A Hardware-in-the-Loop-on-Chip Development System for Teaching and Development of Dynamic Systems

Wei Jiang,Seiji Hashimoto,Haining Ma,Yan Chen,Linfeng Sun

doi:10.3390/electronics10070801

Wei Jiang, Seiji Hashimoto + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics10070801

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Journal: Electronics	Publication Date: Mar 28, 2021
Citations: 7	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Kiryu University, Gunma University, Yangzhou University

Abstract

This paper proposes a low-cost on-chip Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) platform for teaching and fast prototyping of dynamic systems. A dual-core digital signal controller (DSC)-based solution is proposed for the HIL system. CPU core A, as the simulation engine, is dedicated to circuit and system simulation. The actuation and control logic are implemented in CPU core B, which is working as the control engine. Inter-processor communication is used to interchange variables between the CPUs. The digital-to-analog converter and digital outputs are used to send the duty cycle and system state variables to the oscilloscope for users’ visual feedback. Two typical systems with fast and slow dynamics are modeled and implemented in the simulation engine. Under the excitation generated by the control engine, system dynamics can be observed for studying purposes. Close-loop control for a buck converter is also demonstrated on the developed prototype, where both input voltage and load variations performance are tested. The test results indicate that the digital simulator can well emulate the average small signal model of a power converter in open-loop and close-loop scenario. Meanwhile, the control parameters can be modified for system performance evaluation and education purposes. The proposed low-cost HIL system can be easily applied to the engineering teaching as well as fast prototype development phase of product design.

Highlights

The product design phases require thorough and reliable tests to verify and validate step by step
Hardware-in-the-Loop technology (HIL) is a testing technique in which physical signals from a controller are connected to a test system that simulates the physical plant, tricking the controller into thinking it is in the assembled product
Dynamic systems related courses interconnect the fundamental courses and senior design courses, in which modeling and basic control methods are introduced for different plants such as power converters, motors, and industrial processes

Summary

Introduction

The product design phases require thorough and reliable tests to verify and validate step by step. RCP is a major player in the embedded product development cycle nowadays, which helps validate the algorithm under test in a close-loop and real time manner. References [1,2,3,4,5,6,7] investigated the HIL application with power converter in the loop, dealing with resolution and modeling issues. Dynamic systems related courses interconnect the fundamental courses and senior design courses, in which modeling and basic control methods are introduced for different plants such as power converters, motors, and industrial processes. A low-cost Hardware-in-the-Loop-on-Chip (HILoC) platform for teaching and development dynamic systems, especially for digital control study and development, is developed. The rendered system is of low cost, which can shed light on the teaching of dynamic systems and fast prototype development phase of the product design

Hardware-in-the-Loop System Analysis

HIL-Based Teaching and Learning Model

HIL Model of Typical Process Systems

Discrete Model of the Digital Controller

Computation Routine and Data Exchange

Experimental Verification

Conclusions