Test equipment arrangement having a superheat controller

1. An end of line test equipment arrangement comprising a superheat controller having a processor, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor therein, removably connectable to a unit under test, and operable to test at least one operational parameter of the unit under test;

wherein the unit under test is one of a modular silicon expansion valve, a microvalve enabled device, a microvalve, an electronic fluid valve, a pressure sensor, and a flow sensor;

wherein the superheat controller processor is provided with an algorithm that at least one of:

detects and processes electrical resistance and input voltage of the unit under test and controls an output of electricity from a source of electrical power to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a multimeter and protecting the unit under test from overvoltage;

provides a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal and controls the amount of power delivered to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a pulse width modulation driver;

measures input pressure to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a pressure transducer;

measures input temperature to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a thermistor; and

presents test data output to an operator.

2. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the unit under test is a modular silicon expansion valve.

3. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 1 , further including at least one test component operably connected to the unit under test.

4. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one test component is one or more of a multimeter, a thermistor, a pressure transducer, a pulse width modulation driver, a pressure regulator, and a pressure reducer.

5. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 1 , further including a computer connected to the superheat controller and the unit under test.

6. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 5 , further including a data acquisition device connected to the superheat controller and the unit under test.

7. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the test data output is presented to the operator via the computer.

8. An end of the line test equipment arrangement comprising:

a test component operably connected to a unit under test; and

a superheat controller connected to the unit under test and having a processor, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor therein;

wherein the superheat controller processor is provided with an algorithm that at least one of:

detects and processes electrical resistance and input voltage of the unit under test and controls an output of electricity from a source of electrical power to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a multimeter and protecting the unit under test from overvoltage;

provides a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal and controls the amount of power delivered to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a pulse width modulation driver;

measures input pressure to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a pressure transducer; and

measures input temperature to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a thermistor; and

presents test data output to an operator.

9. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the test component is one or more of a multimeter, a thermistor, a pressure transducer, a pulse width modulation driver, a pressure regulator, and a pressure reducer.

10. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 8 , further including a computer connected to the superheat controller and the unit under test.

11. The end of line test equipment arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the test data output is presented to the operator via the computer.

12. A method of testing an electronic device comprising:

connecting a superheat controller to an electronic device, the superheat controller having a processor, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor therein, the processor provided with an algorithm; and

using the algorithm to at least one of:

detect and process electrical resistance and input voltage of the unit under test and controls an output of electricity from a source of electrical power to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a multimeter and protecting the unit under test from overvoltage;

provide a pulse width modulation signal and control the amount of power delivered to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a pulse width modulation driver;

measure input pressure to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a pressure transducer;

measure input temperature to the unit under test, thus performing the function of a thermistor; and

present test data output to an operator.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the electronic device is one of a modular silicon expansion valve, a microvalve enabled device, a microvalve, an electronic fluid valve, a pressure sensor, and a flow sensor.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further including connecting the superheat controller and the electronic device within an end of line test equipment arrangement having at least one of a multimeter, a thermistor, a pressure transducer, a pulse width modulation driver, a pressure regulator, and a pressure reducer.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the test data output is presented to the operator via a computer.