Fault simulation testing of safety-critical controllers

These new modules are designed for applications where lower-density fault simulation, also called Fault Insertion, than Pickering's range of high-density fault insertion BRIC's, the 40-592 and 40-595, is required.

The 40-190 is primarily designed for automotive applications where the response of safety-critical controllers under fault conditions needs to be tested. It permits 64 controller connections to be made to up to eight different fault conditions, including wiring connections being open circuit or shorted to ground, power supply or shorted together. The module has a hot or cold switching current rating of 2A, permitting high-current operation and faults to be supported.

The 40-195 supports 22 channels of two-wire connections and permits the channels to be opened, shorted together or connected to a user-supplied fault. It supports currents up to 1A hot or cold switching. The 40-196 is a 10-bank design that supports 5A hot or cold switching.

Keith Moore, Managing Director of Pickering Interfaces, explains why these modules are so important to automotive applications: "Fault insertion testing is performed on safety-critical control systems where an incorrect controller response to faulty sensors or wiring can cause personal injury or system damage. It can be a complex test to undertake using manual or automatic methods. Automatic methods based on wiring separate switches can be error-prone and bulky. The new 40-19X family of switching modules integrates the switching required for hardware-in-the-loop fault simulation into compact PXI modules, saving test engineers the time needed to configure a test system. It complements the range of fault insertion switching systems already available from Pickering Interfaces based on the award winning BRIC matrix family."

The new models are supplied with VISA and Kernel drivers and are configured in single-slot 3U PXI modules.