Fieldbus Technologies and Test Automation: Wapice’s Impact on Danfoss’s AC Drives

Danfoss is the world’s leading manufacturer of frequency converters, focusing on product life cycle in addition to high quality and rigorous testing. To remain at the forefront of industrial automation, Danfoss needed to expand the capabilities of its AC drive platform at an accelerated pace. Seeking a partner with deep expertise in fieldbus technologies and embedded software, Danfoss turned to Wapice, a long-standing collaborator.

“Danfoss had set an ambitious target for the development of new protocols to expand product capabilities, which required additional resources. As Wapice and Danfoss have had a long relationship, it was natural to turn to an existing partner”, says Thomas Rubæk Petersen, Lead Integration Expert of Danfoss.

Danfoss’s AC drives are used in a vast number of application domains and need to interface with numerous different types of systems. Danfoss already had excellent software development capabilities, but it needed consulting and help with implementation. It was crucial to assemble a team with the capabilities to adapt to a large and multicultural project environment as well as learn and apply the required technologies quickly.

Wapice assembled a multi-site team by selecting the most suitable experts for the task, who began familiarising themselves with the system. The collaboration progressed smoothly, and over time, the responsibilities expanded beyond fieldbus technologies.

“Wapice could ramp up and staff the development activities at the high pace Danfoss had set.
Wapice’s deep expertise in fieldbus technologies and embedded software made them an ideal partner for this project. Their knowledge and ability to integrate seamlessly into our development process were crucial in this project”, says Thomas Rubæk Petersen, Lead Integration Expert of Danfoss.

By integrating advanced fieldbus technologies, including EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, Profinet, EtherCAT, and OPC UA, Wapice enabled real-time, decentralized communication between devices—an essential requirement for the industrial environments where Danfoss AC drives operate. Their contributions ensured that the system functioned with exceptional reliability, performance, and efficiency.

By streamlining processes and optimizing communication between devices, Wapice’s experts contributed to improved operational efficiency and sustainability. The collaboration enabled Danfoss to introduce innovative features in their iC7 AC drives while ensuring system reliability and real-time responsiveness.

Wapice enabled the scalability of the project through its skilled personnel. The experts’ diverse competencies and flexible resourcing allowed for agile development on a broader scale. Quality was ensured through a regular feedback process, including a dedicated project satisfaction survey.

The collaboration between Wapice and Danfoss encompassed a broad range of technical areas, ensuring seamless integration of fieldbus technologies and optimization of software solutions. By focusing on firmware development, rigorous testing, and automation, Wapice contributed to the reliability, flexibility, and performance of Danfoss’s AC drives. The scope of the project covered multiple facets of software and communication enhancements, reinforcing the product’s ability to meet industrial demands. Wapice’s technical expertise played a crucial role in several key areas:

• Firmware Development: Third-party fieldbus implementations were integrated directly into Danfoss’s drive firmware, ensuring seamless compatibility and robust performance.
• Integration Testing: Rigorous integration tests were developed for fieldbus technologies, ensuring flawless communication between devices.
• Test Automation & CI Pipeline Development: Enhancements to Danfoss’s test automation platform and continuous integration (CI) pipelines ensured rigorous testing for performance and reliability.
• Proprietary Communication Protocols: Wapice implemented proprietary communication protocols to enhance the flexibility of Danfoss’s AC drive systems.
• Wireless HMI Communication: The enablement of wireless HMI communication via WiFi and Bluetooth improved system usability and control.

Thanks to Wapice’s extensive contributions, Danfoss successfully launched the iC7 drives with cutting-edge capabilities, delivering scalable, reliable, and energy-efficient solutions that meet the demands of modern industrial environments. This collaboration not only enhanced Danfoss’s product offerings but also reinforced their commitment to sustainability.

“It has been a pleasure working with Wapice in developing automated tests. The engineers quickly built-up knowledge in new areas and worked professionally, delivering quality work on time. They also proactively made suggestions and provided valuable input when complications arose. I would gladly work with Wapice again on future projects”, says Danfoss’s Senior Test Engineer Thomas Christensen.

“It has been a great pleasure to work with Danfoss and its technologically advanced products. From a technical perspective, the project has been both highly interesting and successful. Firmware development and fieldbus communication align well with our expertise, and together we have achieved significant progress”, says Wapice’s Head of Embedded Systems Risto Pajula.

The success of this project demonstrates how external expertise can seamlessly integrate into an existing organization, complementing internal capabilities and helping to achieve ambitious goals. By collaborating with Wapice, Danfoss was able to accelerate development, ensuring the successful implementation of advanced fieldbus technologies while maintaining the highest standards of performance and reliability. Through Wapice’s proactive approach and technical expertise, Danfoss was able to exceed expectations and deliver a superior product to the market.