Alma Automotive – Eldor Corporation

DEVELOPMENT OF A HIL SIMULATOR FOR

ECU VALIDATION BASED ON THE
VERISTAND SW PLATFORM

Andrea Gelmetti – Eldor Corporation

Luca Solieri – Alma Automotive

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 THE GOAL
Develop an integrated HIL
system capable of simulating the
entire perimeter of a modern
automotive ECU. This would
allow the validation of the
software strategies and the
hardware components, thus
reducing the global development
time and costs.

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 REQUIREMENTS
•Real time execution of an engine/vehicle/driver model,
developed in Matlab Simulink/Stateflow
•Condition and acquire all the actuations coming from the ECU:
•Ignition
•Injection
•H-Bridge
•Relay
•Lamps
•Simulate the sensor’s signals towards the ECU:
•Engine position sensors (high frequency signals)
•Oxygen sensor
•Temperature probes
•Pressure transducers (high frequency signals)

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 REQUIREMENTS
•Manage communication and diagnosis busses:
•CAN
•KWP2000
•Fault insertion units for all ECU channels (both actuators and
sensors), with the ability to generate multiple fault conditions and
to choose maximum fault current
•Possibility to use real loads, or simulated ones
•Access to all internal signals through a front-panel-mounted
break-out-box, with the possibility to change signal routing
•Desktop rack mount enclosure, with room to contain real loads
•Give the user maximum freedom in the graphical interface
configuration
•Allow quick setup of automated tasks and complex test
sequences
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 THE PLATFORM - HW
•Controller RT NI PXI-8110 Quad core
•FPGA NI PXI-7852R
•Analog input NI PXI-6254 16 differential channels
•Analog output NI PXI-6723 32 channels
•CAN NI PXI-7853 2 channels software selectable
•Chassis NI PXI-1042Q 8 slot
•Resistor simulator Pickering 40-295 10 canali
•Power supply unit B&K VSP2050 0-20V 0-50A
•FIU Alma Automotive custom
•Signal conditioning Alma Automotive custom
•Front panel mounted BOB, giving access to 96 signals,
equipped with jumper connectors to manage signal routing

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 THE PLATFORM - SW
•Simulation management NI Veristand
•Additional features development NI Labview 2009, with RT module
and FPGA module
•Real-time simulation model developed by Alma Automotive within
Matlab-Simulink environments
•Engine management custom device developed by Alma Automotive
•FIU management custom device developed by Alma Automotive

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 VERISTAND – KEY FEATURES
•System configuration through System Explorer
•Base configuration (simulator step-time, CPU allocation)
•Installed HW definition (DAQ, CAN, FPGA, …)
•CANdb channels import and configuration
•Model import from DLL (signals and parameters selection)
•User channels definition
•Calculated channels definition
•Custom devices setup
•Start-up procedure execution
•Channel mapping (model <-> I/O)
•Aliases definition

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 VERISTAND – KEY FEATURES

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 VERISTAND – KEY FEATURES
•Interactive graphical user interface management
•Toggling between Edit-mode and Run-mode allows for quick
object editing and placement
•All objects are available from a single menu
•Custom graphical elements are easily made from templates
using Labview
•Automated test from a table of time based channels values
•Complex automated test design with the use of elementary
building blocks (set variable, dwell, ramp, conditional jump,
waveform reproduction, …)
•Configurable data acquisition
•Batch processing of predefined tests
•Runtime utilities (console, channel viewer, CAN monitor)

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 VERISTAND – KEY FEATURES
•Channel scaling and calibration management
•Model parameter management
•Custom workspace components developed with Labview

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 VERISTAND – KEY FEATURES

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 SIMULATION MODEL
• The model has been fully developed in Matlab-Simulink
• Use of library in order to make the simulation model more flexible
• There are two different simulation environments (using the same library):
• Off-line model: this version can be used in order to calibrate and validate the
simulation model.
• On-line model: this version can be used in order to test ECU functionalities
• A calibration tool has been developed: in this way the model can be
rapidly configured for different engines and vehicles
• A Graphical User Interface (GUI) has been developed, in order to
manage the off-line simulation and the calibration process
• Several types of simulation can be performed:
• Vehicle-mode simulation
• Open-loop simulation
• Closed-loop simulation
• Dynamometer-mode simulation

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 SIMULATION MODEL
Input data:
1. Simulation mode selection:
1. Vehicle speed trajectory
2. Constant vehicle speed
3. Open-loop simulation
4. Dynamometer mode simulation
2. Simulation input selection (load vehicle
speed trajectory, actuated twist grip in
dynamometer mode, rpm target in
dynamometer mode, …)
Create .m parameters file
Import engine and vehicle Create .dll file
simulation parameters
Set simulation duration

Set simulation-specific data

(shifting strategy, rpm limiter, …)

Start simulation

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 SIMULATION MODEL
• Vehicle and transmission sub-model:
• The transmission components (clutch, gearbox, …) have been modeled by using physically-based
equations
• The model is able to evaluate both the engine and vehicle speed on the basis of the engine torque,
the clutch position and the selected gear
• The tires behavior and the loads acting on the front and rear axes have been described
• Engine sub-model
• The engine has been modeled using multi-variable torque maps
• This sub-model outputs are the engine torque and the Air-Fuel Ratio (AFR)
• The instantaneous intake pressure waveform is generated by using the FPGA angle based
waveform generator
• Driver sub-model (vehicle-mode simulation)
• Handles twist-grip, brake, clutch and selected gear by implementing torque-based
engine control logics
• Dynamometer sub-model (dynamometer-mode simulation). This sub-model evaluates the
dynamometer torque to be supplied in order to keep the engine at the desired operating
conditions (engine speed and load).
• Heat exchange sub-model used to evaluate the engine coolant temperature
• Electrical system sub-model allows simulating the starter and the battery voltage level, in
particular during cranking
• The model step-time has been set to 500us (2kHz) and loads about 20% of a single CPU
core

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 SIMULATION MODEL
Examples of vehicle and engine speed simulation during acceleration

8000
150

7000
Vehicle Speed
Gear*10 6000

Engine Speed [rpm]

Vehicle Speed [km/h]

100 5000

4000

3000
50
2000 Engine Speed [rpm]
Gear*1000
1000

0
0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
time [s]
time [s]

Vehicle speed Engine Speed

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 SIMULATION MODEL
Example of battery voltage level simulation during cranking

15

14

13
Battey Voltage Level [V]

12

11

10

6
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
time [s]

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES
•FPGA based engine simulator
•Dual channel 120Vpp VRS/Hall sensor signal generation
•Angle based configurable waveform generator, used for
Intake Runner Pressure wave effect simulation and ion-
current feedback generation
•4 channels wheels signal generation
•12 channels high-voltage angle based actuation inputs
•16 channels general purpose high-voltage inputs (on/off,
frequency, PWM)
•8 channels 120Vpp analog inputs

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES
•Resistor simulation custom device by Alma Automotive
•Uses a 1Ohm resolution, 16but PXI board to simulate
variable resistance sensors
•Standard (Pt100 RTD, Pt1000RTD) or custom (table based)
temperature scales
•Fast update rate (up to 1kHz)

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES
•FPGA based FIU custom device by Alma Automotive
•Uses the FPGA to handle all the signals required to operate
the switches (over 400 in this particular configuration)
•The determinism of the FPGA allows the implementation of
safety features (user-defined fault timeout, global FIU disable,
overcurrent monitoring on fault busses)
•Make-before-brake FIU operation to prevent undefined
states on the faulted channels, with user configurable load
release delay.

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES
•Custom designed PowerFIU by Alma Automotive
•Handles all ECU loads
•32 channels available
•High-current capable, up to 30A
•User selectable fault current limiting (10A, 20A and 30A)
•2 fault busses (GND, VBAT or general purpose) plus open
circuit
•Current limiting feedback for safe unattended operation
•Pin-to-pin fault capable
•96 leds on the front panel of the simulator give visual
feedback on the switches state

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES
•Custom designed SensorFIU by Alma Automotive
•Handles ECU sensor signals
•64 channels available
•2A current limiting on power sources
•4 general purpose fault busses plus open circuit
•Multiple pin-to-pin faults capability
•GND, VCC and VBATT power sources
•320 leds on the front panel give visual feedback on the
switches state

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – KEY FEATURES
•Load management
•The user can connect real loads or simulated ones, choosing
the best solution for every actuator
•When using real loads (e.g. the throttle body) the feedback
sensors (e.g. throttle position potentiometer) are read by the
simulator and fed to the model
•When using simulated loads (e.g. simulated throttle body)
the feedback signals are generated by the simulator (e.g.
analog output channel) and sent to the ECU.
•The switching between real and simulated loads is done
simply by moving a jumper on the break-out-box

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – RESULTS
•The system has been successfully interfaced with the target
ECU and is now operational
•The different simulation modes (road mode, dynamometer
mode) allow the user the freedom to stress and validate all the
ECU functionalities, both software and hardware
•The Veristand developing platform, albeit being relatively young,
shows a very good potential
•The ease of use and configuration leaves the user the possibility
to directly reconfigure the system without the need of customer
support request
•The hardware platform shows the capability of integrating NI
hardware with third party and custom developed devices

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – RESULTS
•The Veristand environment is open and developing custom
functionalities is possible, using Labview
•Model importing from simulation environments other than
Labview (e.g. Simulink) is straightforward and most of the time
does not require modifications to the model.
•The parallel processing support and the possibility of upgrading
to the latest generation real time controllers allow to keep the
simulator up-to-date and to slow the obsolescence of the system

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – RESULTS

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 ELDOR SIMULATOR – RESULTS

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 Luca Solieri – Alma Automotive s.r.l.
www.alma-automotive.it
info@alma-automotive.it

Andrea Gelmetti – Eldor Corporation s.p.a.

www.eldor.it

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