Real-Time Controllers

Brian Phillips
Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
Overview
Basic idea: combines control and data
acquisition with dedicated, fast hardware
Advantages: speed, reliability, and versatility
Disadvantages: cost, mess of buzzwords,
steep learning curve
Current status: used extensively throughout
automotive and aerospace industry and
somewhat in communication, power, and
automation
Capabilities
Efficient computing facilitates real-time control
Dedicated devices can be more compact and
portable than desktop computers
Many flexible alternatives available with expandable
and interchangeable I/O cards and panels
Allow for rapid prototyping of system using
combination of numerical and analytical components
Simulation of complex environment for exhaustive
testing of existing component
Definition: The process of quickly assembling a working model to evaluate
portions of the design. Aimed at reducing risk and cost.
Definition: Ratio of simulation time to actual time is 1:1
Prototyping
Simulation
System of Interest
System of Interest
Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
Uses in Automotive
Prototype electronic control unit (ECU) for
design and testing
Engine control unit
Climate control unit
Speed control unit
Anti-lock brakes, etc
Simulate road conditions for exhausting
virtual testing of ECUs (virtual plant)
Complications of alternative fuel cars
Prototype:
ECU
Plant:
Car
Uses in Aerospace
Simulate flight loads on components
Evaluate pressure and climate control strategies
Prototype vibration control strategies
Other Uses
Rail control systems
Self balancing
scooters
Autonomous robots
University of Linz
Autonomous Bipedal Robot
University of Adelaide
EDGAR
University of Paderborn
Magnetic Driven Railway Shuttles
Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
Typical Components for
Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation
Host computer
Real-time target computer
I/O Cards
Code
Generation
Apply Excitation
Measure Feedback
Experiment
Host PC
Simulink
Labview
Monitor Results
Definition: Simulation technique where an
embedded system (actual electronic or physical
component of interest) is tested in real-time with a
plant simulation (numerical model of the remaining
system components)
Target PC
Inner Workings of a Real-Time
Controller

CompactRIO Data Flow Diagram, courtesy of NI
Real-time controller types
Single card
Fits inside host computer
Require I/O panel
Dedicated Unit
Modular
Full scale
Industrial level application
Very large
Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
xPC Target
Produced by the MathWorks, the same
company as Matlab
Focused around engineer friendly Matlab
Designed to work with Simulink and Real
Time Workshop
Laptop host with compact target
xPC Target Advantages
Target system may be any computer, utilizing over
250 standard I/O boards, including NI
Inexpensive, on the order of $5,000, depending on
types of I/O cards
xPC Target Disadvantages
The Mathworks does not manufacture hardware
User must create target PC to suit their own needs,
requiring familiarity with signal conditioning A/D
conversion, computer hardware, etc.
Arguably the least proven real-time control system
of the three
dSpace
Produced by dSpace, headquartered in
Germany
Designed to work with Simulink and Real
Time Workshop
Large footprint in the automotive and
aerospace industry

Mid-Size
Dedicated Unit
dSpace Advantages
Experienced company, founded in 1988 (Germany)
and 1991 (North America)
Very proven system, especially in the automotive
sector (13,000 systems worldwide)
Clients range from Boeing to Volkswagen
Numerous success stories
Extensive array of software, simulation packages,
visualization tools, hardware options
dSpace Disadvantages
Expensive, on the order of $30,000 for basic system
CompactRIO
Produced by National Instruments
Designed to work with LabVIEW Real-Time
applications
Focus on standalone hardware device
CompactRIO
CompactRIO Advantages
NI heavily pushing CompactRIO
Rugged construction (50 g shock protection!)
LabVIEW derivatives at core of modeling
Moderately priced at $15,000 for basic system
CompactRIO Disadvantages
Can use Simulink and Real-Time Workshop,
but in a roundabout way
Requires both knowledge of Simulink and
LabVIEW

Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
Research Applications
Hybrid Testing
Embedded system: experimental substructure
Plant simulation: numerical substructure
Prototyping of structural control algorithms
Active energy dissipation devices
Active mass dampers, actuators
Semi-active energy dissipation devices
Variable orifice dampers, MR dampers
Application in Hybrid Testing

k
2
G
Force Factor
Numerical Stiffness
k
1
Key
Acceleration
Force
Displacement
k
1
m
c
Discrete State-Space
Servo Control Loop
k
2
Experimental
Stiffness
Real-Time Controller
Structure of Interest
g
x

Ground
Motion
Laboratory
Application
Actuator
LVDT
Specimen
dSpace Computer
I/O Panel
Servovalve
Load Cell
Servo Controller
Servo Control Loop
Real-Time Controller
Experiment
Real-Time Controllers
Overview and capabilities
Use in industry
System details
Products
xPC Target
dSpace
CompactRIO
Use in research
Concluding remarks
Conclusions
Technology readily available for real-time control
Requires some detailed investigation
Choice of system depends on
Budget, number of channels, sample rate, comfort
Advances will lead to wider use
Increase sampling rate
Increase number of I/O channels
Potentially increase number of competitors
Decrease cost

Main References
dSPACE
http://www.dspaceinc.com/
The Mathworks
http://www.mathworks.com/products/xpctarget/
National Instruments
http://www.ni.com/compactrio/
Thank you