There’s a classic startup story that goes something like this: That test system being used by an engineer that left years ago. Since then, the system has evolved. Now, the old system is getting ditched for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology. But will the COTS system really work as a replacement for our legacy system?
Bloomy and NI engineers can work alongside customers at the HIL Technology Evolution Center to collaborate in real time. Source: Bloomy Controls Inc.While there are endless variations on that theme, the only way to solve the dilemma is to jump in with both feet and hope for the best. Until now, that is: Bloomy Controls, a provider of automated test solutions for R&D, validation and production, has recently announced an industry-first initiative it has dubbed the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) Technology Evolution Center. The announcement was made in conjunction with Austin, Texas-based aerospace and defense test systems experts NI; the facility will be hosted at Bloomy headquarters in South Windsor, Connecticut.
The idea behind the initiative is to provide a platform for performing technology risk mitigation, allowing customers to implement COTS technology with less disruption on their in-operation systems. The lab is also designed to serve as a low risk proving ground for managing hardware and software obsolescence issues and developing mitigation plans.
The facility simulates software and hardware integration in an environment similar to a system integration lab (SIL), providing capabilities representative of an HIL test system. Such test systems and labs are commonly used to simulate vehicles such as aircraft in order to test line replaceable units (LRUs) with integrated electronic controls, computers, systems and components.
Options for use of the center include:
- Experimenting with simulation system hardware and software from NI, Bloomy and other vendors
- Learning how COTS components can be used to replace or enhance legacy, self-maintained systems
- Testing software models in real hardware environments with representative I/O signal types
- Connecting products to check for I/O compatibility
- Proving functionality of product-specific signal conditioning
- Pre-testing software and hardware upgrades prior to implementation
Bloomy and NI engineers can work alongside customers and use the system to collaborate in real time, conducting interoperability and integration testing with COTS technologies and customer components, models and simulations. The center’s system can also be customized to reproduce customer configurations, including fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned underwater vehicles and more.
The facility is located close to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, and is ITAR registered, NIST 800-171 compliant and soon to be CMMC Level 3 compliant. For more information, including resources for scheduling a visit to the center, go to Bloomy’s HIL Technology Evolution Center page.
