Marshall delivering cost-effective state-of-the-art driver training simulators for the British Army.
The UK Ministry of Defence has purchased the AJAX armoured vehicle family. To ensure high quality driver training, the British Army required a simulator that fully replicated the look and feel of the real vehicle operating in the same way yet providing driver training at a fraction of the cost of using the real vehicle.
Without simulation software, learning to operate a complex armoured vehicle is very costly and time-consuming. Simulation software allows many people to be trained simultaneously in one room without sacrificing quality of learning. Simulation-based training takes away the costs associated with running vehicles, operating weapons and maintaining an environment, making it a highly cost-effective solution for the UK armed forces.
Simulation-based learning also offers trainees a controlled and safe environment to learn how to operate dangerous vehicles and weapons, giving them the experience and confidence required to perform effectively when faced with the real thing.
Manufacture and design the next generation simulator
We designed the simulator structure in close cooperation with Thales, who supplied the training software. Our work included finite element stress analysis to ensure the structure had sufficient strength to be mounted on a 6 degree of freedom motion base.
We produced a high-fidelity reproduction for both working and representative components which fully integrated the electronic and mechanical interfaces with the simulation software. Our system includes fault detection that identifies faults in different subsystems allowing the user to quickly identify any issues throughout the life of the simulator.
We implemented an interface to the simulation software to meet the speed and capability required by the UK MoD. The structure was then ruggedised to ensure that it could withstand the shock and vibration imparted by the motion platform movements.
The force and feel of all the controls were designed to be within a tight tolerance of the measured values for the real vehicle, this was achieved using designs with built in adjustment and then proven via accelerated life testing on those controls.
Providing high quality driver training for the British Army
Our customer and the UK MoD have been impressed with how representative the simulator cabin is of the AJAX vehicle interior, how well the system has performed as a motion simulator and how reliable the system has proven to be following accelerated life testing.
The simulator is so similar to the real vehicle, the end customer who has experience of using the real vehicle could drive it without any instruction.
Virtual simulator housed in Marshall’s shelter ready for training
