A full authority digital engine controller (FADEC) is used to fully control modern piston or jet engines, which are too complex to be operated manually or mechanically. The FADEC protects the engine from exceedances and optimizes thrust performance while reducing fuel consumption. It is essential to have an engine control unit (ECU), which is closely adapted to the respective engine to expand the life span and time between overhauls (TBO) of the engine.
Interfaces to line replacement units (LRU) can be tested early in real-time by using rapid control prototyping (RCP). Model-Based Design allows you to create a digital twin by using the exact same Simulink models of the FADEC and the engine for desktop simulation and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing.
You can save time during certification by performing abuse cases on your FADEC and conduct automated tests to show requirement compliance even before the physical engine is available.
"Model-Based Design has enabled us to push our design to the limits because we can simulate failures, optimize performance, and lower risk by conducting real-time reliability tests of motor drive hardware and control software early in the development process." Shane O’Donnell, Microsemi
"Model-Based Design has enabled us to push our design to the limits because we can simulate failures, optimize performance, and lower risk by conducting real-time reliability tests of motor drive hardware and control software early in the development process."
Shane O’Donnell, Microsemi
An iron bird enables you to validate your FADEC and assures redundancy of the dual engine interface unit without performing actual flight tests. The Simulink® model of your FADEC can help you to perform Bypassing. This enables you to emulate signals, such as N1, fuel flow, and outside air temperature, while the Aircraft is on the ground and feeds them directly into your fully certified iron bird.
Frequently Used I/O Interfaces
Simulink® Application Resources
Fully leverage Model-based Design according to ARP4754A guidelines, test, and certify your FADEC satisfying standards such as DO-254, DO-178. You can perform automated testing or your fuel system and perform early verification of requirements to accelerate the certification up to design assurance level (DAL).
⮕ Learn how Airbus certified the Fuel system of the A380
Physical modeling or your engine using Simulink® and Simscape™ enables you to test the whole operational envelope or your FADEC, including abuse cases, fault injection, engine failure, and fire simulation. You can test your adjacent engine vibration monitoring unit (EVMU) and compare the result with the simulation in real-time.
A digital twin of your propulsion system enables you to monitor system health throughout the service cycles and to perform predictive maintenance. Furthermore, a digital twin allows you to simulate life span and enhance the duration until the end-of-life of your physical components. Using Simulink®, you can design and test your maintenance mode of the avionics during the early development stage instead of implementing it at the end of the aircraft design.
Success Stories
Bell Helicopter: Bell Helicopter Develops First Civilian Tiltrotor – Success Story
Lockheed: Spacecraft – Success Story
Scientific Aviation Association - Success Story
Aalto University: Students' mission to get Finland's first satellite into orbit - Success Story
Relevant Resources
MathWorks® The DOD and DO-178C - Webinar
Digital Twin - Webinar
MathWorks® DO-178 – Case Study
Rapidly prototype control designs by applying rapid control prototyping, test embedded controllers withhardware-in-the-loop simulation of digital twins, and leverage Speedgoat systems as embedded controllers.
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