What is Simulink good for?

-Modeling/designing dynamic systems

(including nonlinear dynamics)
-Modeling/designing control systems
(including nonlinear controllers and
plants)
-Signal processing design/simulation
 Simulink runs under Matlab. First
start Matlab, then type “simulink” at
the Matlab prompt.
The first window that
pops up is the Library
Browser.

This is a library of
blocks that are
available for putting
into the Simulink block
diagram.
Simulink Help
Select “Simulink
Help” from the
help menu in the
library browser.
Here you can
find tutorials,
demos,
information on
available blocks,
and so on.
A Simulink model is a block diagram. Click
“File|New|Model” in the Library Browser. An empty
block diagram will pop up. You can drag blocks into
the diagram from the library.
Sources: Produce Signals

Select “sources” from the library.

Drag any block you want to use
into the model.
Sinks: Terminate Signals

Select “sinks” from the library.

Drag any block you want to use
into the model.
Connecting Blocks

Drag a signal line from the output

of a block to the input of another
block.

Ctrl-Click will automatically

connect.
Running the Simulation

Change parameters under

Simulation | Configuration
Parameters.
Running the Simulation

Note: numerical
solution using
ode45!
Set start and
I often change
stop time for the
from variable-step
simulation here.
to fixed-step to get
a smoother-looking
solution.
Running the Simulation

Once the parameters are all set,

click the play button to run the
simulation.
Viewing Results: Scope

Double click on the scope icon to

open up the viewer. You often
have to zoom out using the
You can save data from the scope to
binocular icon if the curve doesn’t
the workspace using the “Parameters”,
fit in the default axes.
“Data History” tab.
Modifying Block Properties
Double click on any block to
bring up a properties box.

Here are the “sine wave”

properties. If you don’t know
what something is… leave it
alone!!!
Adding Comments
You can add text comments
anywhere in the block diagram
by double clicking and typing in
some text.

You can change the default

comments under the blocks by
double clicking and editing the
text.

Do In-Class Problem #1. Should be 2:00 at the end of

the problem.
Signal Routing
You can create a branch point in
a signal line by holding down the
CTRL key, and clicking on the
line.

A summer block can be found in

the “commonly used blocks”
library, and in the “math” library.

To change the shape of the

summer to rectangular, or to add
additional inputs or change the
sign, double click on the summer.
You can flip a block over by right clicking
and looking under “Format”, or by selecting
it and typing CTRL-i
Signal Routing
Under the “signal routing” library,
the MUX block can be used to
bundle a group of signals
together into a single line.
The DEMUX block does the
reverse.
This can be useful to:
1. Clear up clutter in a
complicated block diagram.
2. Send multiple signals to the
same scope; then both
signals will be displayed on
the same plot.
Transfer Functions
You set the transfer function
numerator and denominator
polynomials by double-clicking
on the transfer function block.
Transfer Functions

U(s) = 1/s
X(s)=1/(s(s+1))=1/s-1/(s+1)

So x(t)=1-exp(-t)

Do In-Class Problem #2. It should be 2:20 by the end of the problem.

Closed Loop Control System:

Here is an example of a closed-loop system

with an on-off controller. Notice the
oscillations in the response.
Integrators and Derivatives

Integrators and derivatives are available in

the “continuous” library.
Integrators
For integrators, you can set the
initial condition and limit the
output to not be allowed to go
above or below some value on
the properties for that block.
 Setting Up Systems with Integrators
If you have a nonlinear equation system, you can’t describe it with a transfer
function. One option is to put all of the operations in as individual blocks:


(t)=ki(t)-f()
J
where f(w) is coulomb and viscous friction.

i(t)

Use integrators rather

than derivatives, and
put in as many
integrators as there are
states. Then
“bootstrap”!

Do in-class problem #3. It should be 2:40 at the end of the problem.

Subsystems

You can group a set of blocks together into a subsystem, by selecting them
and right clicking and saying “Create Subsystem”. They will all go under a
single block. If you double click the subsystem, you can see what is under
the “mask”.
User Defined Functions
You can embed user-defined m-files
using the “Embedded MATLAB
Function” block under the “user-
defined functions” library.
Running Simulink Models from M-files
[T,X,Y] = SIM('model',TIMESPAN,OPTIONS,UT)

Constants in the
simulink model
can be defined in
the workspace.

Here is the heart

of the m-file.
Running Simulink Models from M-files

The input and output of

the simulink model are
defined in the block
diagram using input and
output sources and
sinks.
Control and Estimation Tool

Set input and output

points by right clicking
on a signal, and
selecting “Linearization
Points”.
Control and Estimation Tool Select
“Tools:Control
Design: Linear
Analysis” from
the simulink
menu.
The control and
estimation tool
will pop up.
Select the type of
plot you want to
generate, and
click “linearize
model”. The
system will be
linearized about
the operating
point (see Ogata
3-10 and
Simulink Help)
Control and Estimation Tool
The selected type of
plot will pop up for
your linearized
system. If you want
a different type of
plot, look under
Edit:Plot
Configurations.
To export the
linearized system to
the Workspace so
you can use it with
other design tools in
Matlab, select File:
Export.
Communicating with the Workspace
Any constant or variable defined
in the Matlab workspace is
available in the block diagram.

The “simin” and “simout” blocks

allow you to pass signals in from
the workspace, and out to the
workspace. Change the save
format to “Array” for easiest use
(double click on the To
Workspace block for options).

The “clock” source allows you to

generate a time signal if you
want to send that back to the
workspace.
Other Useful Blocks
Under “Discontinuous” you
will find coulomb friction,
dead zone, saturation, and
relay.
Under “Continuous” there
is a delay block.
Under “Simulink Extras”
there is a PID controller,
transfer function with non-
zero initial conditions,
some useful sinks (such
as power spectral
density), and radians-to-
degrees and Fahrenheit-
to-Celsius converters.