MATLAB: Xpc target

Question

Hi to all, I'm a student of automation engineer.

For my thesis, my tutor said to me that would be important to learn using the xpc Target of Simulink. I agree with him but now I don't know if I understood well its utility. I want to show you what I understood about xpc target in few words:

xpc target is a real time software environment that allows the simulation of a physical system. To let work xpc target and perform the Hardware in the Loop (HIL) I need 2 computers: 1 host computer that I need as Interface 1 target computer that I need as target and on this computer I want to simulate my physical system. The 2 computers are connected through a RS232 serial cable and I can watch what's happen in the physical system and I can change the behavior of it.

Do you think that I have understood what xpc target is?

Thank you in advance for your answers.

Answer 1

Yes, you have the basic idea correct. If you haven't already I recommend reading through the xPC Target Product Page. All the features are described there in detail. There is also a nice video that gives a brief overview.

I would only make a couple comments on your description:

1) It is certainly used to simulate physical systems for HIL testing as you mention, but it can work with other Simulink models, such as control algorithms, so you can quickly test the algorithm with the actual plant (rapid prototyping).

2) The connection between the host and target can also be through ethernet, which is the more common and recommended approach.