Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation 101

Introduction to HIL Testing

Nicholas Keel
Product Manager NI VeriStand

Booth # 13000
Your Automotive Testing and Simulation Partner
In-Vehicle Test and
Logging

Rapid Control
Prototyping

Hardware-in-the-Loop
Simulation

Automotive
End of Line Test

Test Cell Measurement

& Control

Automotive
Infotainment Test

Software is Growing

BMW 7 Series: 70 ECUs

Lexus 460: 100 ECUs

Embedded Control System Testing Challenges

Increasing application complexity

Increasing reliability requirements

Decreasing time-to-market
Reduce development cost

Test
Challenges

Test
Resources

Embedded Control Systems

Disturbance
(load)

Desired
Speed

Motor
Controller

Motor
Command

Motor
Speed
DC Motor

Testing Embedded Control Systems

System Level Testing
Test System
Test Profile

Logging/
Analysis

Disturbance
Desired
Speed

Motor
Controller

Motor
Speed

Motor
Command
DC Motor

Testing Embedded Control Systems

System Level Testing
What if the DC Motor is not available yet?
What if test failures could damage the DC Motor?
What if the DC Motor is very expensive (capital,
maintenance, operation, facilities)?
What if DC Motor conditions
are not repeatable?
What if there are numerous
variations of the DC Motor?

Disturbance
Measured
Speed

Motor
Command
DC Motor

Testing Embedded Control Systems

Component Level Testing
Test System
Test Profile

Desired
Speed

Motor
Command

Motor
Controller
Motor
Speed

Logging/
Analysis

Component Level Testing Challenges

Test System
Test Profile

Logging/
Analysis

Disturbance
Desired
Speed

Motor
Command

Motor
Controller
Motor
Speed

Motor
Speed ?

HARDWARE-IN-THE-LOOP TESTING

Virtual Reality for your UUT

What does your UUT know about
the world around it?

Voltage

UUT
Desired
Speed

TCP

Motor
Controller

ENCODER

Measured
Speed

Motor
Command

Current

PWM

Impedance
Timing

Testing Embedded Control Systems

Virtual System Level Testing
Test System
MODEL
Test Profile

Desired
Speed

Motor

Logging/
Analysis

Motor
Command

Controller
Measured
Speed

Stimulus =
MODEL(test profile, UUT response)

What is a Model?

System Modeling Tools

NI LabVIEW

The MathWorks, Inc. Simulink Software

ITI SimulationX

Esterel SCADE

MapleSoft MapleSim

LMS AmeSim

Simulink is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.

C / C++

NI MATRIXx SystemBuild

Reduce Cost & Risk with HIL Testing

Increase reliability and quality
Better test coverage
Test repeatability

Develop more efficiently

Shorten validation process
Identify design issues earlier

Lower cost to innovate

Process Automation Creates HIL Test System for Aircraft

Arrestor Control System using NI VeriStand
Field Testing (per day)

$50k

Previous validation program

(20 days)

$1,000k

Current validation plan with

HIL testing (5 days)

$250k

HIL Test System Cost

$50k

Total Saving using HIL

Testing with Field Testing

$700k

NI VeriStands out-of-the-box capabilities made it practical for us to develop

a HIL test system reducing our total testing cost
Greg Sussman, Process Automation

Want to learn more...

Why engineers choose NI for their HIL testing

How to build a HIL test system
Read about our customer successes
Learn about using NI VeriStand for HIL testing applications

www.ni.com/hil

www.ni.com/veristand

Booth # 13000
Your Automotive Testing and Simulation Partner
In-Vehicle Test and
Logging

Rapid Control
Prototyping

Hardware-in-the-Loop
Simulation

Automotive
End of Line Test

Test Cell Measurement

& Control

Automotive
Infotainment Test