PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Matrix Electronic Flight Information System consists of an EFIS with LCD display, user controls, compass sensor, altitude sensor and a Locktronics board with additional potentiometers mimicking further sensors on an aircraft.

The sensors and the EFIS are connected with CAN bus. Students use this system and PC based diagnostic software to understand how complex computer-based flight systems are made from separate electronic modules linked by multiplexed signals on a serial data bus – in this case the CAN bus. Fault finding with multi meters and oscilloscopes is included.

This module examines the way in which data is transmitted from sensor to display in aeronautic systems using a controller area network (CAN). CAN was developed as a means of reliable and flexible data transmission in electrically harsh environments, such as in automobiles and in power stations. It allows the use of onboard diagnostics (OBD) to analyse, store and report problems that arise It includes several real sensors, such as compass and attitude sensors, and several virtual sensors, in particular five potentiometers that generate voltage signals to simulate the output of real sensors, such as engine r.p.m.

and fuel level sensors.

The system uses two kinds of display to present the output of these sensors. One is a software application called ‘Avionics Analyser’, used to monitor the performance of the system and to identify and log faults that occur.

The other is a multifunction electronic flight information display, designed for use within the aircraft. The sensors and displays are connected by a controller area network, consisting of two wires, called ‘CAN High’ and ‘CAN Low’. You will be shown how to examine, decode and insert CAN signals on this network.

KEY FEATURES

• Low Power

• Portable

• Wide curriculum coverage

• Remote data acquisition and digital displaying of fault codes

• LCD displays and user control

• PC based diagnostic software

• Fault finding with multi meters and oscilloscopes included

• Storage solution included

• Sensors and EFIS connected with CAN bus

• Flexibility of teaching space

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

- Hexadecimal, decimal and binary number systems

- Message multiplexing

- Interconnection of electronics modules in aircraft systems

- Sensors in aircraft

- CAN/ARINC 825 bus systems in aircraft

- CAN/ARINC 825 bus fault-finding with a multimeter

- CAN/ARINC 825 bus fault-finding with an oscilloscope

- Built-in test, monitoring and fault-finding

- Fly-by-wire systems

- CAN bus message structure and protocol

- Electronic Flight Information Systems

- PC-based diagnosis software tools

- Use of GPS.

WORKSHEET EXERCISES

Worksheet 1 - Building the system

Worksheet 2 - Adding PC-based diagnostics

Worksheet 3 - Understanding the Avionics Analyser

Worksheet 4 - CAN bus messages

Worksheet 5 - Sending CAN bus messages

Worksheet 6 - Embedded fault detection

Worksheet 7 - Node detection

Worksheet 8 - Diagnosing CAN faults with a multi-meter

Worksheet 9 - Diagnosing faults with an oscilloscope

Worksheet 10 - Using E-blocks as a compass sensor