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DAILY NEWS AND INFORMATION
FOR THE GLOBAL GRID COMMUNITY / SEPTEMBER 29, 2003: VOL. 2 NO. 39
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Systems/Enterprise:
GM REVOLUTIONIZES TRANSMISSION
DESIGN USING RT-LAB AND AMEsim
Opal-RT Technologies Inc, a world leader in distributed simulation on
PC-based
platforms, announced that General Motors Powertrain has selected RT-LAB
Engineering Simulators for facilitating an automotive engineering design
process that enables analytical models of both mechanical and control systems
to be transitioned directly into Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) models,
eliminating the need for custom HIL model development and tools.
In partnership with IMAGINE Software, Opal-RT has successfully demonstrated
to
GM Powertrain a proof-of-concept process that shows how models created using
IMAGINE's AMEsim modeling environment can be successfully evolved into HIL
models. Traditionally, such models were not designed to run in real-time -- a
requirement for HIL testing and correlation. Hence, model conversion has
needed to first take place, requiring specialized tools and skills, and
further lengthening the overall design process. Utilizing Opal- RT's flagship
product RT-LAB and additional tools built in to the AMEsim environment, model
conversion can now follow a defined process that can be executed by the
automotive engineers responsible for the initial physical model design.
The Opal-RT/IMAGINE process provides a number of immediate benefits. First,
deriving physical and HIL models from the same basis streamlines the design
process and enhances consistency. Secondly, there is an order of magnitude of
savings in the time and effort required to obtain a correlated HIL model using
the Opal-RT/IMAGINE process. In addition, traditional processes have dictated
that HIL models be developed in an environment such as Simulink, C, or
FORTRAN, requiring specialized skills that will now no longer be necessary.
With the Opal-RT/IMAGINE process, the same blue print, namely the physical
model, flows from the design of a mechanical system such as an automatic
transmission to the test of control system such as the transmission ECU.
"For many years GM Powertrain has developed models for HIL simulation from
the
ground up. While HIL has represented an important last step of testing during
the overall design process, technology limitations and the requirement for
specialized skills and custom tools have not allowed us to fully exploit the
benefits of HIL -- until now," said Craig Brown, manager of electronics
integration & software at GM Powertrain. "Opal-RT and IMAGINE have
successfully demonstrated to us how modeling tools can now be used to
successfully link mechanical models with control system models early in the
design process. This successful proof of concept takes GM Powertrain in the
right engineering direction, and will also lead us to renew the requirements
of the suppliers that contribute to our overall automotive design
efforts."
"Automotive engineers continue to face the challenge of designing new and
better products within shortened development cycles and under strict budgetary
pressures. This challenge has been particularly difficult for engineers
developing custom HIL models," said Paul Goossens, vice president of marketing
at Opal-RT Technologies. "The lengthy time required for model development and
correlation time before development engineers can make use of an HIL simulator
is no longer acceptable. GM's acceptance of the Opal-RT/IMAGINE proof of
concept demonstrates how HIL can play a more significant role in the overall
design process, while saving time and money."
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