NetLab

Test beds for technical systems, for example the drive train of electric vehicles, have so far been realised as complex, stationary, locally operated installations. The networking of test bed components across sites needs to solve issues mainly in the real time transmission, safety (safe operation of installations) and security (data security), as well as observe standards for interfaces and protocols. Additionally relevant is the integration, for example, of vehicles into mobile phone networks (especially 5G). Networking of systems is relevant for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as they usually have great expertise in a component part of the technical system, but need to test these as part of the whole system on appropriate test beds. SMEs therefore form technology chains to develop system solutions and with that the related value chains that in turn depend on cooperative development processes.

In order to purposefully achieve an optimal whole system, virtualisation via suitable information supply chains must occur, i.e. tools for cooperative development and networked system testing must be applied. The necessary base technologies for this are available, but only few proprietary system solutions exist. System approaches, standards and interfaces are subjects of research. A system solution for digital transformation and site independent usage of test systems is being generated and implemented as a prototype in the course of the described project. This puts enterprises into the position to cooperatively present whole engineering chains and to put site independent development and test services on the market.

The aim is to network system simulation and test management, as well as real time test vehicles and test installation, primarily via the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT), using the example of the electric drive train.
 
The necessary system architecture according to the Operator Controller Module (OCM) ensures secure and safe, realtime-suitable distribu-ted test operation. Test systems are extended with relevant functionality (like gateway) and appropriately adapted. Special mobile systems/gateways with future 5G or ITS-G5 functionality will be integrated. As a demonstrator a distributed HiL/SiL/DiL laboratory emerges in the ruhrvalley. The test systems can additionally be site independently integrated into the test systems of partner enterprises due to their high level of interoperability.