[14.01.2024]
uSky Test & Certification Centre continues the 4th stage of commissioning works of electric uBus Carat on Test Track 4 track structure. This stage of work is associated with transfer of the vehicle control to control room.
In today's interview we are meeting Mr. Ihar Apranich, expert in the field of controller programming for transport.
How are you, Ihar? Please, tell our readers about your path in the string-rail transport project
I joined your team just a year ago, and before that I had experience in developing software for programming controllers of the Siemens line-up, as I worked in the Belarusian representative office of that company. I have been hearing about this project for a long time, and as I saw the company looked for specialists like me, I decided to join without any hesitation.
Tell us what your job is here?
Vehicles have a hardware and software system for their control. My field of operations is more about hardware, I mean, units that you can touch with your hands. I develop software to control uBus Carat units and mechanisms, such as wheel rotation, motors, cooling system, hydraulic system, lights control, control of motion across track structure, and others.
Who sets technical specifications for the software?
We have a specialized bureau. They develop algorithms by which vehicle shall operate, and we do our best to develop our programmes according to these algorithms.
What are your tasks in your uSky Transport work?
My main tasks are to teach vehicles to move and to understand commands from dispatch operator. The dispatch operators, of course, have their own jobs, but they should be able to just press a button, some mechanisms must start up correctly, software calculations must then work, our uBus Carat must start, move to a required point specified by operator, and all of those things are actually hidden from user's eyes.
How do you ensure smooth operation of uBus Carat?
We have redundancy built into each system. I mean, for each system there is a controller, which has a main part and there is a part that works in background and provides redundancy, for example a battery: we should have two of them. Any sensor is backed up by another, which will turn on if the control system considers that it has received an incorrect signal, it will switch to that second sensor.
Does controller software need updates?
Programmable controllers have such a logical circuitry, if you have booted them and there is no need for changes in operation, they will work until their service life expires. So, they operate according to well-established programmes.
How can you, at the moment, evaluate your work part of the 4th stage of commissioning?
A smooth transfer of uBus Carat controls to control room is currently in progress. I already have an engineer’s control interface ready. I have a set of buttons that can launch certain processes, they respond correctly. My colleague and I have already delivered many other systems.
Which country do you think will be the first to start operating uSky Transport & Infrastructure Technology?
In my opinion, since we are now at the uSky Test & Certification Centre in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, I would like that to happen here, of course.
What would you wish for our project?
As loud as it may sound, let them roll across the world!