Automatic generation of system-level dynamic equations for mechatronic systems

This paper presents a novel methodology for deriving the dynamic equations of mechatronic systems from component models that are represented as linear graphs. This work is part of a larger research effort in composable simulation. In this framework, CAD models of system components are augmented with simulation models describing the component’s dynamic behavior in different energy domains. By composable simulation we mean then the ability to automatically generate system-level simulations through composition of individual component models. This paper focuses on the methodology to create the systemlevel dynamic equations from a high-level system description within CAD software. In this methodology, a mechatronic system is represented by a single system graph. This graph captures the interactions between all the components within and across energy domains — rigid-body mechanics, electrical, hydraulic, and signal domains. From the system graph, the system-level dynamic equations can be derived independently of the underlying energy domains. In the final step, we reduce and order the dynamic equations for efficient computation. The complete modeling process is illustrated with an example of a missile seeker.