OPAL-RT and Taraz Technologies have joined forces to simplify and speed up the development of advanced power converters. OPAL-RT is renowned for real-time simulation technology, and Taraz provides innovative modular hardware solutions for power electronics labs. This collaboration combines OPAL-RT’s real-time simulation expertise with Taraz’s hardware innovation to create a unified platform for engineers and researchers working on power electronics. Taraz’s PELab Modular Power Electronics Development System connects with OPAL-RT’s Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulators to create a seamless system where virtual models and physical hardware operate in tandem. The result is a shorter, more efficient research and development cycle for everything from renewable energy inverters to electric vehicle drives.
OPAL-RT and Taraz shorten power electronics R&D cycles with a unified platform
Bringing simulation and hardware under one roof accelerates the pace of innovation for power electronics projects. Engineers no longer need separate phases for modeling and physical testing – everything happens in one seamless process. Key benefits of this unified approach include:
- Unified workflow: Teams use one integrated setup from simulation to physical testing, eliminating delays from transferring designs between different tools or labs.
- Faster iterations: Real-time models coupled with quick hardware reconfiguration let you try design changes and see results immediately, shortening the design-test-refine loop.
- Early issue discovery: High-fidelity simulations reveal potential problems before a full prototype is built, so you can address bugs early and avoid costly last-minute fixes.
- Reduced risk: New concepts are validated in a controlled setting where virtual components protect physical prototypes, preventing damage and minimizing downtime during experiments.
- Team efficiency: Everyone works on the same platform, which improves collaboration and reduces integration challenges between hardware and software teams.
As a result, research cycles that once took months can now be completed in weeks. OPAL-RT’s simulation combined with Taraz’s PELab hardware is fundamentally streamlining how labs develop and test next-generation converters.
PELab and OPAL-RT link simulation and hardware tests in one setup
OPAL-RT’s real-time simulators and Taraz’s PELab system work as a single, unified test bench, making true power testing possible. You can run a complex controller on the OPAL-RT platform while a real converter or inverter is realized with the PELab. Signals flow back and forth in real time, allowing the simulated portion and the physical hardware to behave as one closed-loop system.
This combined setup blurs the line between simulation and real testing. Instead of building a full prototype for every scenario, you can mix and match virtual and physical components as needed. The same OPAL-RT software tools manage the entire experiment, so switching from an all-simulated test to a power test with PELab is straightforward. This unified setup eliminates the usual hand-off between separate simulation and hardware phases. Teams spend less time reconfiguring equipment and more time gaining insights into their designs.
PELab protections strengthen confidence in high power converter validation
Validating high-power converters can be intimidating without proper safety measures. Taraz anticipated this need: PELab includes multiple built-in protections that guard against electrical faults and mistakes. The system will detect and respond to short circuits, excessive current draw, dangerous voltage spikes, or overheating components long before they cause damage. These safeguards (short-circuit, overcurrent, overvoltage, and over-temperature protection) act as an automatic safety net, so even aggressive test scenarios won’t destroy equipment.
In addition, all measurement channels in PELab are fully isolated, allowing you to connect oscilloscopes or controllers directly without special probes or fear of ground loops. An onboard dual-core ARM controller with a touch-screen interface is also built into PELab, providing instant visual feedback on system voltages and currents, high-speed data acquisition, and the ability to run custom local control routines if needed.
Because of these protections, engineers can push prototypes to their limits with peace of mind. You and your team can focus on evaluating performance – ramping up power levels or trying extreme edge cases – knowing the PELab will catch any issues and shut things down gracefully if something goes wrong. This confidence means more thorough testing and validation of new converter designs. Instead of worrying about blown fuses or fried hardware, labs spend their time refining control algorithms and improving system reliability.
The collaboration gives labs a scalable path for advanced power electronics projects
One of the strengths of the OPAL-RT and Taraz solution is its scalability. The PELab hardware is modular and configurable, so you can tailor it to different projects and expand its capabilities over time. Taraz offers PELab units with various power converter topologies, and the back-panel banana plug design lets users rewire and reconfigure circuits easily for new experiments. In practice, this means a university lab or R&D department can use the same platform to test a simple inverter one day and a complex multi-stage converter the next. With OPAL-RT’s open real-time simulation platform orchestrating everything, adding more components or tackling larger systems doesn’t require starting from scratch – the setup grows with your needs.
This combined platform is also built to handle cutting-edge applications. From automotive and renewable energy projects to aerospace applications, the integrated simulation-and-hardware approach adapts to each challenge. The real-time simulator can model more complex networks or control algorithms, while the PELab can accommodate higher power or different configurations by swapping modules. Labs get a platform that keeps pace with innovation in power electronics. Investing in this collaborative technology ensures organizations have a flexible foundation for whatever advanced project comes next.