MBE Systems invests 8,500 engineering hours to secure DO-178C compliance

MBE Systems today (4 September 2022) announced it had secured DO-178C compliance for a key project. Achieving DO-178C Design Assurance Level B (DAL-B), MBE joins only a few companies in the world that have seen the task through the final avionics design audit known as SOI#4 for engine control systems.

RTCA DO-178C / EEUROCAE ED-12C has a well-earned reputation as being the most demanding software development standard in the world requiring systematic engineering process and four formal audits at key project stages from an FAA designated representative.
MBE was the first to start the process for a US Army UAV project, having been awarded the contract to develop a Full Authority Digital Engine Control System.

The company invested 8,500 engineering hours into the process and it has led to a restructuring and a revolutionising of systems and processes. For example, two separate teams now look after the design/development and testing of the systems – these are separate areas of the company.
This provides MBE Systems with a foundation to build their aerospace and defense work, and are now in contact with several major OEMs in the USA and Europe. They are now in a position to design and develop embedded airborne systems quickly.

The accreditation was carried out by ConsuNova, a leading global provider of commercial (FAA /EASA) and defense avionics certification solutions with vast experience in critical embedded software.

Steve Baker of MBE Systems, said: “We have always known that our systems were efficient, effective and safe – and indeed have been improving the performance of aircraft and automotive engines for decades. However, it was important that we formally demonstrated this and DO-178C compliance is already opening doors.”

Reza Madjidi, FAA DER, CEO of ConsuNova, said: “The electronic, software and control engineers at MBE Systems are a close-knit team and a pleasure to work with. I really enjoyed working with the team and seeing them grow and develop throughout the whole process.

“MBE Systems engineering team were open and welcoming of accepting DO-178C as their software standards via our Avionics Training and Gap Analysis. MBE’s willingness to go through this deterministic and systematic process with our continuous coaching, mentoring and audit resulted in the successful acceptance of their software design approval by US Army. We at ConsuNova are proud to be the part of this success.”

The award of the D0-178C was reported in: Electronics Specifier , Manufacturing and Production Engineering Magazine – page 6 and Defence and Security Systems International .

OakTec – From horsepower to cowpower.

We already design and manufacture the latest emissions-compliant engine management systems, but we fancied going one better when we were approached by world-leading innovators in low carbon power technologies, OakTec.

As part of the UK Governments Energy Catalyst program, OakTec has developed a world-leading biogas engine solution. We fitted their biogas generators with our Adaptive Venturi technology to successfully control and deliver equivalent performance to the diesel-powered alternatives.

Biogas fuel obtained from cow manure can consist of up to 50% CO₂ and other non-Methane gases so designing a system that can start an engine on a fuel of unknown calorific value and pressure is challenging. The adaptive venturi technology solves these problems and furthermore produces 36% less CO2 than the equivalent diesel-fuelled engine. With the Adaptive Venturi engine management technology we provided, the biogas engine was able to deliver the same performance as a diesel engine of the equivalent ability – it really is a no brainer!

MBE designed and produced the electronic hardware to meet all the requirements that come with an engine that is directly connected to the anaerobic digestor. For those who are understandably unsure what an anaerobic digestor is, this converts bio waste into gas fuel.

The finished product is currently in operation on a range of off-grid farms in Kenya and has been used to power farming machinery, including milking machines.

Alvis – The awakening of a sleeping giant.

The cars of today can often be criticised for looking too generic and lacking any real individual design. Rewind to the 1950s & ’60s where automotive manufacturers would never have committed such a crime.

In 2019, the Alvis Car Company announced that to mark their centenary they would create an extended range of continuation models based on the cars Alvis produced prior to 1968. The extended range however would offer the styling of the original cars, but with 21^st Century technology to complement the cars’ original character and authenticity. Technology such as MBE’s engine management systems!

When MBE were approached by Alvis, the mission was to supply an engine management system to control both available six-cylinder, fuel-injected powertrains. The two six-cylinder engines would not however be fresh out the box, modern units. Instead, Alvis had planned to develop these engines using the original plans. Presented with such an opportunity we were happy to step up to the challenge.

The MBE 959 engine management system that we supplied Alvis utilises modern technology in the form of an electronic throttle, coil on plug ignition, wide band lambda, OBD diagnostic scan tool interface, air conditioning system interface and closed-loop fuel pressure, water pump, engine cooling fan and idle speed controls. All the modern comforts deliver reliable driveability to such a classic design.

Our engine management system allows for the extended range of continuation models including the Graber Coupe to retain their original design, but with the addition of all the current technology we take for granted in modern cars.

TVR – Birth of a Race Engine for the Road.

The world’s ever more stringent emissions requirements were resulting in a formidable task for this low volume sportscar manufacturer. Without the combined resource of many of their competitors it was a rather pessimistic outlook for this radical and innovative company.

How to meet the tightening emissions requirements and maintain the distinctive race car feel and driving characteristics for which it had become famous. The large Tier 1 suppliers were not in a position to develop the unique strategies required and when they were able to supply the leads times were a little concerning!

Having been supplying TVR with race car systems for some time mbe stepped up to the plate and began developing a fully emission compliant 75Degree V8 Flat Plane Crank Engine management system. Far ahead of it’s time, we believe it to be one of the worlds first engines that utilised passive EGR for NOX reduction before the advent of variable cam phase control. The first emissions tests were carried out less than 1 year later and within 18 months the TVR Cerbera was on the market. TVR subsequently began it’s boom time and more and more projects followed.

It was clear that without a flexible and positive approach that this objective was unachievable.

The 4.2 liter V8 was reengineered to 4.5liter in line with the race car configuration for improved drivability and increased torque and power.

Up the stakes – Downsize

The inexorable push towards lower emissions and lower CO2 levels coupled with various enabling technologies have opened up a new direction for powertrain development which is becoming known as downsizing. For a small engine to be able to deliver the driveability and performance associated with conventional engine topologies while concurrently reducing all tailpipe emissions requires the latest technological enhancements.

When a major Tier 1 supplier needed to demonstrate it’s own powertrain design capabilities incorporating Cam Phase Control, Cam Lift Control, Electronic Throttle Control, Piezo Direct Injectors, Serial Twin Turbo Wastegate and Charge Pressure Control, Synchronous Direct Injection Fuel Pressure Control etc. etc. it really only had one choice for an engine management supplier. Mbe designed and supplied all the control components needed within weeks of being asked in order to meet the challenging timescale. By utilising an existing core platform, MBE was able to select electronic hardware modules.

In a similar manner to that employed when building software systems, MBE was able to build electronic hardware components to meet all of the requirements for the engine under test. For rapid development scenarios this technique is far cheaper and more flexible than methods employed by more traditional approaches. Likewise the application software control modules were also built and assembled in the same manner.