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Phone:434.485.7100
or toll free 877.462.1916
Address:5061 Fort Avenue
Lynchburg, Virginia 24502

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Configuration Types

TRAX offers four different simulator configurations.  Depicted and summarized below, each configuration offers unique advantages.  The best configuration for a given unit will depend on the intended use of the system, the control vendor, and your simulator budget.
 

 
Virtual

Virtual

The virtual simulator uses the actual code from both the control logic and the Human Machine Interface (HMI). The control logic is "wrapped" in a software envelope that allows it to run on a PC instead of the hardware controller used in the plant. This results in the exact same functionality as the actual controls in the plant. In a similar fashion, the simulator HMI screens use the actual DCS graphics, but are set up to run on PCs. The HMI on the simulator is an exact reproduction, in both functionality and appearance, of the actual graphics in the plant. 

Hybrid

Hybrid systems are a combination of the Fully Emulated and Fully Stimulated systems, described below. The control logic is translated as described for the Fully Emulated system. The operator interface uses the actual control vendor's operator consoles, which are connected to the emulated control logic. A specially developed interface allows the control logic and operator interface to communicate with one another.

Fully Emulated

Fully emulated systems use an emulation of both the control logic and the HMI. Emulation is achieved by translating the plant control logic and graphics into the simulator environment, effectively reproducing the functional operation of the actual controls and the graphic interface of the HMI.

Stimulated

Fully stimulated systems use the control vendor's hardware for both the control logic and the operator consoles. By means of a specially designed interface, the simulator process models communicate directly with the actual controllers, which then transfer information to the HMI. The same control files that are used in the plant are loaded onto the controllers, and the same graphic files that are used in the control room are loaded onto the simulator HMI consoles.