1. Customer Requirements
Design, build and deploy a cyber physical test system capable of testing the aircraft fuel control systems of a well known civilian aircraft engine, automatically. The system should be capable of performing the human actions of testing in "co-ordination" with other legacy systems, i.e. the aircraft engine emulator, the aircraft computer emulator and enterprise system from which certified test specifications are received.
2. Mizoli's Solution
The system we built took into account the high number of interactions between systems and the need to minimize time delay for real-time control of flow processes with flow rates up to 35,000 pounds per hour.
In order to integrate the system with physical legacy systems and enterprise systems, a platform to provide modular analog & digital I/Os for instruments, actuators and utilities, networking inter-connectivity with enterprise systems and PLCs, and deliver the control systems performance required was selected.. The PXI-e platform delivered the versatility and performance to meet the customer requirements. The software application was built using LabVIEW.
3. Tools
Hardware
- PXI-e
- Modular DMMs, AI, AO, DI, DO
- 1000-channel PLC
- Electro-pneumatic regulators
- Electro-hydraulic valves
- Compact DAQ
Software
- LabVIEW
- C++
Communications protocols implemented:
- Serial RS232
- Serial RS485
- TCP/IP
4) Disciplines Engaged
- Project Management
- Test Engineering
- Financial planning
- Supply Chain contracts
- Quality Engineering
- IT
- Fluid Dynamics
- Mechatronics Engineering
5) Project Locations
- U.K
- U.S
- Germany
6) Summary
We successfully built the system and integrated it with the end-customers systems and aircraft fuel control systems on an engine family used in a single-aisle civilian aircraft continue to be tested using the system we delivered.