Editor’s Pick: SCALEXIO LabBox HIL Simulator

Dear DE Reader:

It’s quite common to link finite element analysis and fluid dynamics simulations with buzzwords like “upfront” or “early and often.” But it’s not so much the case when you’re talking about hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations. Today’s Pick of the Week is about a nifty item for early HIL simulations that came across the newsfeeds the other day.

If you’re in an industry that has something to do with making complex components for vehicles, planes and even drives, dSPACE, the maker of integrated engineering hardware and software tools for developing and testing electronic control units as well as mechatronic controls, is likely a familiar name. They recently extended their line of HIL simulators with their smallest unit yet, the SCALEXIO LabBox.

The short of it is that the SCALEXIO LabBox is HIL system for testing your new functions upfront, early and often in your development cycle from your desktop.

A SCALEXIO LabBox setup is actually two desktop-sized units that work as a team. The first is a SCALEXIO Processing Unit. This Xeon processor-based system provides the computing power for real-time simulations of compute-intensive models. It supports I/O functions and bus and network systems like CAN and FlexRay.

The second unit is the LabBox itself. Although a compact device, the LabBox can hold up to 18 I/O boards. It also has one system slot, which we’ll get to in a bit. It has a front-side flap so that you can take out and drop in I/O boards easily when you need to as projects come and go. It handles all sorts of I/O boards from simple analog I/O to complex I/O functions for engine simulations or automotive busses.

The LabBox’s 19th slot is used to house dSPACE’s proprietary IOCNET (I/O Carrier Network) networking technology. The brief here is that IOCNET is optimized for real-time applications, particularly in terms of latency and bandwidth. Using an IOCNET Router, you can beef up your SCALEXIO LabBox setup with more I/O or computing power with additional LabBoxes or SCALEXIO Processing Units.

Real-time HIL simulation function testing at your desktop sounds like it could be a big saver of time and effort. You can learn more about the SCALEXIO LabBox and its major components from today’s Pick of the Week write-up. A bunch of links at the end will help you drill down to find out more about what’s in it for you.

Thanks, Pal. – Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, DE