Engine Control Design for Heavy Equipment with Simulink

Simscape helps you design heavy equipment. In this video, we're going to look at controlling the engine in a wheel loader. The engine in heavy equipment is normally kept running in a narrow speed range where it is most efficient. This requires many software algorithms, for the machine operates under a wide range of conditions, and the engine must also power the implement.

Simulink lets you quickly create, test, and calibrate these algorithms in closed-loop tests with the Simscape model of the physical system. Algorithms to set the torque request take input from the operator and measurements from the physical system model. Droop algorithms which help you save fuel can be defined using block diagrams to help you limit torque in the droop range. The output of these algorithms controls the engine which drives both propulsion and the PTO shaft.

You can download the model we have provided and test these algorithms in normal mode and PTO mode.