Virtual Satellite Wiring Harness Signal Pathway Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current satellite design and manufacturing processes face challenges due to conservatism in payload design predictions, leading to oversized satellites, cost overruns, and issues with wiring harness design validation, which result in schedule and cost impacts during integration and systems testing.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for testing satellite wiring harness designs using integrated virtual modules, virtual wiring harnesses, and a suite of test cases to validate signal pathways, automate the harness interface audit, and translate design to build engineering, enabling early error detection and correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conservatism is applied in payload design predictions, then reliability is improved, but satellite size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing virtual modeling and simulation of the wiring harness and electrical system before physical satellite assembly. This allows design validation and error detection to occur in the virtual domain, enabling more confident design decisions with less conservatism, thereby reducing satellite weight while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the electrical system including wiring harness, connectors, and electrical components. This virtual model allows for comprehensive testing and validation without physical prototypes, reducing the need for conservative design margins and enabling weight optimization.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual harness interface audit is performed, then design accuracy is improved, but time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical audit process with an automated computer-based system. The virtual model enables automatic verification of harness interfaces, electrical connections, and signal pathways, achieving high precision while dramatically reducing the time required compared to manual inspection.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual modeling system performs self-verification by automatically checking for design errors, interface mismatches, and connectivity issues within the harness design. This self-service capability eliminates the need for extensive manual auditing while maintaining or improving design accuracy.
3Device complexity
If harness design validation is delayed until spacecraft integration, then device complexity is reduced, but schedule and cost overruns occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs harness design validation in advance during the design phase using virtual modeling, rather than delaying until spacecraft integration. This preliminary validation identifies and corrects errors early, preventing schedule and cost overruns while the added complexity is managed through software-based automation.
4Productivity
If virtual modeling and automated testing are implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the electrical system that can be tested and validated repeatedly without additional physical resources. This virtual model enables comprehensive automated testing at low marginal cost, dramatically improving productivity despite the initial complexity of building the virtual modeling infrastructure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of testing designs of wiring harnesses (104) includes generating a virtual electrical system (206) including virtual wiring harnesses (302) that interconnect virtual modules (304) of communications circuitry including signal sources (306) and signal destinations (308). The method also includes testing signal pathways (312) and thereby the virtual wiring harnesses (302). The testing includes generating a simulated signal that is input to a specific electrical connection at a signal source (306) and routed through a signal pathway (312) to a specific electrical connection (310) to a signal destination (308). The testing includes verifying receipt of the simulated signal by the specific electrical connections via the signal pathway (312). And in an instance in which receipt is not verified, the testing includes identifying a particular electrical connection at which an error occurred in the receipt of the simulated signal, and a particular virtual wiring harness and a particular virtual module respectively connected to and including the particular electrical connection.