Cold-Starting
Measurements with
By Joachim Rapp,
the ES1000 System
DaimlerChrysler AG
Angle-synchronous measuring system for cold-
starting and other dynamic processes
For the cold-starting phase in particular, the calibration of an engine management ECU
requires careful optimization. The prerequisite for the correct setting of engine control
parameters are suitably synchronized measurements that provide an accurate character-
ization of the transient processes involved.
D uring the cold-starting phase of a
gasoline engine, sensors read the
relative position of both crankshaft
and camshaft angles. Based on the
signals thus acquired, the engine man-
agement ECU determines the piston
position in each cylinder. Depending
on these, the start point and fuel
volume of the injection as well as the
ignition point for each cylinder are
selectively calculated. At the same
time, the ECU assesses each individ-
ual instance of combustion to deter-
mine whether or not it causes the ex-
pected increase in engine speed. If this
increase is found to be less than the
optimum, subsequent injection cycles
will be modified.
Ensuring the most accurate adjust-
ment of the engine ECU parameter
settings calls for a measuring system
that acquires the crankshaft and cam-
shaft angles with a degree of accuracy
which surpasses that of the engine
ECU. This is accomplished by tapping
into the signals upstream of the in-
jection and ignition output modules,
and by synchronizing the calculated
timing points of both injection and
ignition control with the actual phys-
ical control signals. For example, the
angular offset for each potential in-
jection this being the start of injec-
tion (SOI) and the injection volume
as referenced to intake valve opening
is precalibrated.
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Standard hardware components
for sophisticated engines
Back in 2006, engineers of the com-
bustion development team for V6/V8
engines at DaimlerChrysler AG de-
cided to replace their existing measur-
ing system with a new and flexible
solution supplied by ETAS. The solu-
tion is built around the ES1000 VME
modular card system, which is in-
tegrated with the INCA measuring
and calibration system.
The ES1000 system was equipped
with an ES1120 System Controller
Board, ES1232 ETK Interface Board,
and ES1303 A/D Board. The hardware
setup was augmented by an ES1135
Simulation/System Controller Board
and an ES1325 Digital I/O, PWM I/O,
and Counter Board. These were de-
ployed for the purpose of digital signal
acquisition, and for synchronizing
ignition and injection timing points
with the camshaft and crankshaft
angles. Because of its powerful micro-
processor, the ES1135 Simulation/
System Controller Board is used for
signal processing.
from engine management, and of
the previous system.
With this hardware configuration, the
system fulfils the high demands of
DaimlerChrysler. Despite the fact that
a system of this kind had never before
been assembled, the ready availability
of its standard off-the-shelf com-
ponents enabled ETAS to keep a tight
rein on engineering expenditures.
These essentially comprised the from-
scratch development of a software
capable of high-speed RPM acquisition
for the ES1000 system, along with
suitable signal conditioning and trig-
gering.
Faster and future-proof
In the meantime, DaimlerChrysler en-
gine developers have been using the
system for calibration work for several
months and, depending on the task at
hand, have been able to tally notice-
able time savings as compared with
the predecessor system. Among the
reasons for this improvement is the
fact that with the new system, all
data i.e., both the calculated values
and those obtained from the output
modules are now combined in a
single measurement file. This arrange-
ment makes for noticeably easier com-
parison and evaluation, whereas the
previous approach merely consisted of
using INCA to acquire the variables
measuring the external signals e.g.,
at the output modules by means of
Back then, a rough synchronization
was achieved with the aid of charac-
teristic values, such as battery voltage,
which were available on both ECU and
CAN bus. Measurements were visual-
ized and evaluated by means of paper
printouts. By contrast, the ETAS system
enables engineers to synchronize ECU
values acquired both internally and
externally with INCA, to closely com-
pare them on the screen during on-
going measuring sessions, and to
subsequently perform accurate eval-
uations of acquired measurement
data on the laptop computer.
Since the modular ES1000 system is
designed for versatile deployment, the
measuring system can also be pressed
into service for rapid prototyping and
calibration tasks these would have
exceeded the capacities of the pre-
vious, specialized system.
The simple addition of a second
ES1232 ETK Interface Board makes the
ETAS system capable of precalibrating,
for example, engine management
ECUs for 12-cylinder engines through
two ETK interfaces. The system is also
ready for deployment in the calibration
of complex engines with direct in-
jection or hybrid-drive vehicles. Thanks
to its high computing power, it would
also double as a measuring system
one conceivable application being the
detection of engine misfires at high
engine speeds.
DaimlerChrysler
engine developers
use the ES1000
system for
calibration work.
Ease of operation
Because the ES1000 hardware is ex-
tremely compact, it is easily installed in
the passenger space or trunk of test
vehicles. The use of modular com-
ponents and the successive acquisition
of off-the-shelf PCs or laptop com-
puters ensures that the system will
always be at the cutting edge of tech-
nology. With its ES1050 Battery Pack,
ETAS provides a separate power supply
for the ES1000 system. In this way,
cold-starting measurements can be
carried out without requiring an
additional backup battery.
The angle-synchronous ES1000 sys-
tem was successfully introduced at
DaimlerChrysler. Compared to the
previous system, the combination of
ease of operation, simple and modu-
lar hardware configuration, and the
complete integration of the measuring
system in INCA V5.3/V5.4 has pro-
duced significant cost savings.
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