, UX/UI design
  • Functional and certification testing support

The DE Team Win:

  • High turn-down ratio delivering smooth and quiet operation at 1000:1 pump speed control down to 0.1 RPMs
  • Debut of design and functionality has resulted in multiplied sales forecasts for the customer

Our Process

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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the core engineering challenge on this project?

Dosing pumps require precise, repeatable flow control across a wide operating range. Achieving a 1000:1 turn-down ratio, smooth operation down to 0.1 RPMs, and quiet performance at low speeds requires tight coordination between the motor control hardware, brushless motor driver firmware, and the overall power architecture, and it has to work while also meeting the communication, UI, and certification requirements of a globally deployed industrial product. This was a full-system engineering engagement across every layer of the product.

Why does a dosing pump need modular communication PCBAs?

Industrial facilities run a wide range of fieldbus and network protocols depending on the age of the plant, the region, and the process control infrastructure already in place. A pump that only supports one protocol can't be sold into a significant portion of the market. The modular communication PCBA architecture allows the same core platform to support Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, Profibus, and future protocol variants without requiring a redesign of the main controller board. For a manufacturer selling into global industrial markets, that flexibility is built into the hardware from the start.

What role did BLE play in the product architecture?

Bluetooth Low Energy was integrated into the pump firmware to support configuration, commissioning, and diagnostics without requiring a physical connection to the device. In industrial environments where pumps are mounted in awkward locations or inside enclosures, wireless access to pump parameters and status is a practical usability improvement. BLE also opens the door to mobile app integration for setup and monitoring without adding the cost or complexity of a persistent wireless connection.

How did DE Design Works approach the UX/UI design for an industrial product?

Industrial products often treat the user interface as an afterthought. On this project it was designed alongside the electronics and firmware from the start. That meant making deliberate decisions about display layout, control logic, and menu structure with the actual use environment in mind, including gloved operation, outdoor lighting conditions, and users who need to configure the pump quickly without referring to a manual. Industrial design and UX/UI were part of the DE scope from day one, which is reflected in how the product performs in the field.