Hardware-in-the-loop simulation: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:28, 8 November 2006

Revision as of 12:50, 9 November 2006

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== Why use Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation? ==

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* Early process human factors development

=== Tight Development Schedules ===

The tight development schedules associated with most new automotive, aerospace and defense programs do not allow embedded system testing to wait for a prototype to be available. In fact, most new development schedules assume that HIL simulation will be used in parallel with the development of the plant. For example, by the time a new automobile engine prototype is made available for control system testing, 95% of the engine controller testing will have been completed using HIL simulation.

The aerospace and defense industries are even more likely to impose a tight development schedule. Aircraft and land vehicle development programs are using desktop and HIL simulation to perform design, test, and integration in parallel.

=== High-Burden-Rate Plant ===

In many cases, the plant is more expensive than a high fidelity, real-time simulator and therefore has a higher-burden rate. Therefore, it is more economical to develop and test while connected to an HIL simulator than the real plant. For jet engine manufacturers, HIL simulation is a fundamental part of engine development. The development of Full Authority Digital Engine Controllers (FADEC) for aircraft jet engines is an extreme example of a high-burden-rate plant. Each jet engine can cost millions of dollars. In contrast, an HIL simulator designed to test a jet engine manufacturer’s complete line of engines may demand merely a tenth of the cost of a single engine.

=== Early Process Human Factors Development ===

HIL simulation is a key step in the process of developing human factors, a method of ensuring usability and system consistency using software ergonomics, human-factors research and design. For real-time technology, human-factors development is the task of collecting usability data from man-in-the-loop testing for components that will have a human interface.

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Given all three criteria listed at the beginning of page, it seems that HIL simulation is, once again, the best option for developing usability and human factors.

== External Links ==

=== Articles ===

[http://www.embedded.com/story/OEG20011129S0054 Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation] embedded.com

=== Vendors ===

[http://www.adi.com Applied Dynamics International] HIL solution provider.