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With the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module, you can simulate dynamic systems and deploy controllers to real-time targets. Version 8.6 of the module adds new features such as improved performance over previous versions, better multicore support, new advanced control libraries, tools for interactive design, Mac and Linux® OS support, and mixed models of computation through LabVIEW MathScript.
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Performance Improvement
Because of the new scripting technology in the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module, performance when using the simulation loop has improved dramatically. This performance applies to several targets such as LabVIEW for Windows running on desktop PCs and the LabVIEW Real-Time Module running on NI hardware targets. Code generated using the LabVIEW Microprocessor SDK (Software Development Kit) has also improved.
Figure 1. Performance Improvement of the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module Version 8.6 over Version 8.5
Figure 1 shows the achieved loop rates when running several instances of a dynamic model in both the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module Version 8.5 and Version 8.6. The dynamic system used for this benchmark describes the longitudinal dynamics of an F14 and is one of the shipping examples included in the software.
Better Multicore Support
The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module is built on top of LabVIEW, so it already works with multicore targets on both Windows and real-time platforms. With Version 8.6, NI has improved multicore support, so you can target the core where the simulation is implementing. This provides more multicore resource control and flexibility.
Figure 2. Execution Time When Enabling Different Cores on a Machine
Figure 2 shows how the execution time decreased when running a simulation model on a multicore, real-time machine with up to eight cores.
Advanced Control Libraries
The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module includes several advanced control libraries, including linear-quadratic regulators (LQRs), linear-quadratic gains (LQG), and estimators. Two control algorithms in particular feature enhanced implementation in the new version of the module: the Kalman filter, which you now can configure directly in one VI, and model predictive control (MPC), which expands your input/output constraint options by allowing you to choose different boundary conditions.
When you combine this module with the LabVIEW System Identification Toolkit, you can build adaptive controllers such as adaptive PID.
Interactive Design
Oftentimes you do not want to program, even in a graphical environment. The Control Design Assistant, built on top of LabVIEW SignalExpress, offers the necessary tools to design and simulate controllers in an interactive fashion.
Figure 3. Control Design Assistant
You can also use multidomain views of the system response to further understand how controllers are affected by changes in design parameters. For example, you can start your design and later convert the Control Design Assistant project to LabVIEW code to further refine algorithms or to add extra functionality.
Macintosh and Linux Support
The LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module 8.6 adds support for Linux and Macintosh operating systems. You can use code developed in any platform without modifying it.
Figure 4. Using the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module 8.6 with Code Developed in Any Platform
LabVIEW MathScript Support
LabVIEW MathScript adds math-oriented, textual programming to LabVIEW. You can use LabVIEW MathScript along with graphical programming to define the custom software you develop with LabVIEW. In the new version of the LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module, you can mix several models of computation (graphical and textual) on the same diagram. While using LabVIEW graphical code, you can still use your .m file scripts to easily understand the different components that define a system.
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