Engine Powertrain Simulator

The EPS (Engine Powertrain Simulator) is an open-loop test bench used in the
development and validation of engine controls. The Software Lab Bench is used to perform static, or pseudo dynamic, tests on complete powertrain control applications. The vehicle simulator is just that. It simulates the sensors that are inputs to the control processor and strategy and provides the appropriate loads for the outputs from the control strategy and processor. The result is that the ECU processor will execute as if it were in a vehicle under steady state conditions.

The Ford Vehicle Simulator (FVS) . This simulator is a rack mount system that is part of the bench and contains it’s own CPU. This simulator is a static simulator that can be used with EEC or PowerPC control modules, it supports up to 150 pins. The sensor input controls (pots, generators, switches) are on a separate control box that is cable connected to the rack mount FVS. The actual input generators are in the FVS but can be assigned, using the FVS CPU, to the available pots and switches on the control box. The exception to this is the RPM or PIP control which has a permanent assignment on the control box. The loads and inputs are connected to the specific pins of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) using a printed circuit board (PCB) or most often, a harness assembly. Each harness is configured for one PCM family. All of the inputs are generated by arbitrary waveform s generators therefore any generator can be assigned to be an analog input, a digital input, or a wave form input.