Components

Modern machines and systems are steered by computers with complex control systems. Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation is a technique that is used for the development and testing of these control systems.

The machine or physical part of the system (which we call the plant) is connected with the control system, through actuators and sensors. With HIL simulation the plant is replaced by a simulation of the plant (which we call the HIL simulator). If the HIL simulator is designed well, it will accurately mimic the real plant, and can be used to test the control system. Therefore it is also named HIL testing. Some HIL simulators are equipped with 3D visualization and represent the plant so well that they can be used for training. These HIL simulators are called Training Simulators.