High-speed PXI resolver simulation modules released

Pickering Interfaces has expanded its 41-670 (PXI) and 43-670 (PXIe) LVDT, RVDT and resolver simulator modules to include high-speed resolver simulation up to 130kRPM rotation, managing the growing necessity for precise and reliable testing of advanced servo systems in critical industries such as automotive, aerospace, and defence.

Higher speed resolver simulation has become increasingly significant as modern control systems used in automotive, aircraft, and defence systems use high-speed resolvers with excitation frequencies up to 80kHz to improve signal bandwidth, lower noise susceptibility, and enhance dynamic response. Testing embedded software with lower-speed resolver simulations can result in lower fidelity and missed software bugs.

The updated module allows the simulation of multiple resolver pole pairs. While most electromechanical resolvers have a maximum rotational speed of 20kRPM when simulating – for instance – four pole pairs, the corresponding x4 factor means this becomes 80kRPM electrical cycles to simulate.

“Rather than rely on FPGA approximations, our updated family of resolver simulators use actual transformers on board,” said Stephen Jenkins, simulation product manager at Pickering Interfaces. “As a result, our modules deliver precise, real-world analog signals with high-resolution angle simulation, ensuring reliable performance even at the highest speeds.”

The 41-670 (PXI) and 43-670 (PXIe) range is excellent for simulating VDT, both linear (LVDT) and rotary (RVDT) types, and resolvers with high-speed simulation up to 130kRPM rotation. They have two (41/43-670-303) or four (41/43-670-301) banks, each capable of simulating the output of a single five or size-wire VDT or resolver, or dual four-wire utilising a shared excitation signal. This enables the module to simulate up to four channels of five- or six-wire or eight.

PXI high-channel density enables testing multiple resolver channels in a compact footprint. With the addition of built-in relays, the 41/43-670 can also provide short or open circuits for each channel’s inputs and outputs, decreasing the necessity for external switching for fault insertion needs. The programmable phase delay can also simulate imperfect sensors and cabling, artificially offsetting single or multiple outputs.