MATLAB Tutorials

Session VII

Introduction to SIMULINK

Rajeev Madazhy
Email: rmadaz1@lsu.edu
Dept of Mechanical
Engineering
LSU
Department of Mechanical Engineering, LSU

Session VII

Last Session.
Engineering Applications using MATLAB.
Solving non linear differential equations
Algorithm analysis for four bar linkage problem
Other mechanical problems

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Session VII

Session VII Outline.

Introduction to Simulink
Solving simple problems using Simulink

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Session VII

Simulink..
Simulink is a program that runs as a companion to
MATLAB
Simulink provides a graphical user interface (GUI) that
is used
in building block diagrams, performing simulations, as
well as
analyzing results of dynamic systems.
In Simulink, models are hierarchical so that you can
view a
system at a high level, then double click on blocks by
using
the mouse to go down through
the design levels.
Session VII

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Getting started..
Lets get started with a simple example of simulating a sin
wave.

To open Simulink open the MATLAB command window

first.
Click on the icon which is present in the toolbar in the
command window of MATLAB.
Alternatively you can also enter the command Simulink to
open
the graphics
library
of simulink
Department
of Mechanical
Engineering,
LSU
Session VII

Opening Simulink.

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Session VII

Simulink block library.

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Session VII

General list of libraries.

Source type blocks produce input signals.

The Sine Wave block is a source type block
Sink type blocks provide a place for
output.
The scope block is a sink type block.
Linear type blocks perform a linear transformation.
The Integrator is a linear type block.
Connection type blocks are involved with forming
vector signals, the Mux block is an example.
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Session VII

Adding a block from the

library..
To open a block library, double click on the associated library
icon in the Simulink block library window. After opening the
Sources library, the Sources library window opens, as shown

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Session VII

Simulink Library Browser.

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Session VII

Adding a block from the library..

To add the first block to the diagram, point the mouse at the
Sine
Wave block in the Sources library window and press the left
button.
Create a new model window by clicking on to the new icon at
the
toolbar.
Without releasing the left mouse button, drag the mouse to
the
new model window and release the mouse button.
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Session VII

Simulink model
window.

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Session VII

Pulling the selected blocks.

Pull in the following

blocks for our simulation
from the following
libraries.
Block
From Library
Sine wave

sources

integrator

Linear

Mux

connections

Scope

sinks

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Session VII

Inputs and outputs.

In general the inputs to a block are on the left a > symbol

points into the block. In addition, outputs are generally on
to the right, a > symbol out of the block.

To add a connection, use the mouse to position the

pointer over the output port of the block. During this time
the pointer changes to cross hairs .

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Session VII

Cont

The completed connection should look like this.

Adding a branch line.This is required when you have an

output which needs to be connected to two separate blocks

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Session VII

Cont

To complete the connections, add a line from the output of

the integrator block to the input port of the mux block. When
you are done it should look similar to the following.

Labels can be added to lines to further annotate your

model. To create a signal label, double click on a line
segment and type the label at the insertion point.

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Session VII

Final model.

Save the model as

example1.mdl

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Giving model
parameters..
The sine wave block
Double click on the sine wave block and examine the data
fields.
Sine wave block parameters:
Amplitude

Frequency (rad/sec) =

0.25*2*pi

Phase(rad)

Sample time

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Session VII

Block Parameters of Sine

Wave.

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Session VII

Integrator Block.

Integrator block parameters:

External reset

None

Initial Conditions

Limit Output

Not checked

Show saturation point

Not checked

Show state port

Not checked

Absolute tolerance

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auto

Session VII

Block parameters: Integrator

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Session VII

Simulation parameters.

Go to simulation => parameters in the model window

toolbar
Enter the following
values

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Session VII

Run the simulation.

To view the results of the simulation, double click on the

scope block.

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Cont.

To better fit the display in the scope window, click on the Fit
View button
. The scope window should similar to the
following.

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Session VII

Example 2.

The next example would be to simulate the dynamics of

second order system.

d2
d
2
2
y
(
t
)

y
(
t
)

y
(
t
)

u (t )
n
n
n
2
dt
dt
Given that:

K 1; 0.5; n 4
Obtain the velocity and displacement response
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Session VII

Building the model.

The same procedure is applied as being shown in the first

example. Pull all the necessary blocks from the library
browser.
The blocks required is as follows:
Blocks

Number

Integrator

Sum

Scope

Step I/P
Gain

1
3

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Session VII

Final Model.

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Session VII

Gain parameters- 1st Gain block

Similarly give the gains for the second and the third
one as shown in the model window.

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Session VII

Block parameters Step

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Session VII

Simulation parameters.

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Session VII

Output from Scope1 and

Scope2

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Session VII

Output from Scope3.

Scope3 shows the

displacement response for
the second order system.

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Session VII

References.

MATLAB website (http://www.mathworks.com) has a

comprehensive list of examples and references to SIMULINK.
There are several books which cater to this area. One of the
good references is listed below:
Mastering Simulink 4
James B. Dabney & Thomas L. Harman
ISBN 0-13-017085-2

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Session VII

Looking back.

This completes the MATLAB Tutorial.

Sessions 1 to 7 covered almost all areas of
applications of MATLAB.
Specialized areas of MATLAB are using the
toolboxes. These are a collection of m-files that are
specific to the area of application.

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Session VII

Thank You

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Session VII