Modularized simulation model of an electric drivetrain for hardware-in-the-loop testing

New emission regulations and the associated mobility transition has led to an increased demand for new drivetrain concepts. These new cross-domain concepts, such as electromechanical drivetrains, are characterized by a high number of interactions between components which must be tested to ensure the functionality of the developed system. To achieve a short time-to-market, it is necessary to test subsystems and components early in the development process. Although virtual testing through simulation offers cost-effective solutions, physical testing remains essential for validating real physical behavior. Nevertheless, due to high costs and disparate delivery times of components, physical testing alone is insufficient. To counteract, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) testing can be performed to combine the benefits of physical and virtual testing in the early stages of development, particularly when not all components are yet physically available. However, the problem arises, that for HiL testing a virtual HiL model must be available which suits the individual test case consisting of the Device Under Test (DUT) and the associated purpose of the test including the test bench on which the test will be performed. These models must be created with high manual effort. To counteract reusability can be achieved by using predefined model elements. Therefore, we present an approach for creating configurable HiL models. For this approach, a vehicle model consisting of standardized, modular model element for each subsystem is set up to be used for HiL testing. Modularization of models ensures quick and easy adjustment and efficient product development which is also beneficial for the creation of HiL models. The created vehicle model serves as a basis for all required HiL models which can then configured. For the configuration a workflow is developed which allows an automatic derivation of the required HiL model by considering the defined test case.