Developing a knock-out code for production purposes

Abstract: This report is the product of my master thesis in technical design with a focus on product development. The project was done in co-operation with Wayne, who produces and sells fuel dispensers and are a part of General Electrics, at their Malmö office in Sweden. For their latest line of fuel dispensers, Helix, they were in need of a system for describing different configurations for the barrier, an essential part of the product in that it separates the mechanical and electrical components. This was to be done with consideration to a knock-out machine that is currently in development and that will automate the production of the barrier. The knock-out machine punches out holes on the metal barrier and which holes are to be punched out depends on the configuration of the fuel dispenser in question. The project followed a linear path that started off with studying the systems that directs the configuration of the fuel dispenser and the barrier. With this base, the final concept a binary based code string that contains information of which holes are to be open on the barrier was developed and presented to Wayne. The chosen concept has not yet been implemented in their system and testing may determine that changes need to be made to the code.