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Electrification companies and test labs can rapidly and economically evaluate multiple BMS designs using a new validation system.
Kevin Clemens
January 31, 2022
3 Min Read
DP / Alamy Stock Vector
Bloomy Controls, Inc. has developed a new hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test system for evaluating the battery management systems (BMS) that monitor and control advanced lithium-ion batteries. Called FLEX BMS™ Validation System, it has been specifically designed by the Connecticut-based firm for electrification companies and test labs that need to evaluate multiple BMS hardware designs and software and/or firmware versions. The FLEX BMS Validation System simulates the battery cells and vehicle electronic signals with simple connections to the BMS and user-friendly, customizable BMS test software.
“We’re excited to introduce the new FLEX BMS™ Validation System,” said Grant Gothing, Chief Technology Officer at BLOOMY in a company news release. “Electrification companies and test labs now have a convenient and repeatable system for validating multiple battery management systems. Originally designed for evaluating customer-provided BMSs inside our own HIL Technology Evolution Center, we like it so much that we decided to make it commercially available as a new test system offering.” The FLEX BMS™ Validation System is a smaller and more economical variation of Bloomy’s full BMS HIL Test System that has proven to be popular among companies that are developing electric vehicles (EV).
Applications for the BMS Validation System include:
Rapid prototyping and product development - quickly “breadboard” test multiple different variants or “spins” of the BMS hardware, software and/or firmware
Application testing - evaluate the configuration, performance and safety of several sample or prototype BMSs, from the same or different third-party suppliers, under the same conditions in a simulated application
Regression testing - run comprehensive test scripts for the evaluation of short- and long-term performance and reliability of different BMS hardware, software and firmware updates
CE-certified
The FLEX BMS Validation System uses the company’s Battery Simulator 1200, a commercial, off-the-shelf instrument for safe and efficient simulation of battery cell voltages and balancing currents. The Battery Simulator 1200 is FCC- and CE-certified and has been relied upon by battery electrification companies globally for a decade.
Additional features of the FLEX BMS Validation System include:
Ergonomic Signal Interface Panel provides quick and convenient access to simulated battery and vehicle electronic signals
Simple connectivity to the BMS under test through common, industry-standard connectors and breakout boards without the need for specialty tools
Real-time, deterministic execution of models and controls using embedded Linux Real-Time controller
Supports standard as well as customer-proprietary models developed using The Mathworks Simulink, C/C#/C++ and NI LabVIEW
User-friendly graphical BMS interface provides interactive control of model execution and manual control and monitoring of all signals
Supports NI TestStand test sequences and Python scripts
Bloomy Controls, Inc. has been providing automated test solutions for mission-critical and emerging applications connecting R&D, validation and production with a digital thread since 1992.
Kevin Clemens is a Senior Editor with Battery Technology.
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