Improve design efficiency and test capabilities with HIL Simulation

Customer expectations and governmental requirements have changed the way engineers develop products. From automobiles and airplanes to industrial equipment and national defense systems, designers are adding intelligence to their products in the form of electronic controllers. A direct result of this evolution of product design; the testing complexity for these products is growing at an exponential rate. To address this challenge, many engineers have turned to a technique called hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) Simulation. HIL simulation is a test technique that allows the engineer to begin testing their electronic controller earlier in the development process and with greater flexibility compared to physical testing alone. While not a replacement for physical testing; in many situations, such as the testing of a flight control system, HIL simulation is the only viable option for development testing due to the potential consequences that may result from a failed test. In this paper, we will show how HIL simulation is being used today and discuss a general architecture for building a HIL simulator. We will also comment on many considerations that should be taken when specifying a HIL simulator.