Matlab/Simulink for systems analysis and control

A wide range of high-performance software is available to engineers today, enabling them to carry out simple or complex studies in a very user-friendly way. Matlab ^® and its Simulink extension ^® are particularly well suited to automatic control problems, especially the analysis and control of systems modeled by ordinary differential equations.

After a brief introduction to Matlab ^® and Simulink ^® , we use some of the tools available to represent a model of system behavior, illustrating the approach with two examples.

Model identification procedures are proposed using the System Identification toolbox, before moving on to time and frequency analysis of stationary linear systems and associated tools (LTI Viewer, etc.).

Finally, we look at the means available to the user for synthesizing looped systems. First, traditional industrial control methods are applied, using the SISO Design Tool in particular. Advanced synthesis methods are then applied to a multivariable example.

To conclude this analysis, the real-time control of a process using a tool like dSPACE ^® is discussed.