BLOCK DIAGRAM REDUCTION

BLOCK DIAGRAM
• Subsystem is represented as a block with an
input, an output, and a transfer function
• When multiple subsystem are interconnected,
summing points and pick-off points must be
added
CASCADED BLOCK DIAGRAM
• Each signal is derived from the product of the
input times the transfer function.

Cascaded Subsystems

Equivalent Transfer Function

PARALLEL BLOCK DIAGRAM
• Parallel subsystems have a common input and an
output formed by the algebraic sum of the outputs
from all of the subsystems

Parallel Subsystem Equivalent Transfer Function

FEEDBACK BLOCK DIAGRAM
• Each output signal is sampled and fed back to the
input to form an error signal that drives the
system

Feedback Control System Simplified Model

𝐸 𝑠 =𝑅 𝑠 +𝐶 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠
𝐶 𝑠 = 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠)
𝐶 𝑠
Therefore, 𝐸 𝑠 = 𝐺𝑠
FEEDBACK BLOCK DIAGRAM
Based on the given simplified model 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠
𝐺𝑒 𝑠 =
Equation on Error Signal 𝐸 𝑠 ± 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠 𝐻(𝑠)
𝐸 𝑠 =𝑅 𝑠 ∓𝐶 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠
Equation on System Response 𝐺𝑒 𝑠 =
1±𝐺 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠
𝐶 𝑠 = 𝐸 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠)
𝐶 𝑠
Therefore, 𝐸 𝑠 = 𝐺 𝑠
Substituting two equations
Solve for equivalent transfer function 𝐺𝑒 𝑠
𝐶 𝑠
𝐺𝑒 𝑠 =
𝑅 𝑠
𝐸 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠
𝐺𝑒 𝑠 =
𝐸 𝑠 ±𝐶 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠
MOVING BLOCKS
Block diagram algebra for summing junctions

a. Moving a block to the left past a

summing junction

b. Moving a block to the right past

the summing junction
MOVING BLOCKS
Block diagram algebra for pickoff points

a. Moving a block to the left past a

pick off point

b. Moving a block to the right past a

pick off point
BLOCK DIAGRAM REDUCTION
Reduce the block diagram to a single transfer function

Step 1: Collapse summing junctions

BLOCK DIAGRAM REDUCTION
Reduce the block diagram to a single transfer function

Step 2: Form cascaded system in the

forward path and parallel system in
the feedback path

Step 3: Equivalent feedback system

and multiply by cascaded 𝐺1 (𝑠)
BLOCK DIAGRAM REDUCTION
Reduce the block diagram to a single transfer function

Step 1: Move 𝐺2 (𝑠) to the left to create parallel subsystems

BLOCK DIAGRAM REDUCTION
Reduce the block diagram to a single transfer function

1
Step 2: Reduce parallel pair consisting of 𝐺 and unity,
2 𝑠
and move 𝐺1 (𝑠) to the right past the summing junction

Step 3: Collapse the summing junctions, add two

feedback elements together and combine the last two
cascaded blocks
BLOCK DIAGRAM REDUCTION
Reduce the block diagram to a single transfer function

Step 4: Use the feedback formula

Step 5: Multiply two cascaded blocks and obtain the final result
EXERCISE
𝐶 𝑠
Find the equivalent transfer function, 𝑇 𝑠 = , for the
𝑅 𝑠
system shown below
Answer:

Simulate on MATLAB using

Control System Toolbox to find
transfer function
SIGNAL FLOW GRAPH
• Alternative to block diagrams
• A signal flow graph consists only of branches,
which represents systems and nodes, which
represent signals a. System
b. Signal
c. Interconnection
of systems and
signals

𝑉 𝑠 = 𝑅1 𝑠 𝐺1 𝑠 − 𝑅2 𝑠 𝐺2 𝑠 + 𝑅3 𝑠 𝐺3 𝑠
𝐶1 𝑠 = 𝑉 𝑠 𝐺4 𝑠 ; 𝐶2 𝑠 = 𝑉 𝑠 𝐺5 𝑠 ; 𝐶3 𝑠 = −𝑉 𝑠 𝐺6 (𝑠)
CONVERT TO SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM

Cascaded Subsystems

Cascaded Signal Flow Graph

CONVERT TO SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM

Parallel Subsystems

Parallel Signal Flow Graph

CONVERT TO SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM

Feedback Control System

Feedback Signal Flow Graph

CONVERT TO SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM

System Block Diagram

Signal Nodes
CONVERT TO SIGNAL FLOW DIAGRAM

Signal Flow Graph

Simplified Signal Flow Graph