Digital Controller Development Methodology Based on Real-Time Simulations with LabVIEW FPGAc Hardware-Software Toolset

In this paper, we exemplify the use of NI Lab-VIEW FPGA as a rapid prototyping environment for digitalcontrollers. In our power electronics laboratory, it has beensuccessfully employed in the development, debugging, and test ofdifferent power converter controllers for microgrid applications.The paper shows how this high level programming language,together with its target hardware platforms, including CompactRIO and Single Board RIO systems, allows researchers andstudents to develop even complex applications in reasonabletimes. The availability of efficient drivers for the consideredhardware platforms frees the users from the burden of low levelprogramming. At the same time, the high level programmingapproach facilitates software re-utilization, allowing the laboratoryknow-how to steadily grow along time. Furthermore, itallows hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulation, that proved tobe effective, and safe, in debugging even complex hardware andsoftware co-designed controllers. To illustrate the effectiveness ofthese hardware-software toolsets and of the methodology basedupon them, two case studies are presented