For the client Intellion, a specialist for warehouse automation in semiconductor manufacturing, specialized control units based on STM32 microcontrollers were developed. These are used in highly automated production facilities to precisely control material flow and warehouse logistics.
Challenge & Architecture
To ensure high reusability of the software across different hardware revisions, an architecture was chosen that uses techniques from the AUTOSAR environment. FreeRTOS was used as the operating system, supplemented by a strict abstraction of hardware and memory layers.
Implementation of the NVM Stack
A central component of the project was the implementation of the complete Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) Stack. This enables persistent storage of critical configuration and operating data directly in the internal flash of the STM32 or external EEPROMs.
Specifically, the development included:
- Memory Abstraction Interface (MemIf): Abstraction between different memory types (Flash/EEPROM).
- Flash Abstraction Layer (Fls): Hardware-close drivers for controlling the internal flash memory.
- NVM Manager: Management of data blocks, ensuring data integrity (CRC), and handling write/read cycles.
Through this standard-oriented implementation, a robust and durable solution for the tough requirements of industrial semiconductor production could be created.