FROM CONCEPT TO CUSTOMER
Inside ATI’s Product Journey
Discover how Accurate Technologies Inc. transforms ideas into rugged, real-world-ready products—combining cutting-edge engineering, in-house manufacturing, and ISO-certified quality in a seamless development process.
Engineering Conception & Design
At the heart of ATI’s innovation is a collaborative engineering environment where software and hardware are conceived with precision and adaptability in mind. Engineers begin by modeling new ideas using advanced CAD tools and simulation software. These digital environments allow for real-time thermal, mechanical, and signal flow analysis, helping ATI’s teams preemptively solve integration and durability issues. Their labs feature bench test systems that mimic real-world vehicle networks and operating conditions, such as temperature extremes and electrical noise, allowing them to simulate ECU behavior and sensor responses during development. This tightly integrated digital-to-physical loop forms the cornerstone of ATI's design philosophy.
Rapid Prototyping & Simulation
Once the concept is digitally verified, ATI transitions quickly into prototyping using a combination of in-house rapid tools. A standout is their Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printer, which enables the fabrication of durable nylon components with intricate internal structures, ideal for enclosure testing and fit-checks. Alongside, ATI leverages the VISION API and No-Hooks software tools to simulate live ECU and vehicle data during early prototyping, without needing full physical systems. Engineers can tweak parameters on the fly, making this stage an agile, low-risk way to test edge cases and extreme scenarios in a safe and repeatable environment.
Integrated Manufacturing Collaboration
What sets ATI apart is its physical proximity between engineering and manufacturing: under the same roof. This eliminates barriers between design and production teams. Engineers can walk prototypes straight to the CNC shop floor or electronics lab, enabling immediate validation and iteration. Communication is direct, not through documentation handoffs, which accelerates both schedule and issue resolution. This arrangement also fosters a collaborative culture where manufacturing specialists provide early input into design for manufacturability (DFM), ensuring components are optimized for material use, assembly time, and thermal resilience from the outset.
Precision Machining & Tooling
ATI’s machine shop includes vertical and horizontal CNC mills, turning centers, and specialty finishing tools that allow for exacting fabrication of aluminum and plastic components. Enclosures, heat sinks, jigs, and fixtures are all milled from solid billet stock to extremely tight tolerances. For internal products like rugged DAQ modules and vehicle interface devices, surface finishes and thermal characteristics are mission-critical. Machinists use multi-axis programming and digital inspection tools to ensure parts not only meet spec, but are ready for direct integration. The ability to create one-off or small-batch runs in-house dramatically reduces lead time and improves product cohesion.
PCB Layout & Electronic Assembly
ATI’s electronics lab is equipped for both PCB design and assembly of complex, multi-layer boards. Their hardware teams use HDI (High-Density Interconnect) layout strategies to pack a high number of I/O channels into small, robust form factors. These boards are then populated using semi-automated pick-and-place equipment, followed by soldering and reflow processes. Post-assembly, each board is x-rayed to ensure solder joints are void-free and all hidden pins (like BGA components) are electrically sound. Because these products are deployed in harsh automotive and industrial environments, every board is tested for thermal cycling, electrical tolerance, and mechanical vibration resistance.
Software & Firmware Engineering
Software is not an afterthought. It’s a parallel and equal discipline at ATI. Firmware developers work closely with hardware teams to build embedded systems that are tightly coupled with the physical product. This includes everything from real-time data acquisition firmware and communication protocol handling (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) to low-level hardware drivers. Simultaneously, ATI’s software engineers develop desktop and server-side tools, like the VISION calibration platform, that interface with these hardware products. Through shared tools, test cases, and integration environments, software and firmware are tested as one system, ensuring optimized performance, synchronized timing, and consistent user experience across ATI’s hardware/software stack.
System-Level Testing & Validation
Before anything reaches the customer, ATI puts each product through rigorous system-level testing. Complete hardware/software solutions are exposed to simulated environmental conditions in thermal chambers, often cycling from -40°C to +85°C to replicate under-hood and under-dash automotive placements. Electrical interfaces are subjected to load dumps, noise spikes, and bus faults to ensure signal integrity and isolation. On the software side, engineers utilize real-time data acquisition and logging through VISION and other internal tools to validate control logic, synchronization, and latency under stress. This integrated validation phase ensures ATI’s products will perform reliably in demanding real-world conditions.
Final Assembly & Quality Assurance
Once tested, units move into final assembly where precision and consistency are paramount. Skilled technicians assemble devices under microscopes, handling miniature connectors, fine-gauge wires, and intricate mechanical interfaces. Every unit is functionally tested using a mix of automated and manual procedures, verifying that all analog/digital channels, power rails, and software boot/load processes operate flawlessly. This 100% test strategy is complemented by barcode-based tracking for traceability, allowing ATI to trace each unit back to its components and test logs. The result: a field-ready product that meets ATI’s high standards and supports their industry-leading warranty.
ISO-Certified Quality Management
ATI’s Novi facility operates under an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system. This framework governs every step of the product lifecycle, from initial requirements gathering and prototype reviews to manufacturing audits and supplier evaluations. The QMS enforces statistical process control, continual improvement loops, and detailed documentation of every material, board, and test fixture used. The benefits aren’t just internal; customers gain confidence knowing ATI tracks compliance with standards like RoHS, WEEE, and REACH, and that every device can be reproduced, serviced, and supported with full documentation and testing history on file.
Global Reach, Local Expertise
Although every ATI product is designed and built in Novi, the company serves a global customer base through strategically placed offices and support teams across Europe, Asia, and North America. These regional experts provide tailored service, from ECU calibration help and CAN bus diagnostics to on-site training and hardware configuration. ATI maintains a “service-first” mindset, where the sale is just the beginning of the relationship. Combined with responsive engineering support and firmware updates, this ensures that ATI solutions evolve with customer needs long after deployment.
Design & Fabrication
ATI has most of the resources located internally at its headquarters in Novi, Michigan to produce the products created by its world-class design team. Feedback on designs can be obtained by just a short walk between engineering and the shop. In-house processes include not only traditional subtractive machining, such as mills and lathes, but also state-of-the-art additive processes which includes 3D printing.
3D Printer
ATI uses a Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) printer which is an additive manufacturing procedure that uses a laser as the power source to sinter a specifically formulated powdered material. The SLS printer spreads a thin layer of the powdered material, typically nylon/polyamide, and uses a laser aiming at specific points in space defined by 3D CAD data binds the material together, creating a solid object. This machine not only produces quick turnaround prototype parts, tooling, and fixtures but is also a full production machine capable of running hundreds of pieces per batch. This extremely versatile piece of equipment gives ATI the ability to build custom, one of a kind parts in a very short timeframe.
Read more about how ATI's automotive manufacturing process increases flexible production:
CNC Mill Machines
ATI specializes in low quantity, high performance production machining. ATI’s tight tolerance and attention to detail ensures the highest level of quality for all parts including out of the ordinary, hard to produce parts. ATI owns a wide range of mills and lathe equipment to manufacture anything from heat sinks to hardware product enclosures from material such as billet aluminum and sheet plastic. ATI manufactures parts for not only production, but prototypes, tooling, and fixtures for internal use.
PCB Technology
ATI utilizes printed circuit boards that are designed and assembled in-house and manufactured in the USA. Because engineering and production all takes place at the world headquarters, ATI can produce a highly sophisticated products which are small and rugged.
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ATI’s circuit board designs are compact with high-density layouts which result in an end user product that can be placed in the smallest application areas, such as in-vehicle or test cells. The compact design and high durability are achieved using both multi layered and HDI sequential lamination processes. Ensuring our exceptional quality and high reliability from precision circuit boards is made possible with the use of X-ray technology. Our Dage X-ray machine provides Sub-Micron viewing capabilities allowing for the examination of solder joints and circuit board assembly quality not possible with typical inspection equipment.
Engineering Lab
ATI’s engineering lab replicates real world software and hardware configurations for thorough testing of all products. Since test vehicles are subject to extreme heat and cold over the development cycle, a thermal chamber is used to replicate these harsh conditions and to ensure that ATI products exceed customer expectations. Dedicated test benches provide the ability to replicate real world usage by testing complete hardware and software solutions. Using No-Hooks Rapid Prototyping along with the VISION API, ATI’s engineering lab can quickly and efficiently verify software functionality.
ATI is dedicated to taking these extra steps in order to produce the highest level of quality software and hardware to our customers.
Final Assembly
Final assembly is performed by ATI’s knowledgeable manufacturing technicians. ATI manufacturing technicians are highly skilled, well trained and very familiar with our products and quality management systems put in place to ensure all products are ready for real world application. Each assembly workstation includes a microscope for assembly and final inspection of our products.
Engineering
At Accurate Technologies Inc. (ATI) software and hardware development functions as a closed loop system. From the inception to the finished product, ATI develops all solutions under one roof ensuring all products function together as one complete ecosystem. In house development also plays a key role in ATI’s ability to solve problems and address customer requests quickly and efficiently resulting in rapid issue resolutions and custom customer requested integrations.
ATI’s product development philosophy is software and hardware solutions created for engineers by engineers, that is the ATI difference. ATI Engineers possess years of real-world work experience using the products they now design. This experience provides complete understanding of what really matters to the customer.
Software Engineering
ATI software development teams benefit from working with direct input from customers when developing new features and functionality. Giving our customers a voice during development provides invaluable insight resulting in software solutions that operate seamlessly. Increasing efficiencies is a priority at ATI, details as minor as number of clicks it takes to perform an action is taken into consideration in all ATI software.
ATI ISO 26262 ASIL D Certification Report
IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 (2018) are postceding requirements for new production software/hardware verification/validation process before the product’s release and is not required/intended for software/hardware not used in released products, pre-existing/preceding ISO 26262, following the “proven in use” clause, and/or data acquisition, such as ATI products.
Electrical Engineering
ATI’s Electrical Engineering team is a dynamic, cross-functional development team that designs, develops, and modifies existing ATI products based on customer requirements. With a focus on the fundamentals, ATI develops a solid base for hardware which produces reliable high-quality products. ATI strives to find innovative ways to design cost effective products without sacrificing quality and integrity.
Mechanical Engineering
ATI’s Mechanical Engineering team works closely with the PCB Layout and Design Validation teams when designing and building products and housings. These close collaborations pave the way for ATI to offer the high quality, compact, rugged solutions customers have come to expect. In addition, ATI’s Mechanical Engineers take great care in designing products that can be easily reproduced in large quantities by our in-house Manufacturing team in order to meet customer demand.
PCB Layout
All printed circuit board designs for ATI hardware are designed in house. This provides our Engineering team with direct input on the PCB layouts and offers complete control over every component, trace, via, and pad which drastically reduces parasitic properties in our boards. Multilayer PCB layouts are used when designing hardware solutions allowing ATI to offer customers more compact, rugged housing solutions that can be easily mounted during testing.
Design Validation
All ATI products are fully tested, and functionality verified to meet all specifications. Understanding the needs of rugged solutions, a thermal chamber is used to ensure there is zero product failures within the recommended temperature ratings. With all ATI products being designed in-house, teams can work closely together making it possible to address any findings directly with the product managers resulting in quick solutions to make the best product possible.