Development of Programmable Relay Switch Using Microcontroller

Today the rapid advances in electronic technologies have resulted in a variety of new and inexpensive control capabilities. The rapid rise of the internet and accessibility of computer resources also led to the concept of Open Source Software as a means to provide free and transparent access to computer code so that individuals could review, modify, improve, and distribute computer software. One such Open Source Hardware project resulted in the creation of a microcontroller-based development platform called Arduino. The main objective of this research is to develop an arduino-based PRS to be manufactured by small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in Ethiopia. Specifically, it seeks to answer the (1) What are the technical requirements in the development of the PRS (2) What are the basic functional capabilities of the PRS in terms of Combinational Logic Functions and Sequential Control Functions and (3) What is the acceptability level of PRS as perceived by experts in terms of functionality, reliability, usability, maintainability, aesthetics and safety. The study used descriptive experimental methods of research utilizing laboratory techniques and adopted scholarly questionnaires. The methods were appropriate to determine the physical design, components, tools, functions and features needed in the development of the project. Those were extremely useful in the development of the actual circuit, final parts selection, and software programming to ensure a robust design. Two experiment were tested namely Combinational Logic Functions and Sequential Control Functions using the Programmable Relay Switch and it generates acceptable results by passing all the testing condition. It was concluded that the PRS product model has standard functional capabilities comparable to most standard PLC’s in the market and it is a cheaper but efficient alternative. It can also be constructed from commercially available parts. Moreover, it can be used for actual industrial applications or as a training module in teaching industrial automation or mechatronics courses.