Precision Powder-Dispensing Instrument
Custom PCB and firmware for a precision dispensing instrument paired with a lab-grade balance — sub-grain tolerance in 6–10 seconds.
The challenge
A precision-instruments shop was developing a controller for a dispensing system that pairs with a lab-grade balance. The mechanical design and the user-facing product were theirs; the gap was a controller board and firmware that could read mass over the balance’s serial protocol, drive a small motor, and converge on a target weight to within a fraction of a percent in 6–10 seconds — repeatably, across a range of materials with very different flow characteristics.
What we built
A purpose-built controller PCB with motor drive, serial transceiver for the balance, and the I/O needed for the user interface. Firmware implements the closed-loop dispensing algorithm: a fast bulk-fill phase that backs off as the target approaches, then a fine-trickle phase tuned per material profile to hit the tolerance window without overshoot.
Calibration routines, balance-protocol parsing, and material profiles are all in firmware so the instrument ships with sensible defaults and lets advanced users tune for specific feedstocks.
Outcome
A V1 instrument the customer is now selling. Atallis handed off complete schematics, layout, source firmware, and documentation. The customer’s team owns ongoing manufacturing and any future revision work.