How easy is it to use Simcenter Testlab RT? Who are the typical users? What expertise is required?

Simcenter Testlab RT was ideated and designed as a zero-programming, plug-and-play and open system for real-time testing. It is made by engineers for engineers who need a reliable, intuitive and efficient system for everyday physical-virtual testing. Its help center is a great learning place for newcomers and a source of detailed information for experts.

What kind of simulation models and simulation software are supported by Simcenter Testlab RT?

Simcenter Testlab RT supports simulation models coming from many different providers, and for each one of them multiple software versions are supported. Model type includes, but is not limited to, multi-physics models, multi-body dynamics, reduced finite element models, virtual sensors, tire models, and controllers.

What is the complexity of simulation models that can run in real-time on Simcenter Testlab RT?

The Simcenter Testlab RT system offers hardware with scalable levels of computational performance, from 4 core i7 CPUs for basic simulation models to high performance 12+ core Ceon CPUs for complex co-simulation scenarios. To achieve this performance scalability, Simcenter Testlab RT runs on the SIMATIC IPC hardware family.

Is it possible to integrate Simcenter Testlab RT as a part of the control system of a test bench or a simulator?

Simcenter Testlab RT was designed with capabilities for seamless integration into control systems of test benches and simulators. This includes for example the capability to act as a PROFINET RT device, a UDP node and the availability of a complete API for automation from other systems. In this configuration, Simcenter Testlab RT is an add-on to control systems to connect digital twins in real-time to test benches and simulators.

Can Simcenter Testlab RT be directly interfaced to physical hardware?

For use-cases requiring it, Simcenter Testlab RT can directly be interfaced to real hardware including sensors and actuators. This is done via a large variety of real-time analog and digital I/Os as well as via digital buses and field uses.

What is the link between Simcenter Testlab RT and the other Simcenter Test solutions?

Simcenter Testlab RT integrates with the rest of the Simcenter Physical Testing solutions. Here are a few examples: Time data from Simcenter Testlab RT can be acquired in Simcenter Testlab Time Data Acquisition. Engineering data analysis and reporting can be done in Simcenter Testlab Process Designer. Data management can be done in Simcenter Testlab Data Management. Simcenter Testlab RT can be clock synchronised to Simcenter SCADAS and can also receive real-time data conditioned by Simcenter SCADAS.

Simcenter Testlab RT

Why Simcenter Testlab RT?

In today’s fast-paced marketplace, businesses face significant challenges such as rapidly evolving customer demands, increasing product complexity and rising development costs. Traditional physical prototyping is no longer sufficient to keep up, especially as the number of product variants grows, making physical testing impractical or impossible. To address these challenges, many businesses are adopting innovative solutions that combine physical and virtual (physical-virtual) systems to test and validate designs in real-time, ensuring seamless interaction between the two domains.

Simcenter Testlab RT helps you test and experience physical-virtual systems in real-time in the lab or in the office with powerful real-time hardware and software platforms.

System-in-the-loop testing – a revolution for vehicle integration

Learn how system-in-the-loop testing de-risks subsystem integration and connects the product development stages by fusing the worlds of simulation and testing.

Watch webinar

Integrate the virtual and real systems

Use the X-in-the-loop (XiL) approach to integrate virtual components with physical components for comprehensive system testing.

A holistic approach for testing complex systems

Connect physical test specimens to a virtual system that simulate in real-time to replicate real-world scenarios and minimize integration risks. Quickly adapt to various system configurations and complexities.

Accelerated development

Shift the focus of performance testing from the full physical system to a physical-virtual systems. XiL enables earlier performance evaluation and provides realistic testing in a controlled environment.

Applications for Simcenter Testlab RT

Early testing of mechatronic systems using physical-virtual integration

Verifying complex products with limited prototypes is difficult. Traditional test benches lack real-world accuracy. With Simcenter physical-virtual testing, you can blend physical rigs and real-time co-simulation, letting you validate and pre-certify subsystems like electric drives or brakes without a full prototype. This method efficiently tests various scenarios and design variants in realistic environments.

Person wearing headphones operating computer equipment in a laboratory or testing facility

Explore Simcenter Testlab RT capabilities

Real-time co-simulation

Simcenter Testlab RT orchestrates the co-simulation of physical and virtual subsystems in real-time. This is provided in a zero-programming environment. The simulation models that are part of the co-simulation can originate from Siemens solutions (Simcenter Amesim, Simcenter Smart Virtual Sensing) and other vendors. These models must be compatible with real-time and be exported for Simcenter Testlab RT as real-time target. The co-simulation performance is optimized to cover from the simplest use-cases, involving one digital twin and its communication to the real world, to the most advanced use-cases involving multiple digital twins interacting with each other and with multiple physical systems.

Why Simcenter Testlab RT?