Developing a Controller Before the Machine Exists
- jerrodbireley4
- Jul 12
- 3 min read
One of the more frustrating realities of machine development is that control engineers are often forced to wait. The mechanical design is still evolving. Hydraulic systems are not finalized. Hardware has not arrived. The prototype is still months away from being assembled.
Yet the controller will ultimately be responsible for making all of those systems work together. Historically, much of the controller development process began once physical hardware became available. While this approach can work, it also creates a bottleneck. Software development, controls validation, and machine testing become dependent on the same prototype schedule, often leaving teams with limited time to identify and resolve issues before launch.
Today, many engineering organizations are taking a different approach. Rather than waiting for a machine to exist, they are testing controllers against virtual machines much earlier in the development process.
Why Control Development Becomes a Bottleneck
A controller does not operate in isolation. Its design depends entirely on the machine dynamics.
A hydraulic actuator may move differently than expected. A mechanical system may introduce unexpected loads. A vehicle may behave differently under certain operating conditions. All of these factors influence the controller and whether the overall machine reacts as intended.
A control strategy that appears to work perfectly under one set of assumptions may behave very differently once it is connected to the complete machine.
This is why many development teams focus on validating the interaction between the controller and the machine long before hardware becomes available.
Starting Controller Development Earlier
One of the biggest advantages of virtual machinery models is that they allow control engineers to begin their work much earlier.
Rather than waiting for a prototype, engineers can design a controller based on the simulated machine dynamics, connect the controller model directly to a virtual representation of the machine and begin evaluating behavior immediately.
This creates an opportunity to answer important questions earlier in development.
Which control strategy is best suited to this machine?
Which controller parameters are most likely to produce the desired behavior?
What happens when operating conditions change?
How sensitive is the system to disturbances, changing loads, or unexpected inputs?
By exploring these questions before hardware exists, remove the control engineering bottleneck within machine development and get the product to market faster.
Understanding the Different Stages of Controller Validation
As machine development progresses, controller testing typically becomes more sophisticated. Many engineering teams follow a progression known as Model-in-the-Loop (MIL), Software-in-the-Loop (SIL), and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing. The objective is straightforward: increase confidence in controller performance as development advances.
In the earliest stages, engineers will connect a controller model to the machine model to evaluate overall behavior (MIL). As development continues, the actual controller software can be tested against the virtual machine (SIL). Eventually, the real controller hardware and software can interact with the virtual machine model to create a highly realistic testing environment (HIL).
Each stage helps answer different questions while reducing the amount of risk that remains when physical testing begins.
Discuss Your Application
Whether you're developing mobile machinery, industrial equipment, hydraulic systems, or automated machinery, controller performance plays a critical role in overall system behavior.
If your team is exploring controller validation, MIL/SIL/HIL testing, or virtual machine development, XPI can help you evaluate control strategies before hardware becomes available.
Schedule a conversation with one of our engineers to discuss your application and development objectives.
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