Wineman Technology Simplifies Test-Cell Control
August 8, 2013. Wineman Technology Inc., a provider of integrated test cell solutions, at NIWeek 2013 highlighted its INERTIA 2012 real-time control software, which quickly and efficiently implements real-time test applications and serves as an add-on to the NI VeriStand platform. With INERTIA 2012, engineers can create and add subprocedures to test processes and develop customized steps within procedures to achieve the most exact and efficient test capabilities possible for dynamometer, servo hydraulic, and other test cell applications.
“The overall enhancements to program configuration, control loop setup and test control in INERTIA 2012 build on Wineman Technology's already strong INERTIA platform,” said Edward Tomlinson, manager of instrumentation, ATLSS Engineering Research Center, Lehigh University. “INERTIA 2012 includes improved capabilities for system configuration and for the test editor and program flow, both of which now include dropdown layer tree hierarchies.”
INERTIA makes it easier for engineers to develop test and real-time control models for test applications, including those for engine cells, transmissions and motors; actuators and pumps; turbines and gear boxes; auxiliary power units (APUs); and tire test systems. INERTIA also addresses life-cycle durability issues and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). A software add-on for the NI VeriStand software environment for configuring real-time testing applications, INERTIA provides control managers the ability to adjust scripts and applications easily.
“Helping customers achieve the exact test solutions they need remains our top priority,” said Roy Krans, Wineman Technology product manager. “With INERTIA 2012, engineers can take complex test applications and make them easier and more specific by using simplified test profiles with subprocedures and custom step creation capabilities.”
INERTIA 2012 positions control engineers and technicians to establish dynamometer, servo hydraulic, and test cell applications that are efficient and flexible for different operational needs. Now with INERTIA 2012, they can create custom scripts within a test and save them as procedures. These procedures can be stored on a system-wide palette, allowing engineers to seamlessly add the new subprocedures during test processes. In addition, custom steps within a procedure can be created to meet specific parameters. For example, users can modify a ramp step to create a custom version of the step that is better aligned to the specific test cell. And, a graphical PID configuration utility not only simplifies processes with INERTIA 2012, but also shows the user exactly what system resources are used with the loop and how they interact.
INERTIA 2012 offers advanced methodology for PID tuning that includes amplitude control and gain scheduling.
The INERTIA 2012 features now come standard with Wineman Technology DynEDGE, ServoEDGE, and the off-the shelf INERTIA software that maximizes a company’s return on investment when implementing costly test cells.