Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Block Diagrams & Signal Flow Graphs

Lectures 5 & 6

M.R. Azimi, Professor

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Colorado State University

Fall 2016

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Rotational Mechanical Systems

Similar to translational system, but using torques and angular distances rather
than forces and translational displacements.
Example:

Free Body Diagram for J1 :

d2 θ1 (t) dθ1 (t) d(θ1 (t) − θ2 (t))

J1 2
+ D1 + K1 (θ1 (t) − θ2 (t)) + D2 =0
dt dt dt

[J1 s2 + (D1 + D2 )s + K1 ]Θ1 (s) − (D2 s + K1 )Θ2 (s) = 0 (1)

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Rotational Mechanical Systems-Cont.

Free Body Diagram for J2 :

d2 θ2 (t) d(θ2 (t) − θ1 (t))
J2 2
+ K2 θ2 (t) + K1 (θ2 (t) − θ1 (t)) + D2 = T (t)
dt dt
[J2 s2 + D2 s + (K1 + K2 )]Θ2 (s) − (D2 s + K1 )Θ1 (s) = T (s) (2)
Gear Trains:

Then
r1 N1 θ1 T1
= = = =⇒ T1 θ1 = T2 θ2
r2 N2 θ2 T2
where N : Number of teeth on the gear; T1 (t): Applied torque, T2 (t): Delivered
torque; and θ(t): angular displacement
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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Gear Trains-Cont.

Example:

2
J d dt
θ2 (t)
2 + D dθdt
2 (t)
+ Kθ2 = T2 (t) =⇒ (Js2 + Ds + K)Θ2 (s) = T2 (s)
Solve for Θ2 (s) and then find Θ1 (s) using the gear train equation.

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Block Diagrams and Transfer Functions

Block Diagram: Used to represent composition and interconnection of a system.
Transfer Function: Used to capture cause-effect relationships in s-domain.
Basic Blocks:
1 Adder/subtractor

2 LTI-Subsystem (Linear Time Invariant)

3 Multiplier

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Transfer Function: Different Configurations

(a) Series Combination / Cascaded Systems

Y1 (s) = H1 (s)U (s)

Y2 (s) = H2 (s)Y1 (s) = H1 (s)H2 (s)U (s)
..
.
YN (s) = HN (s)YN −1 (s) = HN (s) . . . H1 (s)U (s)
YN (s)
Overall transfer function G(s) = U (s) = ΠN
i=1 Hi (s)

(b) Parallel combination

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Transfer Function: Different Configurations

Y (s) = Y1 (s) + · · · + YN (s)
Yi (s) = Hi (s)R(s),  i = 1, .., N
PN
Y (s) = H
i=1 i (s) R(s)
PN
Overall transfer function G(s) = i=1 Hi (s)
(c) Closed-loop Systems (SISO)
SISO - single input, single output.

Plant: C(s) = G(s)E(s)

Feedback: F (s) = H(s)C(s)
Error: E(s) = R(s) − F (s) = R(s) − H(s)C(s)
C(s) = G(s)[R(s) − H(s)C(s)]
C(s) G(s)
Closed-loop transfer function M (s) = R(s) = 1+G(s)H(s)

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Transfer Function: Different Configurations

(d) Open-loop System (MIMO)

MIMO - Multi-Input, Multi-Output.

Using superposition
C1 (s) = G11 (s)R1 (s) + G12 (s)R2 (s) + · · · + G1M (s)RM (s)
C2 (s) = G21 (s)R1 (s) + G22 (s)R2 (s) + · · · + G2M (s)RM (s)
..
.
CN (s) = GN 1 (s)R1 (s) + GN 2 (s)R2 (s) + · · · + GN M (s)RM (s)
To find Gij (s) set all inputs except Rj to zero and look at ith output i.e.
Ci (s)
Gij (s) = R j (s)
when all other Rk (s) = 0, k 6= j.

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Open-Loop MIMO System

Input vector:  
R1 (s)
R(s) =  ... 
 

RM (s)
Output vector:  
C1 (s)
C(s) =  ... 
 

CN (s)

Matrix transfer function (N × M ) with element Gij (s):

 
Ĝ(s) = Gij (s)

Then
C(s) = Ĝ(s)R(s)
Notation: An underbar represents a vector and hat indicates a matrix.
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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Closed-Loop MIMO System

Note: Thick lines represent multiple parallel inputs/outputs.

Overall transfer function matrix:
 −1
M̂ (s) = I + Ĝ(s)Ĥ(s) Ĝ(s)

where I is an N × N identity matrix, M̂ (s) is an N × M matrix, Ĝ(s) is an

N × M matrix, and Ĥ(s) is an M × N matrix.

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph- S. J. Mason 1953

Though the block diagram approach is commonly used for simple systems, it
quickly gets complicated when there are multiple loops and subsystems or in
MIMO cases. Thus, we need a more streamlined and systematic approach for
such systems.
Signal Flow Graph (SFG): Pictorial representation of a system of equations, in
which:
variables → nodes of SFG
relationship between variables → branches of SFG
coefficients → gains of branches in SFG.
Example: F = M a

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Key Definitions:
1 Input Node: Node with only outgoing branches;
2 Output Node: Node with incoming branches.
Note: Any non-input node can be made an output node by adding a
branch with gain= 1.
3 Path: Collection of branches linked together in same direction.
4 Forward Path: Path from input node to output node where node is visited
more than once.
5 Gain of Forward Path: Product of all gains of branches in the forward path.
6 Loop: Path that originates and terminates at the same node. No other
node is visited more than once.
7 Loop Gain: Product of branch gains in a loop.
8 Non-Touching: Two parts of a SFG are non-touching if they do not share
at least one node.

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Example:

Input Node: x1
Output Node: All nodes besides x1 .
Forward Path: Assume x5 as output node, then Path 1 = x1 , x2 , x3 , x4 , x5 ;
Path 2 = x1 , x2 , x4 , x5
Gain of Forward Path: Path 1: M1 = abcd; Path 2: M2 = af d
Loop: x3 → x4 → x5
Loop Gain: P1 = −ce

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Algebra of SFG:
1 Output variable of a node = weighted sum (by the gains of branches) of all
incoming branches.
x2 = ax1 , x3 = bx2 − ex4 , x4 = cx3 + f x2 , x5 = dx4
2 Parallel branches

Note: all branches must be in same direction (otherwise they form a loop).
3 Series branches

Note: No intermediate incoming or outgoing branches between x1 and x4 .

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Mason Gain Formula:

Let yin : Input variable (s-domain)
yout : Output variable (s-domain)
Then the gain, M , is:
PN
yout k=1 M k ∆k
M= =
yin ∆

Mk : Gain of k th forward path between yout and yin .

N : Number
P of forwardP paths. P
∆: 1 − Pm1 + Pm2 − Pm3 . . .
Pm1 : Loop gain of mth loop
Pm2 : Product of mth combination of pairs of non-touching loop gains
Pm3 : Product of mth combination of triplets of non-touching loop gains
∆k : value of ∆ for part of SFG which is non-touching with k th forward path.

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Steps:
1 Arrange SFG (from Block Diagram) and identify input and output nodes.
2 List all forward paths and gains Mk s.
3 List all loops and gains, Pm1 , Pm2 , . . . and form ∆.
4 Determine state of path k with loops and form ∆k s.
5 Apply Mason Gain Formula.

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Example 1:
Consider a standard closed-loop system as shown.

R - input
C - output
M1 = G
P11 = −GH
∆ = 1 − P11 = 1 + GH
∆1 = 1 since path 1 is touching with the loop.
M 1 ∆1 G(s)
M (s) = ∆ = 1+G(s)H(s)

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Example 2:

Find Gij (s), i, j = 1, 2 i.e.


Ci (s) 
Gij (s) = , k 6= j
Rj (s) Rk (s)=0

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Step 1:
Input: R1 , output: C1

C1 (s) 
G11 (s) = R 1 (s) 
R2 (s)=0

Step 2:
M1 = G1
Step 3:
Loop gains: P11 = −G1 G2 G3 G4
Thus ∆ = 1 − P11 = 1 + G1 G2 G3 G4
Step 4:
∆1 = 1 since forward path is touching with the loop.
Step 5:
M1 ∆1 G1
G11 (s) = ∆ = 1+G1 G2 G3 G4

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Step 1:
Input: R2 , output: C1

C1 (s) 
G12 (s) = R 2 (s)

R1 =0

Step 2:
M12 = G1 G3 G4
Step 3:
∆ does not change.
Step 4:
∆1 = 1
Step 5:
M 1 ∆1 G1 G3 G4
G12 (s) = ∆ = 1+G1 G2 G3 G4

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Rotational Mechanical Systems Block Diagrams Signal Flow Graph Method

Signal Flow Graph-Cont.

Input: R1 , output:
 C2
C2 (s)  −G1 G2 G3
G21 (s) = R1 (s)  = 1+G1 G2 G3 G4
R2 (s)=0

Input: R2 , output:
 C2
C2 (s)  G3
G22 (s) = R2 (s)  = 1+G1 G2 G3 G4
R1 (s)=0

Now write equation for whole system:

    
C1 (s) G11 (s) G12 (s) R1 (s)
=
C2 (s) G21 (s) G22 (s) R2 (s)

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