What is INERTIA

INERTIA is a powerful add-on for NI VeriStand specifically designed for quickly and efficiently implementing real-time control and test applications. Created by Wineman Technology, this complementary software tool enhances the capabilities of the NI VeriStand Real-Time Engine, System Explorer, Workspace and Stimulus Profile Editor to seamlessly work together as an integrated control solution for test cell applications such as dynamometer and servo-hydraulic test systems. INERTIA consists of a prepackaged set of control-specific features for NI VeriStand that includes:

Ready-to-use closed-loop controllers with multi-axis synchronization and amplitude control
Multi-mode control support with bumpless transfer between modes
Tightly integrated test editor with control procedure commands and model execution
Application specific tools and UI objects for the NI VeriStand Workspace
Integrated PID control loop tuning utility

INERTIA for Control Applications

Why use INERTIA for real-time control? NI VeriStand is a powerful test platform that provides model execution, stimulus generation, data logging, and hardware I/O connectivity in a configuration-based environment. However, in order to implement control for test cell applications, custom development in LabVIEW or 3rd party modeling environments is required to implement the control system. INERTIA is specialized for rapidly configuring and deploying control systems by providing ready-to-use functionality for NI VeriStand.

INERTIA’s application-specific tools – such as ready-made control display templates, control groupings, and procedure commands designed specifically for physical control systems – allow users to get up and running quickly without in-depth programming knowledge. The Stimulus Profile Editor in NI VeriStand provides a lot of freedom in creating low-level test programs to a high degree of specification. Applying the INERTIA add-on abstracts these programming capabilities by walking users through standard steps for creating a valid test with control functions.

This powerful combination of NI VeriStand real-time test software with the INERTIA add-on control software is well-suited for a wide range of test cell control systems. For example, INERTIA has been successfully deployed in dynamometer and servo-hydraulic control applications, such as:

Engine cells, transmissions and motors
Actuators, valves and pumps
Turbines and gear boxes
Auxiliary power units (APUs)
Tire test systems
Life cycle durability
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) testing

In general, INERTIA is ideal for any multi-mode or multi-axis control application that utilizes dynamometers or hydraulic control.

INERTIA combined with NI VeriStand is the only platform that allows the integration of motors and drives, servo-hydraulics, and model-based control, all on a common hardware and software platform. This functionality allows users to deploy test procedures and methods at the model-in-the-loop (MIL) stage in the design phase and carry out those same procedures all the way to the production floor, saving customers on both development time and financial cost.

INERTIA also has multi-client support which can significantly reduce test cell cost and footprint. This ability allows multiple test stations to be deployed on a single real-time controller with multiple operator workspaces. Each client runs its own, fully independent test profile and control loops on the same controller.

Developing Applications with INERTIA

The true benefit of INERTIA is that it builds upon and tightly integrates NI VeriStand’s core competencies and components to create a streamlined experience for control applications. The INERTIA features are installed into the NI VeriStand System Explorer and Workspace for complete system configuration, allowing users to define input and output channels, PID control loops, and shutdown procedures and alarms. Control mode mapping allows multiple channels such as feedback, output, and control coefficients to be simultaneously changed at run-time.

The INERTIA controllers are automatically linked to the INERTIA Stimulus Profile Editor for writing test sequences. INERTIA’s custom procedure commands offer simplified mode control and set-up, such that users can enable, disable and change control modes using human-readable commands like “Disable Mode [Load Control]” instead of adjusting numerical values.

INERTIA ramp-up

In the Workspace, INERTIA offers easy-to-use control display templates and GUI objects that are connected directly to the NI VeriStand Engine for executing manual mode transfers, manual set-point ramping and more. Plus, you can configure custom pop-up windows for the NI VeriStand Workspace to provide easy test execution and monitoring. Basic commands include running tests with built-in properties, viewing or adding parameters, removing editing capabilities for operator interfaces, and creating custom test headers and templates. Finally, INERTIA provides a built-in PID tuning tool with an intuitive, detailed interface for real-time management of loop tuning parameters at run-time.

Summary

Wineman Technology’s INERTIA leverages the core strengths of NI VeriStand to provide an integrated, out-of-box control package for motors and drives, servo-hydraulics, and model-based control. Choose the INERTIA add-on for a powerful, intuitive set of tools and capabilities to rapidly deploy your control applications and decrease both development time and cost.

Learn more about our products or request a consultation with an experienced engineer.

"The Wineman Technology Inc. software and real time controller “Inertia” is the new benchmark for servo hydraulic control systems. Inertia is a cost effective and powerful tool that is highly adaptable to any system that you may have to operate."

Brose