Optimized Digital Simulation Methodology for System Validation Using Real-Time Hardware-in-Loop Simulation Platform

Abstract

Validation of onboard software is an essential and mandatory step before real launch in the aerospace and defense industry. This validation platform is popularly known as hardware-in-loop (HIL) simulation. It evaluates the real-time performance of the embedded system software and this is the tool to resolve the problems related to design, subsystem integration, and real-time execution by creating a modeling and simulation plant simulation platform. There are different configurations of HILS to validate every avionics subsystem like onboard computers, actuators, sensors, etc. In this article, development of an HIL simulation setup for a newly adopted fully digital controller for avionics configuration is discussed. This article looks at the development of a new configuration that is based on a fully digital feedback signal at a faster rate as required by the plant model so that the subsystem can be tested efficiently without causing any undue delay and oscillation in HIL methodology. The general methodology to test the actuator is to send a command to this system and take position feedback to the plant model with continuous analog signal for faster execution of the 6Dof algorithm. However, in the newly developed method discussed in this article; the plant model is configured using discrete digital signals instead of continuous signal feedback from the subsystem. The system approach for validation of this system, different methodologies as well as the synchronization and elimination of delay in simulation computer is elaborated.