HIL propulsion simulator for railway rolling stock – Use cases for maintenance
Research and Development Engineer
SNCF Voyageurs, France
Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulators have been used for years in both industry and academia. This technology enables engineers and researchers to design new systems and identify potential issues in a real-time environment, even before the actual system is commissioned. This talk will explore how a company in the maintenance sector—whose core business focuses on specification rather than system design—leverages this technology to address emerging challenges. While being a railway operator does not involve designing rolling stock traction systems, ensuring a 40-year train lifespan requires addressing issues such as the obsolescence of electronic components—an area where HIL technology can provide valuable support. Moreover, HIL simulators help tackle emerging challenges associated with the growing complexity and diversity of railway infrastructures and train interactions.
Biography
Florent Chabrier holds a Master's degree in Control Systems Applied to Power Electronics and Process Engineering from Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, France. His years of experience in control systems for automotive R&D, as well as in improving the performance and fuel consumption of buses and coaches, have allowed him to develop expertise in Hardware-in-the-Loop technology. For the past ten years, he has worked for SNCF Voyageurs company, the French national railway operator. His role is to support clients in the specification, reliability improvement, and availability of electric propulsion systems.