| Abstract | This paper describes the integrated model and full scale Control and Data Acquisition (NMCS) technology used in the model and full scale tests in the Ocean Coastal and River Engineering Portfolio of National Research Council of Canada. The NMCS includes in a highly integrated suite of hardware and software all components required to: • Acquire real-time data from multiple analog and digital instruments • Store this data on digital media, • Use the real-time data as inputs to real-time control functions, such as autopilots and Dynamic positioning components, •Provide drive signals for multiple steering and propulsion elements, as well as other synchronized commands to devices such as winches, ballast systems, and roll compensation systems The NMCS is based almost entirely 011 Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) components. These include; • Power sub-system components, power sources including batteries for free-running models and remote systems, • Charging Systems, • Power Safety interlock systems, E-Stop functions, • Computers, • Computer networking equipment all communications is handled via standard Ethernet devices. • Motor Controllers and support components, • Data Acquisition, • Synchronization system, that coordinates, synchronizes all elements of acquisition and control, • NRC written custom software provides integration for all of the various hardware functions. The underlying principle of the design was to integrate complex functions into a very flexible system that can be applied to any of NRC's model testing requirements, field trials with models or full scale trials systems. The modularity of the system includes hardware and software aspects, that allow the experiment designer to tailor component content to their exact requirements, and makes it efficient to implement. The core system design allows for the continuous addition of new functions , ongoing improvement of functions , as new requirements are defined or new technologies become available. |
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