Engineering & R&D

Engineering & R&D

Custom industrial controllers, embedded systems, firmware, PCB design, software, and fabrication — delivered in-house in Darwin NT.

From requirements to prototype to deployment: custom controllers, control panels, relay boards, embedded systems, web interfaces, backend platforms, and validation workflows built for transparency, longevity, and straightforward future support.

Fabrication and test capability includes PCB workflows, laser cutting, CNC, 3D printing, indoor/outdoor validation, and marine-environment testing. Control systems and software are designed with upgradeability, scalability, and minimal maintenance in mind.

Looking specifically for Darwin electronics repair? Visit Electronics Repair Darwin.

At a glance

Core Capabilities

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems

  • Custom industrial controllers, relay panels, and embedded process controllers
  • Multi-channel I/O boards, motor control, and industrial-grade relay designs
  • Modbus RTU/TCP, serial, and TCP/IP protocol implementation
  • SCADA-compatible and HMI-ready control system integration
  • Controller repair, reverse engineering, and redesign

Electronics & Embedded Systems

  • Custom circuit boards, diagnostics, repair, and redesign
  • Firmware, drivers, interfaces, and control-system development
  • Bring-up, test equipment, validation, and environmental suitability work

Software & Integration

  • Backend systems, APIs, web interfaces, dashboards, and operational apps
  • Fleet, workflow, and specialist system integration
  • Deployment, infrastructure, and operational support with open, maintainable repo structure

Prototyping & Fabrication

  • Fast-turn PCB prototyping, laser cutting, CNC, and 3D printing
  • Enclosures, mounting, waterproofing, fixture work, and sealed or passive-cooled designs where the deployment justifies it
  • Indoor/outdoor and marine-environment validation support

Industrial Controllers

Custom Industrial Controllers in Darwin

When an off-the-shelf PLC or controller doesn't fit the application — wrong I/O count, wrong form factor, no local support, or simply too expensive to maintain — a custom industrial controller is often the right answer. IATRT designs, builds, and supports custom industrial controllers for commercial, industrial, marine, and field deployments across Darwin and the Northern Territory.

Controller types

  • Relay control panels and multi-channel relay boards
  • Embedded process controllers with digital and analogue I/O
  • Motor and actuator drive controllers
  • Custom PLC-style controllers for specific process requirements
  • Data acquisition and monitoring controllers

Communication & protocols

  • Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP/IP
  • RS-232, RS-485, and serial interfaces
  • Ethernet and cellular (4G/LTE) connectivity
  • MQTT and REST API integration for remote monitoring
  • SCADA and HMI-compatible output

Environments supported

  • Commercial and light industrial
  • Heavy industrial and high-vibration environments
  • Marine, offshore, and high-humidity deployments
  • Field and remote sites (solar, battery, and mains power)
  • High-temperature environments (Darwin climate considerations built in)

Enclosures & installation

  • IP-rated enclosures (IP54 through IP67 and above)
  • DIN rail and panel-mount configurations
  • Sealed and vented designs with passive or active thermal management
  • Corrosion and salt-spray protection for marine and coastal sites
  • In-house enclosure design, fabrication, and assembly

Delivery

Clear Deliverables, Customer-Owned IP

For development engagements, IP is held by the customer. Deliverables can include source code, design files, and documentation to support maintenance and future changes. Where fit allows, software is kept open-source or openly maintainable, with upgradeability and scale planned into the core design.

Engagement types

  • Repair and diagnostics
  • Prototype and proof-of-concept builds
  • Productization and small production runs
  • Legacy controller replacement and redesign

Typical deliverables

  • Design files (schematics, layout) and BOM
  • Firmware/software source, build notes, module repositories, and transparent repo structure
  • Test notes, handover documentation, upgrade paths, and migration-ready records

Testing focus

  • Functional verification, burn-in, and thermal margin checks
  • Environmental suitability for indoor, outdoor, industrial, and marine deployments
  • Field trials, load testing, and long-run validation where required
  • Submerged pressure testing for marine and wet environments

Operational constraints

  • Legacy equipment continuity and practical redesign paths
  • Part availability, sourcing risk, and lead time planning
  • Maintainability, upgradeability, and minimal maintenance over fragile one-offs
  • Darwin and NT supply chain considerations built into BOM decisions

Details

Service Breakdown

Services (quick list)
  • Custom industrial controller design and build
  • Industrial controller repair, diagnostics, and reverse engineering
  • Relay panel and control board design
  • Custom circuit design and embedded system development
  • Control system firmware and software
  • Prototyping and small production runs
  • Legacy controller replacement and redesign
  • Supporting software, dashboards, and remote monitoring integrations
Industrial controllers & control systems (detailed)

Custom industrial controllers are built around the specific application — not adapted from a general-purpose PLC with features you don't need and gaps you have to work around.

Design scope

  • Requirements capture and control system architecture
  • I/O specification: digital inputs/outputs, analogue signals, relay channels
  • Power supply design for the operating environment (24VDC, 12VDC, mains-derived)
  • Industrial communication protocol implementation (Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, RS-485, serial)
  • Safety interlocks and fault detection logic
  • Remote access, monitoring, and control interfaces (MQTT, REST, web dashboard)

Firmware & software

  • Deterministic real-time firmware for reliable process control
  • State machine design for safe sequencing and fault recovery
  • Watchdog, power-fail, and recovery logic
  • OTA (over-the-air) update support where required
  • Web-based configuration and monitoring interfaces
  • Integration with backend platforms, SCADA, and historian systems

Enclosure & installation

  • Panel layout design and DIN rail configuration
  • IP-rated enclosure selection, modification, or in-house fabrication
  • Cable management, labelling, and installation documentation
  • Commissioning support and field acceptance testing
Full-cycle custom electronics development (detailed)

Beyond isolated board work, we design and build complete embedded systems from concept through deployment.

Design & engineering

  • Requirements analysis and system architecture
  • Custom PCB design (schematic, layout, routing)
  • Firmware development for microcontrollers and embedded systems
  • Network protocol implementation (serial, Modbus, TCP/IP, etc.)
  • Safety and regulatory compliance assessment

Manufacturing & fabrication

  • PCB prototyping and small-batch production (sourcing, assembly, programming)
  • 3D design and modelling for custom enclosures
  • 3D printing and additive manufacturing for prototype enclosures
  • CNC subtractive manufacturing and machining
  • Mechanical assembly and integration

Testing & validation

  • Functional testing and verification
  • Environmental suitability (temperature, humidity, salt spray)
  • Waterproofing and IP rating validation
  • Vibration and shock resistance testing for harsh environments
  • EMC / EMI compliance testing
  • Field trials and reliability assessment
Example: Industrial controllers for harsh-environment deployments

Example engagement: networked industrial relay controllers for offshore aquaculture operations in demanding environments.

  • Custom multi-channel relay PCBs with industrial-grade relays rated for the load
  • IP67-rated enclosures designed, prototyped, and manufactured in-house
  • Waterproofing and corrosion protection for salt-water spray and high humidity
  • Modbus TCP and Ethernet connectivity for remote monitoring and control
  • Cellular (4G) fallback for sites without fixed network infrastructure
  • Power management for marine and off-grid power systems
  • Environmental testing to validate performance in offshore conditions
  • Deterministic firmware for reliable low-latency switching
  • Web dashboard for operator visibility and remote control

This kind of engagement spans electronics design, firmware, enclosure engineering, networking, and software — delivered as a single scope with documented handover.

Controller repair, diagnostics & reverse engineering

Industrial controllers and control boards fail. When they do, the options are often: replace the whole unit at significant cost, wait weeks for a specialist, or find someone who can diagnose and fix it locally.

  • Board-level diagnostics on industrial controllers, relay panels, and control electronics
  • Component-level fault finding and repair
  • Reverse engineering of undocumented or obsolete controllers
  • Redesign and replacement where repair is not viable
  • Firmware recovery and re-flashing where applicable
  • Documentation of repaired or reverse-engineered designs for future reference

If you have a failed industrial controller and need it assessed, bring it in or contact us to discuss. Darwin-based — no need to freight it interstate.

Repairs and one-off work
  • Diagnostics and troubleshooting of existing electronics
  • Repair of damaged components, PCBs, and controllers
  • Reverse engineering to understand and modify existing designs
  • One-off repairs and bespoke modifications

A broken controller, damaged PCB, or small electronic device is worth discussing if it can be repaired safely and reasonably.

For infrastructure and business IT services see our IT page: iatrt.com/it.

Book a consultation

Services are provided on-site and remotely across Darwin, Palmerston, and the Northern Territory. Travel availability varies depending on the job — please contact to discuss.

Contact

Address
4/143 Coonawarra Rd
Winnellie NT 0820

Phone
0410 152 013

Email
inquiries@iatrt.com

Service hours
Monday–Friday
9:00am – 5:00pm
Closed weekends & public holidays

Consultations

Free consultation by phone or at our Winnellie workshop. On-site callouts are charged separately. Consultations are used to discuss the issue, assess scope, and determine the most practical next steps.

We'll give you clear advice on what's involved, realistic timelines, and honest cost expectations. No surprise bills, just straightforward solutions.