CONTROL ENGINEERING

(ME 413)
LECTURE 3 (Part – 2)
Signal Flow Diagram
 LECTURE OBJECTIVES
1. To understand what Signal Flow Graph (SFG)

2. Give Example of Signal Flow Graph

3. Understand the properties of signal flow graph.

4. Need for signal flow graph

 LECTURE OUTCOMES
1. The Student will be able to understand the concept of Signal Flow Graph

2. Understand what the Properties of SFG

3. Be able to know the term used in Signal flow diagram

4. Be able to solve problem involving Transfer function using Signal Flow

Graph (SFG)
❑ Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
- The graphical representation of the variables of a set of linear algebraic equations representing the
system is called signal flow graph.
- Signal Flow Graph (SFG) is a graphical representation of Block Diagrams
- SFG is also used to determine the overall transfer function of a control system
- SFG is an easier methods to determine the transfer function as compared to block diagram
Reduction as we do not have to reduce the SFG.
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
❑ Basic Definitions in SFGs
• Input or source node: It is a node that has only outgoing branches i.e. node ‘r’ in Fig.3-2.1.
• Output or sink node: It is a node that has only incoming branches i.e. node ‘c’ in Fig.3-2.1.
• Chain node: It is a node that has both incoming and outgoing branches i.e. nodes ‘x1’,
‘x2’,‘x3’,‘x4’,‘x5’and ‘x6’ in Fig.3-2.1.
• Gain or transmittance: It is the relationship between variables denoted by two nodes or value of
a branch. In Fig.3-2.1., transmittances are ‘t1’, ‘t2’,‘t3’,‘t4’,‘t5’and ‘t6’.
• Forward path: It is a path from input node to output node without repeating any of the nodes in
between them. In Fig.3-2.1., there are two forward paths, i.e. path-1:‘r-x1-x2-x3-x4-x5-x6-c’ and path-
2:‘r-x1-x3-x4-x5-x6-c’.
• Feedback path: It is a path from output node or a node near output node to a node near input
node without repeating any of the nodes in between them (Fig.3-2.1.).
• Loop: It is a closed path that starts from one node and reaches the same node after trading through
other nodes. In Fig.3-2.1, there are four loops, i.e. loop-1:‘x2-x3-x4-x1’, loop-2:‘x5-x6- x5’, loop-3:‘x1-x2-
x3-x4-x5-x6-x1’ and loop-4:‘x1-x3-x4-x5-x6-x1’.
• Self Loop: It is a loop that starts from one node and reaches the same node without trading
through other nodes i.e. loop in node ‘x4’ with transmittance ‘t55’ in Fig. Fig.3-2.1.
• Path gain: It is the product of gains or transmittances of all branches of a forward path. In Fig.6.1,
the path gains are P1 = t1t2t3t4t5 (for path-1) and P2 = t9t3t4t5 (for path-2).
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
• Loop gain: It is the product of gains or transmittances of all branches of a loop In Fig.6.1, there are
four loops, i.e. L1 = -t2t3t6, L2 = -t5t7, L3 = -t1t2t3t4t5t8, and L4 = -t9t3t4t5t8.
• Dummy node: If the first node is not an input node and/or the last node is not an output node than a
node is connected before the existing first node and a node is connected after the existing last node
with unity transmittances. These nodes are called dummy nodes. In Fig.6.1, ‘r’ and ‘c’ are the dummy
nodes.
• Non-touching Loops: Two or more loops are non-touching loops if they don’t have any common
nodes between them. In Fig.6.1, L1 and L2 are non-touching loops

Fig. Fig.3-2.1. Example of a SFG model

 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
The properties of signal flow graph
• The signal in the system flows along the branches and along the arrows associated with the branches.
• The value of variable represented by any node is an algebraic sum of all the signals entering at the
node.
• The signals gets multiplied by the branch gain or branch transmittance when it travels along it.
• Applicable only to linear time invariant systems.

Need for signal flow graph:

Block diagrams are very successful for representing control systems, but for complicated systems, the
block diagram reduction process is tedious and time consuming. So signal flow graphs are needed which
does not require any reduction process because of availability of a flow graph formula, which relates the
input and output system variables.
The transmittance is the gain acquired by the signal when travels from one node to another node in
the signal flow graph.
Node represents a system variable, which is equal to the sum of all incoming signals at the node,
outgoing signals from the node do not affect the value of the node variable.
A signal travels along a branch from one node to another in the direction indicated by the branch
arrow and in the process gets multiplied by the gain or transmittance of the branch.
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
SFG from block diagram model:
Let’s find the SFG of following block diagram model shown in Fig. 3-2.2.

Fig.3-2.2. Armature type speed control of a DC motor

 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
Step-1: All variables and signals are replaced by nodes.
Step-2: Connect all nodes according to their signal flow.
Step-3: Each of gains is replaced by transmittances of the branches connected between two nodes of the
forward paths.
Step-4: Each of gains is replaced by transmittances multiplied with (-1) of the branches connected
between two nodes of the forward paths.
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
❑ Mason’s gain formula:

Transfer function of a system =

Where,
N = total number of forward paths
Pk = path gain of kth forward path
∆ = 1 - (∑loop gains of all individual loops) + (∑gain product of loop gains of all possible two non-
touching loops) - (∑gain product of loop gains of all possible three non-touching loops) + …
∆k= value of ∆ after eliminating all loops that touches kth forward path
Example 1:
Find the overall transfer function of the system given in Fig.3-2.1 using Mason’s gain formula.
Solution: In Fig.3-2.1,
• No. of forward paths: N = 2
• Path gain of forward paths: P1= t1 t2 t3 t4 t5 and P2 = t6 t3 t4 t5
• Loop gain of individual loops: L1 = - t1 t2 t6, L2 = - t5 t7, L3 = - t1 t2 t3 t4 t5 t8 and L4 = -t9 t3 t4 t5 t8
• No. of two non-touching loops = 2 i.e. L1 and L2
• No. of more than two non-touching loops = 0
Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
Example 2
- Using Mason’s gain formula obtain C(s)/R(s) for the signal flow graph shown in fig 3-2.4

Fig.3-2.4.

By Mason’s Gain formula

Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
Example 2
- Using Mason’s gain formula obtain C(s)/R(s) for the signal flow graph shown in fig. 3-2.5

Fig.3-2.5.

By Mason’s Gain fomula

Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
 Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
Example 3
- Find the transfer function for the signal flow graph as shown in fig. 3-2.6

Fig.3-2.6.

By Mason’s Gain fomula

Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
Signal Flow Graphs (SFGs)
END

PREPARED BY:
ENG’R. CHRISTOPHER GUTIERREZ