Fully Programmable Powertrain and Vehicle Simulator
for ECU-in-the-Loop Testing
DETROIT, March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Opal-RT Technologies Inc.
(http://www.opal-rt.com ), the world leader in distributed real-time simulation on
PC-based platforms, today unveiled RT-LAB TestDrive(TM) -- a software
configurable simulator designed and optimized for today's ECU software
developers.
The announcement is the company's third at this year's SAE World Congress.
Opal-RT had previously announced a new family of FPGA I/O products and
SignalWire(TM) -- a new data transfer technology that provides RT-LAB(TM)
users with improved performance while maintaining the flexibility of IEEE
1394. (See press releases "Opal-RT Technologies Launches New Family of FPGA
I/O Products" & "Opal-RT Technologies Introduces SignalWire" dated March 8,
2004)
As the number of ECUs and the amount of software continues to multiply in
next-generation vehicle designs, it has become increasingly difficult to fully
test each individual ECU and the ECU-ECU interface using static simulators.
New requirements have emerged, including greater test repeatability,
incorporation of inter-related dynamic signals, higher number of I/O signals
in new ECU designs, and the ability to configure a simulator for multiple ECU
programs.
An ideal replacement for static simulators and the current generation of
programmable simulators, RT-LAB TestDrive achieves low unit cost through off-
the-shelf hardware technologies and a common FPGA-based I/O module design.
RT-LAB TestDrive comes with sufficient I/O to interface with today's most
demanding engine and transmission control ECUs, with further expansion through
plug-and-play I/O modules. All I/O channels are equipped with an integrated,
configurable conditioning and protection stage. The software allows selection
of output stage type, channel configuration, signal range and scaling. For
testing higher levels of integration, such as a chassis/powertrain
combination, multiple "TestDrives" can be brought together through an IEEE
1394 "Firewire(TM)" link. In addition to being a standalone simulator, RT-LAB
TestDrive can serve as an I/O processor in a multi-processor RT-LAB
Engineering Simulator for real-time closed-loop simulation using high fidelity
plant models.
According to Wensi Jin, Automotive Business Development Manager at Opal-RT
Technologies, "Our objective in developing RT-LAB TestDrive is to provide our
customers with a cost-effective, software configurable replacement for static
simulators. It addresses several critical shortcomings with today's
simulators such as test repeatability, confidence in the simulator set up, and
remote access. RT-LAB TestDrive also opens the way for easy transition from
open loop testing to closed loop testing that more closely simulates
conditions that the ECU would experience in the vehicle."
With the ability to configure all the I/O channels in software, the
software engineer is freed from the burden of configuring the hardware using
jumpers and switches. With RT-LAB TestDrive, the user can always be sure that
the simulator is correctly configured and the test will start in a known and
controlled state, without worrying whether someone has changed jumpers on the
I/O hardware, potentially causing erroneous results or even damage to the
system.
User interface features include a software configurable Tactile Interface
Module (TIM) providing physical knobs and switches for manual control and
tuning, as well as LEDs for visual feedback. Both the TIM and Windows-based
RT-LAB TestDrive GUI can be physically separate from the simulators, which can
be centrally located for lab space optimization.
RT-LAB TestDrive is a networked simulator. Whether using it in the lab,
accessing it via a local area network or performing tests remotely via the
Internet, the same user interface allows the engineer to configure and execute
tests without being near the simulator.
To facilitate ECU software testing from a remote location, RT-LAB
TestDrive allows test automation scripts to be downloaded and run directly on
the real-time processor. Outputs from a running simulation can be channeled
to data files for post-processing, making RT-LAB TestDrive a perfect fit for
lights-out testing.
About Opal-RT Technologies Inc.
Opal-RT provides software, hardware, and related solutions for real-time
simulation applications, with the aim of enabling real-time parallel
processing through flexible and affordable technologies. The company offers a
full range of engineering simulation products -- from enabling technologies to
turnkey engineering simulators -- and consulting services that include systems
integration, software development, simulation and modeling, problem-solving,
and training. Opal-RT's core expertise is in distributed hard-real-time
simulation, with experienced engineers designing real-time simulators for
automotive, electrical power, aerospace, robotics, and other industries where
fidelity and fault tolerance requirements push rapid prototyping and hardware-
in-the-loop testing to their limits. Opal-RT's unique approach integrates
parallel, distributed computing with commercial-off-the-shelf technologies.
The resulting RT-LAB product range enables customers to develop simulations
quickly, easily, affordably, and competitively. For more information about
Opal-RT's range of Engineering Simulators and Distributed Processing Tools,
see http://www.opal-rt.com .
About RT-LAB
RT-LAB is the real-time technology that revolutionizes the way model-based
design is performed within the engineering organization. Through its
openness, RT-LAB has the flexibility to be applied to any simulation and
control problem, and scalability to provide a low-risk entry point for any
application, allowing the developer to add computation power where and when
needed -- whether to dramatically speed up simulations or for real-time
hardware-in-the-loop applications.
RT-LAB, TestDrive, and SignalWire are registered trademarks of Opal-RT
Technologies Inc.
Firewire is a registered trademark of Apple Computer Corporation
SOURCE Opal-RT Technologies Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.opal-rt.com
CONTACT:
Paul Goossens, VP Marketing of Opal-RT
Technologies Inc., +1-877-935-2323, ext. 233,
Paul.Goossens@opal-rt.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: Opal-RT Technologies Inc., 2004 SAE World
Congress, Booth #1222, Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan.
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