dSPACE's Model Initiative: Simulators and Models, Both from One Source
NOVI, Mich., Oct. 26, 2005 -- dSPACE, the world's leading supplier of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulators for testing electronic control units (ECUs), is widening the scope of its HIL simulation business.
In the third quarter of 2005, the company began offering complete solutions for automotive applications, combining its well-known simulator hardware with its new simulation models. The Automotive Simulation Models (ASMs) developed by dSPACE includes models for vehicle dynamics, diesel engines and gasoline engines. These and other innovations in electronics technology will be demonstrated at the Automotive Testing Expo 2005 Oct. 26 - 28 at the Novi Expo Center (Booth 5000).
"Our aim is to offer our customers better integration and greater speed in setting up and modifying simulators," says dSPACE CEO Dr. Herbert Hanselmann. "This was an obvious opportunity for us to utilize our accumulated expertise to further optimize customer solutions."
For years, customers have used dSPACE's model service to integrate, commission and parameterize their own or third-party models into dSPACE simulators -- and are doing so in increasing numbers.
Dr. Hanselmann states, "Our simulators will continue to run with our customers' models and models from suppliers, and we will work together to support these companies. Customers can choose the model they want to use on our simulators. Our new models are an additional option."
The ASMs from dSPACE are open Simulink(R) models. Users can view the structure of the models and modify them independently, if necessary. Special software called ModelDesk has been developed for users to parameterize the vehicle dynamics model. The essential vehicle parameters, road profiles, driver behavior and driving maneuvers can be defined using the graphical user interface.
The engine models are mean-value models. It's easy to extend an existing simulator to create a virtual car, for instance, using dSPACE's ASM libraries, Dr. Hanselmann notes.
More information is available at http://www.dspaceinc.com/ . About HIL Simulators
HIL simulators are used for comprehensive testing of real ECUs in a virtual environment. HIL simulation is a major process step in ECU production release. A HIL simulator consists of a fast computing unit and various interfaces for connecting ECUs and external accessories. The signals that the ECUs would receive and transmit in the real environment are exchanged via these interfaces. The simulator and the model installed on it represent the real environment. Simulators not only simulate individual aggregates such as engines or whole powertrains. They can also be networked to simulate an entire vehicle for simultaneous testing of all the vehicle's control systems. Deep and extensive tests on complex systems can be run efficiently by means of fully automated test runs.
About Models
Models are a simulator's intelligence. They represent, as precisely as possible, the behavior of the system that a real ECU is to be used with. Together, model and simulator form an identical, functional representation of a real object, for example, an engine or the vehicle's chassis. Suitably parameterized and configured, the model can simulate any of the states that the represented object may have. Outside of HIL simulation, models also are used during the design phase for control algorithms, to test the algorithms by simulation (model-in-the-loop).
About dSPACE
dSPACE is a market innovator and leading producer of engineering tools for embedded controller development and testing. It provides integrated hardware and software for prototyping control algorithms, automatic generation of production code, controller testing via HIL systems, controller calibration and engineering support services. dSPACE systems enable manufacturers of controllers and ECU(s) to dramatically reduce their development times and costs and to increase product quality. In recognition of its pioneering role in HIL, Frost & Sullivan named dSPACE "2005 Manufacturing Test Company of the Year." In addition to its worldwide headquarters in Paderborn, Germany and its North American headquarters in Novi, Mich., the company has subsidiaries in France, Japan, and the United Kingdom and representatives worldwide. Today, over 12,000 dSPACE systems are in use worldwide, serving customers in the automotive, aerospace, academic, off-highway transportation, engineering, and robotics industries.
NOTE TO EDITORS: 2005 Automotive Testing Expo, Booth # 5000 Oct. 26 - 28, 2005