DEP — DEVlink Engineering PlatformUser Guide
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DEP User Guide

DEP, the DEVlink Engineering Platform, is a Windows desktop application. You use it to build a test system from models, software and virtual networks, run it as model-in-the-loop (MIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL), check its behaviour with scenarios, and keep the evidence. This guide explains every workspace step by step, with screenshots of the real application. You should be able to use DEP without any other help.

The Project overview after opening the “Multi ECU powertrain coordination” starter and pressing Check saved System.
The Project overview after opening the “Multi ECU powertrain coordination” starter and pressing Check saved System.

Start here

New to DEP?

Read What Is DEP for the ideas behind projects, Systems and profiles. Then take the Tour of the Studio.

Install

Install and Activate covers verifying the installer, the setup wizard, the first launch and how to install a licence.

First 30 minutes

Run a complete MIL charging session in First Session: Charge 20 → 80 %. Then wire your own system in Build Your First System.

Something went wrong?

Start with Troubleshooting. If DEP shows a code such as DEP-RUN-OWNER, look it up in Diagnostic Codes.

The DEP engineering loop: open a project, build the System, Check, Run, verify with scenarios and keep the evidence 1 · OpenOverview → Projectsor File → New ProjectOpen 2 · Buildadd components,connect, set valuesAdd component 3 · Checkreadiness of theselected profileCheck 4 · RunMIL or SIL inlogical timeRun · Step · Stop 5 · Verifyscenarios andMIL/SIL comparisonRun in MIL and SIL 6 · Evidenceresults, JSON,JUnit, reportsDownload JUnit change a model, a value or a scenario and repeat DEP does not drive physical outputs. A passed Check or scenario is engineering evidence, not certification.
The engineering loop in DEP. Each step links to a chapter of this guide.

Find a task

I want to…Go to
Open an example, or keep my projects in one folderStarter Projects, Projects, Files and Recovery
Add components, connect ports and set input valuesSystem Engineering
Draw a block-diagram model and make it executableModel Designer
Model an electrical circuit or a battery packPhysical Model Designer
Design a state machineState Logic
Import an FMU, an SSP package or customer software (vECU)Software, FMI and SSP
Simulate a CAN bus from a DBC fileNetworks and Restbus (CAN)
Run, pause, step and stop a simulation, and read the resultsRunning MIL and SIL
Compare my model with compiled softwareFrom MIL to SIL
Write automated test cases and export JUnitScenarios, Campaigns and Evidence
Build an operator screen with gauges and buttonsOperator HMI
Simulate an EV charging sessionCharging and the EVSE Console
Connect an NI VeriStand HIL benchHIL Runtime and NI VeriStand
Install a licence or understand the editionsLicensing and Editions

How to read this guide

  • Text in bold navy is a label exactly as it appears in DEP, for example Check or Run in MIL and SIL. A path such as System → Model Designer means: click System in the left sidebar, then the sub-item Model Designer.
  • Keys are shown as Ctrl+K.
  • The screenshots show DEP running the bundled starter projects. Click a screenshot to see it at full size.
  • Green boxes are tips. Blue boxes are notes. Red boxes are warnings that protect your work or your bench.
  • Press / on any page to search the whole guide. Search works offline.

What DEP covers. DEP runs MIL and SIL locally, in logical (simulated) time. It does not connect to or drive hardware. For HIL, DEP works with an NI VeriStand bench, which provides the real-time execution and the I/O. Capability Boundaries lists what DEP does and its limits.

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