Project Management of Digital Control Designs: Practical Advice & Development Tips/Tricks

[BMac]

(This is from a recent panel discussion at DesignWest on sensors/control systems for smart grid distribution automation control systems (smart switches, reclosers, etc.) The same principals apply to power electronics control. If anyone is interested in an expanded version with an explanations, just reply to this thread.)

Practical Advice & Development Tips/Tricks

1.Write modular, independent, reusable code blocks

–Separate algorithms from I/O

–Avoid interdependencies- each block should function standalone

2.Define requirements and how you will test each one

–Functional simulation (unit test)

–Closed loop analog/digital co-simulation (system test)

3.Use co-simulation to understand coupled dynamics between the digital and the analog worlds

–Use analysis to define your expectations for behavior/performance – document these before physical prototyping

–Compare physical data against expected results- if they don’t match, you must determine the cause

4.Construct a physical prototype ASAP

–Use COTS to create a prototype – not full custom embedded design

–Log and keep all your measurement data- play it back to test the embedded code

–Demonstrate it for your customers/investors-- including the HMI

5.Automate your embedded systems testing

–Execute the entire test script whenever you update the code

–Use the same code to test the simulated system and the physical system

6.Schedule and hold regular code reviews!

7.Use real-time HIL simulation for comprehensive V&V

Why is HIL necessary? 

•Comprehensive validation of system reliability

–HIL enables comprehensive test coverage

–Find the “needle in haystack” problems

•Formal evaluation of design tradeoffs

–Evaluate design tradeoffs to reduce cost while increase performance

–Evaluate sensor system performance across a wide range of test profile scenarios

•Risk free performance of “impossible” tests

–Evaluate scenarios that would be physically destructive or impossible to due bandwidth limitations of physical test systems

What defines a Smart Digital Control System?

•Digitized and digitally controlled

•Networked

•Field reconfigurable

•Modeled and simulated

•Improving at exponential compound annual growth rate (CAGR)