Motec's "Virtual Engine"

[Chris Wilson]

Not sure where to ask this, but in some of your webinars you show ecu's being driven by a virtual engine. I am just nosey and curious to know how it works, and just how sophisticated it is. I can imagine variable resistors to mimic temperature sensors, but how does it create crank and cam trigger signals, and are they variable? What about MAP sensor signals? Does it literally spin trigger wheels one at X RPM, one at 1/2 X RPM, at variable speeds from an electric motor, or are the signals produced digitally from a signal generator? What else can it mimic? Was it a home brew creation, in house at Motec, or commercial? Would it be hard to make something similar for bench testing loom and ecu setups if you were doing a lot of them? Any photos of it? Thanks.

[Holmz]

Not sure where to ask this, but in some of your webinars you show ecu's being driven by a virtual engine. I am just nosey and curious to know how it works, and just how sophisticated it is. I can imagine variable resistors to mimic temperature sensors, but how does it create crank and cam trigger signals, and are they variable? What about MAP sensor signals? Does it literally spin trigger wheels one at X RPM, one at 1/2 X RPM, at variable speeds from an electric motor, or are the signals produced digitally from a signal generator? What else can it mimic? Was it a home brew creation, in house at Motec, or commercial? Would it be hard to make something similar for bench testing loom and ecu setups if you were doing a lot of them? Any photos of it? Thanks.

If you were good with matlab, or labview it would be easy.
In fact one could probably do that with matlab, and then generate the crank and cam signals and write them out onto an audio CD.
Then plug the CD in and have the RCS connectors run the left and right channels into some small amp to raise the voltage above ~1v .
You could have tracks 1,n be cranking RPM, idle, etc with the voltage and frequency changing for each sound track.
Just have to know whether these are hall or magnetic and how may teeth are missing.
One could probably do that as an application on the computer as well.

The local expressions are:
"easyas"
"piece of piss".

[MarkMc]

Basically it can mimic pretty much any ref/sync mode we can run and when it's needed I write a new one. The basic sensor inputs are just pots. It also has four speed inputs, four switch inputs, CAN, RS232, flashing lights.

The SIM3 allows us to "slow down" everything that is going on in an engine so we can mess with individual parameters, inputs/outputs to see what is going on without trying to do it on an engine......it's a fantastic tool and makes our live much easier (I started when we only had one in the building).


No......you can't have one.

[Chris Wilson]

Photos please Marl! Thanks for the explanation.

Holmz: Your piece of *iss is probably very different to mine, and a dare say a few others I get the impression when I am sinking a few beers and worrying about the bills, you are creating "something weird" in Matlab, or developing a new anti gravity machine No, actually, I am wrong, you are probably doing that AND sinking a few beers! There are some very talented people on this forum, it's an amazing place.

[Holmz]

Chris - the gravity is in the AM and I am sinking espressos.
In the evening are other projects and I am sinking beers or wine, or combinations thereof.

It is funny because in high school I thought, why do I need to learn geometry or algebra.
The first job was doing CNC machining and I thought "Glad I learned that geometry stuff".
You can do a lot with a sound card and computer these days.

[stevieturbo]

I dont think Motec offer such a product, so it may do no harm to mention it here ?

If it's stepping on toes, please feel free to delete.

Here is an engine/ecu simulator that can replicate various input/output signals for testing an ecu. I guess it's just an ecu in reverse with a few added bits. Not bad value either.

http://www.autosim.com.au/index.html

[Gaston]

Hi Guys !...

I built a ref/sync generator a few years ago (still working good), to test wiring and system without engine running. It works with a PIC from Microchip. This is good cause is light and portable, BUT in my Workshop I always prefer another generator I built ten years ago ! .. This is an Electrical motor with a small crank wheel , with a real sensor reading + sync Belt moving Sync wheel with a sensor too.

With this I'm sure wiring looms i built for my customers will work good !

Cheers !

[MarkMc]

If you can make multiple signal generators and fine some pots (or old TP sensors) you could make you own simulator. About the most complex thing ours does is replicate all the ref/sync trigger patterns we use.....lots of itelectual property there which is why we don't sell them to anyone.

[Chris Wilson]

Thanks Mark. Would the output of a "normal" bench type signal generator trigger the ecu if set to square or sine wave to replicate mag or Hall effect sensors? Most seem to have a voltage output control knob. Thanks.

[Ben-S]

If all you want is a basic ref/sync signal you can generate a suitable output form a parallel port (printer) if you have a computer that still has one. I do this on a desktop computer for my injector flow bench.