Creation of a software system to control a compressed air tool on boats

Challenge

The company specializes in creating and selling an innovative Air Lubrication System, which generates a layer of air bubbles beneath a ship's hull, significantly reducing fuel consumption. The system includes an air compression component controlled by software, which manages all related instruments on the ship. The project aims to develop a system that allows users to control these instruments and monitor fuel savings through detailed dashboards.

Solution

Identification and Definition of Project Objectives

The primary objective of the project is to develop a comprehensive software system that controls the air compression system and associated ship instruments. This system should enable real-time monitoring and control of ship hardware, including valves and nozzles while providing detailed analytics on fuel savings via dashboards. The project also aims to ensure seamless communication between the software and ship hardware, enhancing operational efficiency and fuel economy.

Main Challenges Encountered in the Project

One of the significant challenges was developing the AppController to effectively communicate with the ship’s hardware. This required a deep understanding of the specific hardware components used on ships, which was initially unfamiliar to the team. Through extensive research, collaboration, and persistence, the team successfully overcame this challenge, ensuring seamless communication between the software and the ship's devices.

Project Features

Instrument and Controller Management:

• Instrument Control: Developed components to manage and control ship instruments, such as valves and nozzles. The system can monitor instrument states (open, closed, or malfunctioning) and execute necessary commands based on these states.
•  Controller Component: Built using Python, this component is responsible for executing signals, verifying the state of instruments, and ensuring the correct operation of the ship's hardware.

Frontend Components:

• Login and Security: Developed secure login features and user authentication mechanisms.
• Dashboards: Created dashboards that provide real-time data on fuel savings and system performance, allowing clients to monitor the effectiveness of the Air Lubrication System.
• Management Interfaces: Developed user interfaces for managing instruments, controllers, and nozzles, making it easier for users to interact with the system.

Backend System:

• AppController: This component directly controls the ship's devices, modifying hardware settings as needed to optimize performance and fuel savings. 
• Backend Management: Managed all the backend processes to ensure data integrity and smooth communication between the frontend and hardware controllers.

Technologies

• Backend: Python, NestJS 
• Frontend: React 
• Communication Protocol: WebSocket

Impact of Technologies on the Project

• Python: Python played a crucial role in managing the controller component, responsible for monitoring and controlling the ship's instruments. Its versatility and extensive libraries facilitated the development of complex signal processing and state verification tasks, ensuring that the system could accurately monitor instrument status and respond to any discrepancies.
• NestJS: NestJS was used to develop the API, providing a robust and scalable backend that handles data processing and management. This ensured smooth communication between the hardware controllers and the frontend, delivering real-time updates and control functionalities.
• React: React was instrumental in building a responsive and user-friendly frontend, allowing users to interact with the system efficiently. It was particularly effective in developing dashboards that visualize fuel savings and system status. 

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