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National Instruments (NI) announced the release of the NI LabVIEW 8.5 Control Design and Simulation Module, an extension of the LabVIEW graphical system design platform that helps engineers and scientists analyze open-loop model behavior, design closed-loop controllers, simulate systems and create real-time implementations. The latest version of the module introduces new design features such as analytical proportional integral derivative (PID) for improving system closed-loop stability and model predictive control to multivariable systems. The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module also offers expanded support of LabVIEW MathScript with the addition of 18 new .m file functions to simplify such tasks as creating models, defining how models are connected and analyzing system stability.

"The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module significantly reduced the time it took us to develop the dynamic positioning on a split hopper vessel," said Miguel Taboada, control engineer with SEAPLACE, an offshore and naval engineering company in Madrid, Spain. "The module made it easy for us to simulate our different control algorithms and test the code without the use of any hardware. When we achieved the results we wanted in simulation, we were able to reuse the graphical code created with the module and deploy it to real hardware and debug it - all within a single day."

A new time-saving feature in the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module is analytical PID capability. Historically, engineers and scientists have identified the proper PID controller gain values by experimentally tuning their controllers. The analytical PID feature provides engineers and scientists with functions to find sets of PID gain values automatically for a given system model, making it easy for them to avoid undesired behavior at design time and improve system stability.

The latest version of the module also includes model predictive control (MPC), a popular algorithm used in industry to control multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) systems in complex process control applications. Engineers and scientists can use the MPC feature to construct controllers that adjust the control action before a change in the output setpoint actually occurs. This ability to predict model behavior combined with traditional feedback helps the controller make smoother adjustments that are closer to the optimal control action values.

"Model predictive control is a valuable technique for industry that may not be so accessible to engineers unfamiliar with text-based programming," said Michael Grimble, technical director of ISC Ltd. and professor of industrial systems at the Industrial Control Centre at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. "By adding MPC functionality in the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module, National Instruments is providing a very intuitive tool with a simple real-time implementation interface. This should deliver tremendous benefits to engineers performing process control or machine control applications in industries such as automotive and aerospace, and even in academia where predicting model behavior is often a crucial step when developing advanced controls."

The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module easily integrates with NI software tools such as the LabVIEW Statechart Module for event-based control design or simulation and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module for rapid control prototyping and hardware-in-the-loop applications as well as system deployment. Engineers and scientists also can combine the module with the LabVIEW System Identification Toolkit and NI I/O devices to develop reliable measurement-based controllers.

For more information on the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module, visit www.ni.com/embeddedcontrol


Commentary By Jeffrey Rowe, Editor

This announcement by National Instruments reinforces the increasing need for simultaneous simulation of mechanical and electrical systems, also known as mechatronics. There was a time when mechanical systems and products were strictly mechanical, however, the majority of today’s products continue to become more capable, and more complex, involving the marriage of mechanical and electrical subsystems.

A more comprehensive way to view mechatronics is the systematic integration of mechanical, electrical, electronics, and embedded firmware (software) components. When all of the various components are combined the result is an electromechanical system. In this context, mechatronics is characterized by software and electronics controlling electromechanical systems. This definition is widely seen in automotive engines and other automotive systems, as well as production machinery.

Mechatronics can also be a method used for achieving an optimal design solution for an electromechanical product. Key mechatronics ideas are developed during the interdisciplinary simulation process that provide the conditions for fostering synergy for discovering solutions to complex design problems. The synergy arises from the integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems with information systems for the design and manufacture of mechatronics products. In other words, many different distinct subsystems coming together to perform a complex function. Mechatronic products exhibit performance characteristics that were previously difficult or impossible to achieve without a synergistic approach by applying information systems to mechanical, electrical, and computer systems.

A prominent trend is that as mechatronics systems get more complex and as functionality demands increase, in many instances software and firmware are replacing or at least supplementing hardware. A benefit of this transition from hardware to the burgeoning emphasis on software is called “postponement,” that is, the ability to include or change major functionality features during the final stages of production via embedded software.

As mechatronic systems get more complex, the challenges associated with successfully designing and executing them also become more demanding due to the interoperability requirements between electronic CAD (ECAD) and mechanical CAD (MCAD) software.

Mechatronics systems present major design and production challenges because they bring together many different types of physical and digital parts, processes, and personnel to create a successful end product. Designing and producing a mechatronics system requires a well-orchestrated effort by a wide variety of job roles and functions – everything from industrial design to PCB layout to control logic design to production planning.

There are several positive effects of integrating digital simulation and modeling in designing mechatronics, and for good reason – it saves time and money, reduces risk, and results in higher quality, more innovative products. Several of the 3D MCAD packages and the mechatronics synergy is the result of working with companies such as National Instruments. This synergy between the companies has resulted in the greatest value being realized in moving from mechanical to electromechanical machine design. Customers have benefited by integrating simulation and controls with the help of National Instruments (with products such as LabVIEW) and 3D modeling and mechanical analysis/simulation.

In the past, simulating the performance of a machine containing both mechanical and electrical components was a difficult and time-consuming process that required skilled specialists. Today, mechatronics design tools from National Instruments and several of the MCAD vendors are bringing the electrical and mechanical worlds together to make simulation and subsequent design easier. With 3D CAD, mechanical engineers can design machine parts and assemblies using a familiar interface with 3D visualization, while also simulating mechanism motion through mechanism dynamics.

While motion analysis packages are well-suited for open-loop motion simulations, a typical electromechanical system involves closed-loop control. For a true closed-loop simulation, engineers need to simulate not only the dynamics of a mechanism but also the controls that act on that mechanism. The LabVIEW interface for mechanical analysis packages provides an interface between the two environments so engineers can simulate closed-loop control for complex electromechanical systems. Closed-loop simulation between mechanical and control development environments can help drive better design decisions for both the mechanical and control aspects of a design.

Closed-loop simulation with a control design environment, such as LabVIEW, and a mechanical design environment, can help accelerate the design process for complex mechatronics systems, resulting in superior products in less time.


The Week’s Top 5

At MCADCafé we track many things, including the stories that have attracted the most interest from our subscribers. Below are the five news items that were the most viewed during last week.

Autodesk Announces Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory as 2007 Inventor of the Year
Autodesk announced that the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), a research facility operated by the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology, has been named as the Autodesk Inventor of the Year for 2007. Nominated as Inventor of the Month for May 2007, LNLS was selected by members of the Autodesk manufacturing community who logged onto the Autodesk community web site ( http://mfgcommunity.autodesk.com) and voted for the 2007 Inventor of the Year. As one of approximately 50 synchrotron light laboratories in the world, LNLS allows a broad range of scientists to use powerful X-ray and ultraviolet beams to gain new insights into the atomic and molecular structure of various materials. By using Autodesk Inventor software, LNLS was able to design the Elliptically Polarizing Undulator (EPU), which featured nearly 15,800 parts divided into 5,560 standardized machinery elements, with 453 non-repeated parts inside the assembly.

PLX PCIe Switch Unleashes Maximum Throughput on ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 Graphics Cards
PLX Technology announced its PEX 8547 PCIe switch is being used for high-performance fanout in AMD's new high-end ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 Dual-GPU graphics cards. The PLX ExpressLane PEX 8547 PCIe switch was designed specifically for intense graphics applications such as the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2, and offers 48 lanes, three ports, remarkably low latency (only 110 nanoseconds), true peer-to-peer traffic, large packet memory (1024-byte maximum payload size) and a non-blocking internal switch architecture that provides a full line rate on all ports for performance-hungry graphics applications.

Blue Ridge Numerics Introduces CFdesign for Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0
Blue Ridge Numerics announced the availability of CFdesign for Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 4.0, providing a parametric CAD-driven flow and thermal analysis environment suited for mechanical, thermal, and mechatronics designers. The new edition of CFdesign also supports CoCreate OneSpace 3D. A long-time PTC Platinum Partner Solution, CFdesign for Pro/ENGINEER provides engineers who want answers early in the process and don't have to work through the inherent barriers found in traditional CFD.

Lockheed Martin Unit Selects PTC Product Development System
PTC announced that Lockheed Martin's Electronic Systems has selected Windchill to replace its multiple legacy product data management systems. Electronic Systems is one of Lockheed Martin's four business areas, and it will use Windchill to support change and configuration management in the production of key military systems and to smooth the IT consolidation among its multiple lines of business. Additionally, Windchill will enable Electronic Systems to share design details early in the design process to better inform its decision makers and to provide visibility and traceability during the entire development effort. In addition to Windchill, Lockheed also uses Pro/ENGINEER, Mathcad, and Arbortext.

ANSYS Expands HPC Benchmarking Program
ANSYS announced the availability of an enhanced high-performance computing (HPC) benchmark suite. Designed to guide customers who are adopting HPC systems for simulation, the improved benchmark suite has been used by ANSYS partners to assess performance of software from ANSYS on the latest HPC systems and technologies. The new benchmark suite provides updated simulation workloads for structural analysis and CFD, exercising a variety of simulation solution methodologies and addressing bigger simulation tasks. The resulting performance data assists customers seeking to understand the benefit of HPC for specific simulation tasks and model sizes. Including 15 simulation models in the mechanical modeling area and seven in the fluids modeling area, the suite provides customers with performance metrics for a variety of model sizes and solver methods, reflecting the trend toward larger models and comprehensive multiphysics simulation.


Jeffrey Rowe is the editor of MCADCafé and MCAD Weekly Review. He can be reached at Email Contact or 408.850.9230.


This Week

Lead Story

National Instruments Introduces the LabVIEW 8.5 Control Design and Simulation Module

Product and Company News

Hardware Review : Running on All Eight Cores
SolidWorks: Powerful Enough for Advanced Engineering, Easy Enough for Middle Schoolers
Right Hemisphere Unveils New "Deep Access" Digital Media Asset Management Software
Worldwide Vehicle Development of Volkswagen and Audi Will be Based on Siemens PLM Software's Teamcenter Platform
Machining Company Reinvents Itself with HighRES
DS Reports 2007 Full Year Software Revenue Growth Above 15% in Constant Currencies
Stratasys Board Authorizes Company to Repurchase up to $30 Million of Its Common Stock
Millions of standard parts are just a mouse click away from KOMPAS-3D
Invention Machine Joins PTC PartnerAdvantage Program
ANSYS Makes Forbes Fast 15 List
MSC.Software's Enterprise Simulation Solutions Enters Agreement With Boeing
Leviton Flips Switch on Innovative Design with SolidWorks
Schott Systeme Innovates with Direct Modelling and 3D Feature Recognition
Innovation First Debuts New Innovative Robotics Line-up
Avatech Solutions Announces Profitable Q2
LMS International partners with STUK art center in Leuven; Pilot sponsorship project brings the longest crash car ever created to Belgium
MSC.Software Reports Financial Results for Q4 and Full Year
Actify Announces SpinFire Professional 8.3 Now Available for Free Trial Download
3Dconnexion SpaceExplorer 3D Mouse Wins Design Award
Stay in Business with Delcam FeatureCAM
Bluebeam PDF Revu 6.0 Released
KOMPAS-3D Receives Software Award
Dassault Systemes Launches Global Specification Solution for Consumer Packaged Goods
MSC.Software is Selected by Leading Global Business and Information Technology Company
Omnify Software Continues Pattern of Success
SofTech’s ProductCenter PLM Deployed by Cryogenic Industries
Cimatron's Q4 and Full Year 2007 Results Release Scheduled
Proficiency Closes $4.25 Million Round of Funding
Rapid Prototyping and Direct Digital Manufacturing Services Now Available in Australasia
Stratasys Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Results
Dimension 3D Printing Group Introduces the Dimension 1200es Series
Catalog Data Solutions CAD Downloads Selected by MicroMo Electronics
CADnection Fuses AutoCAD and SharePoint
Schmitz Cargobull selects LMS Virtual.Lab to streamline trailer and commercial truck product development
CIM Integraters of Tulsa, Okla., has been certified in the ESPRIT CAM Center Reseller Program
Forming Technologies Announces Strategic Partnership with LSTC


Related MCAD News

Autodesk Reduces Pricing for Maya Unlimited and Announces Maya 2008 Extension 2
Dassault Systemes Unveils Premiere Development Authoring Platform for High-Quality 3D Game Production
RedEye RPM Adds Architectural Modeling Division to Its Rapid Prototyping and Digital Manufacturing Service
Autodesk Receives Scientific & Technical Academy Award for Maya Fluid Effects Technology
Sikorsky Aircraft Launches Sikorsky Aerospace Services
FANUC Robotics' Mexico SMART Center to Host Intelligent Robotic Applications Forum
CYA Technologies Launches Data Integrity Service for EMC Documentum and IBM FileNet P8 Customers
IBM 3D Data Centers Show Virtual Worlds
American Axle & Manufacturing Declares Q1 2008 Dividend
Survey Results Confirm IT Process Automation Is Critical
Etrage LLC Announces the IWBIWYBI Challenge
Capgemini Positioned Among Leaders As SAP Implementation Providers
Dassault Systemes and Wing Tai's Zymmetry Group Deliver Apparel Industry's First Integrated Global Development and Sourcing Solution
Tata Consultancy Services Wins Multi-Year Deal With Chrysler LLC
NASA Extends Mission for Ball Aerospace-built ICESat
Solar Technology Company Braces for Growth with IFS Applications
The Future of Freighters is Now for Boeing
EDS Receives ISO 9001:2000 Recertification for Americas
Dassault Aviation 2007 Results
Berkeley Design Automation's Analog FastSPICE Selected By Supercomputer Project For 45nm Verification


Corporate Moves

Cimatron Names Bill Gibbs President North America
Bunkspeed Taps Cadalog As New Japan Distributor
Steven K. Hamp Rejoins Visteon's Board of Directors
Ken Bado of Autodesk Named Channel Chief by CRN


Industry Events

Safe Technology Announces Fatigue and Durability Seminars, USA
Delcam to launch new PowerINSPECT release at Control
Apriso to Exhibit at SAP Manufacturing 2008
Delcam to Show Full CAM Range in Spain
Goodrich CEO to Address Citi's 21st Annual Global Industrial Manufacturing Conference
PTC to Speak at the Goldman Sachs Technology Investment Symposium
ESPRIT 2008 by DP Technology to be exhibited at Makino Techno Show 2008, Dongguan, China, Feb. 28-March 1
Autodesk to Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences
Design Automation Conference Partners with Global STC Conference
Delcam's High-Accuracy Machining at JEC
Geometric Technologies to showcase latest products and technologies at Diemould India 2008


Corporate Newsletters

EGS India Product Design Newsletter - February 2008 Edition


You can find the full MCADCafe.com event calendar here.

To read more news, click here.


-- Jeff Rowe, MCADCafe.com Contributing Editor.