Automotive Control Unit Teardown - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: luky315
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2015, 05:31:15 pm
content: I had the opportunity to have a quick look at the control unit for a 20.000€ aftermarket four-wheel drive conversion for a van.And I must say that I'm not impressed...

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2015, 06:35:26 pm
content: Was looking at the top side and thinking, "hmm, OK". Then, I looked at the back.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2015, 07:33:56 pm
content: What brand and model is that?Link to a website?

author: luky315
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2015, 08:49:29 pm
content: It's from a VW Crafter 4x4 by Oberaignerhttp://www.oberaigner.com/produkte/volkswagen/crafter-4x4/

author: rvalente
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2015, 12:29:28 am
content: Have no checked all components but they do not seem to be AEC-Q100 certified and as far as I understand, they are not required to be, since it is an aftermarket module, its self regulated...

author: marshallh
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 19, 2015, 03:26:11 am
content: It's either Protel/dxp or Eagle with ELECTRA autorouter. Eww

author: max_torque
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 12:25:21 pm
content: Not a lot of heat sinking on those power switches (BTS/IPS)! Have to hope they have seriously overated them for the load they are driving.......

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 03:08:51 pm
content: DAT USB routingI guess it is short and kinda works. They should have gone for 4 layers if they cannot be bothered with this boring so called hand routing everyone else does.

author: Dr. Frank
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 05:24:37 pm
content: A horrible electronic - absolutely non-automotive concerning components, layout and soldering.All solder joints look bad, no pronounced, shiny solder meniscus visible. => reliability problem , will fail temperature shock test (1000..2000 cycles)It's also eye-catching, that the chicken food (R + C) all sit askew on their pads.. too small capillarity.. obviously the reflow soldering profile / peak temperature was too low, or the solder depot was too less.Or has this PCB been soldered manually??Look at these gruesome bodgers of the H-bridge drivers!The pad geometry of several components are really bad, especially many power components have too small pads, or not sufficient cooling area.On top side, the big 22 Ohm resistor has no copper cooling area at all. (The heat normally is dissipated to 90 % over the solder junctions into the cooling area.)The solder junctions look, as if it already de-soldered itself.. getting too hot.The big size of this component is also critical, as it will destroy the solder junction simply by temperature changes (mismatch PCB vs. resistor ceramics).All these glass diodes are also no preferred automotive components, due to reliability issues.This big axial electrolytic caps is no-name.. also bad..The SMD UHF type maybe from Nichicon, that would be ok.On the bottom, the crystal quartz is absolutely not suited to automotive vibration requirements. (1G .. 5G)If this is a powertrain electronics, not at all.The legs of this construction are sharply bent and will be torn very soon.Even if this electronic is sold as an aftermarket product, it should anyhow fulfill basic automotive requirements.If this is intended for a 4W drive function, it's even dangerous.Frank

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 07:46:04 pm
content: There is even silkscreen on top of silkscreenThese people should be for idden to touch or make anything elctronic ever again...

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 08:16:03 pm
content: Nobody noticed that the large axial Electrolytic doesn't seem to be tied down in any way and its mounting holes are virtually empty of solder???

author: rvalente
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 10:16:24 pm
content: hahah makes me laugh of the time I was at continental automotive and visteon...

author: AF6LJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 21, 2015, 10:26:49 pm
content: You can tell for sure the soldering on the back side was done without tinning the hot brick first.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 02:27:58 am
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on August 21, 2015, 03:08:51 pmIt also helps that USB 1.1 is very tolerant of bad wiring. Even USB 2.0 isn't particularly hard to make work, but USB 3.0/3.1 is very picky.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 05:44:21 am
content: ECUs for converting gasoline car to natural gas are also the same quality like the one above. At least the one I have taken apart.Alexander.

author: rvalente
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 01:36:04 pm
content: Yehp, I'd could say 9 of 10 aftermarket electronics in a car are poorly designed, this includes: Car alarms/anti theft systems, natural gas and ethanol converters, car audio amplifiers, HID lamps ("xenon" lamps") and many other ECUs.... and why?Well, there is not much regulations for aftermarket. In the other hand the OEM (Bosch, Magneti Marelli, Delphi, Sagem...) have such a high standard because they and the car companies want to avoid at any possible way recalls process (they can get amazingly expensive).Even though I can share, while I was at continental we developed car radio, toke us 9 revisions of board to get to a decent product. Absolutely stupid... why? Was the team crap? Nope, actually all guy had 10+ years of experience but the project manager was a stupid mind and we had almost no T&M equipment in the lab.What I'm trying to say is, maybe the electronics engineer of this board is a good professional, but his PM cut all costs possibles: AEC Q100 qualified parts, good assembly, other brandy components and hired a bad layout company .