A Model Generator for Simulation and Testing of RDCs 2011-01-2636

Simulation of avionics equipment is essential due to the complex nature of its development and integration process. Throughout the development process, executable component models are used to demonstrate the feasibility and the compliance of the system design with respect to its functional requirements. In later development phases, there is the need for system integration tests where a mix of real and simulated equipment is used to verify the overall system behavior. Since Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 programs, IMA¹ technology has entered several civil aircraft systems. In recent programs like Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 the number of IMA components has significantly increased. In this paper we present a simulation model for a new IMA component - the common Remote Data Concentrator (CRDC)², which is developed by Thales-Diehl for the Airbus A350 XWB. Building simulation models of IMA components is in general a challenging task due to their complexity on both software and hardware level. The particular challenges faced here, have their roots in two areas. The first is due to the configurable functional behavior of the CRDC, whilst the second comes from its versatile and configurable interface. Together, this leads to a potentially infinite number of unique model instances where each instance constitutes a different CRDC configuration. Moreover, since simulating IMA components always requires stimulation from external models and/or real equipment connected through a set of standardized interfaces, another important aspect is the need for a standardized model integration process which ensures compliance among all system component models and which facilitates an automated integration on a system simulation platform.

Our solution is a software tool called SiToRDC which comprises (1) a model generator and (2) a functional core model of the CRDC. The model generator is used to process a user-supplied set of configuration files which parameterize the interface and functions of the core model. The result of the generation process is a CRDC model instance provided as a set of ANSI C-language modules. Those modules are then distributed to simulation workshops where platform integration will take place. We will describe the principal architecture of the SiToRDC toolchain and show how to build CRDC models for different simulation workshops.