Overview
BVM Ltd was approached by a global OEM, a leading producer of monitoring and control devices for telemetry-based analytics. The client required the design and manufacture of a compact IoT gateway device to monitor remote installations.
The new device was intended to succeed and eventually replace an existing product approaching the end of its long-life availability, which had consistently sold several thousand units per year over many years. The client’s Requirements Specification was extensive, defining a list of ‘must-have’ features and functionalities.
BVM translated these requests into a comprehensive Engineering Design Specification, reviewed and signed off with the client before commencing development.
The Challenge
From a technical standpoint, the primary challenge was to design a compact computing system incorporating:
- Digital and analogue I/O for diverse sensor connectivity
- Dual Ethernet network connections for redundancy and high-speed data transmission
- Battery-backed real-time clock for autonomous operation
- Embedded security features for data integrity and protection
- Compatibility with a 12V–24V DC power supply
Commercially, the design needed to reduce the BOM and assembly cost while enhancing features, functionality, and manufacturability, enabling the product to remain competitive in global markets.
The Design
The design centred on a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) mounted on a custom carrier PCB designed and manufactured by BVM. The CM4 was selected as the central compute solution for its cost-effectiveness and extensive ecosystem of software tools, simplifying development.
A key design consideration was the power supply architecture. To optimise cost and maintain high noise immunity across a wide voltage and temperature range, discrete components were used instead of pre-assembled modules. This resulted in 3.3V and 5V regulated supplies, supporting an operating temperature range of -20°C to +70°C.
System cooling was achieved via a heat conductor/spreader, transferring thermal energy from the CM4 and other components to the device’s metal enclosure.
Verification and Testing
The final design underwent rigorous validation, including:
- Burn-in tests with temperature cycling in BVM’s in-house thermal chamber
- Continuous monitoring of CPU core temperature to ensure no throttling occurred
- Verification of analogue and digital I/O performance, ensuring noise levels remained below acceptance thresholds
The design was subsequently submitted to BVM’s approvals house partner and certified to UKCA, CE, and FCC standards, enabling compliant global distribution.
The Result
BVM delivered a compact, rugged IoT gateway device capable of monitoring and recording data from remote installations. The device met stringent client marketing requirements, including corporate colours, decals, and branding.
Independent testing confirmed the design exceeded performance requirements, and long-term application testing verified reliability under operational conditions. To date, the device has achieved field sales exceeding 1,500 units, reflecting its commercial and technical success.
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