An electronic device without software is only a board. The firmware decides how the hardware behaves in the field, how long it runs on a battery, how it communicates over Bluetooth or LTE and whether it can be updated a year from now. At Convel we create embedded software for the devices we design and manufacture, on the STM32, AVR, Nordic and ESP32 platforms. We analyse the technical requirements, the character of the device and its operating conditions, and we integrate the finished firmware with production: programming on the line and functional testing.

Why firmware at the hardware manufacturer

Embedded software can be contracted out to a separate company. The problem is that firmware and hardware depend on each other more than in any other field: the choice of microcontroller shapes the architecture of the code, the power supply shapes energy management, the placement of the antenna shapes the radio stack. When the PCB design, the firmware and production are in one team, decisions are made together rather than in three email threads with three companies. It shows above all when a run is started: the programming and test procedure is written alongside the code, not after it.

The platforms we work on

  • STM32 – industrial and medical controllers, measuring devices, wherever deterministic behaviour and a rich set of peripherals matter.
  • Nordic – Bluetooth Low Energy devices: trackers, beacons, battery-powered sensors, where current consumption is the deciding factor.
  • ESP32 – devices with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, IoT gateways, controllers with network access.
  • AVR – simpler controllers and modules, where a proven, dependable platform is enough.

The choice of platform is part of the design work, not an assumption. If you already have the hardware, we will work with whatever is on the board.

Scope of work

  • requirements analysis: functions, interfaces, operating conditions, power supply, security and update requirements,
  • software architecture and the choice of platform together with the PCB design,
  • firmware implementation: peripheral handling, communication (BLE, Wi-Fi, LTE, RS-485, CAN, USB), protocols, energy management,
  • an update mechanism (bootloader, OTA), if the device is to be developed further after deployment,
  • production and test firmware: the version to be loaded on the line and the procedures that check the device after assembly,
  • documentation and handover of the code to the customer, on agreed ownership terms.

Integration with production

Finished firmware is not the end. On the line the device has to be programmed, configured (serial number, calibration, keys) and tested. We prepare the stations and procedures that do this repeatably for the whole run and record the results in the production system. When you release a new version of the software, we roll it out in production without stopping the run.

Who it is for

For companies that have a product, or an idea for a product, and want a single partner for electronics, software and production. Since 1991 this is how GPS and Bluetooth trackers, temperature monitoring devices, detection system controllers and automation modules, among others, have come into being here. If the project starts from scratch, take a look at the electronic device design page.

Frequently asked questions about software

Will you write firmware for hardware you did not design?

Yes, after analysing the hardware documentation. This most often concerns devices whose production we are taking over from another supplier.

Who owns the code?

We settle the ownership and handover terms in the contract before work begins. As standard, the customer receives the source code and the documentation.

Do you support OTA updates?

Yes, if the hardware allows it. We design the bootloader and the update mechanism together with the firmware.

Do you also handle the mobile app or the cloud?

Our speciality is the embedded layer. We design the communication interfaces so that the customer’s app or backend can use them easily, and we work with the teams that build them.

Ask about this service

Send us your project documentation and we will prepare a quote together with a proposed production schedule.

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