Automatic Control Systems, 3432

Department of Mechatrinics Engineering, German Jordanian University

BLOCK DIAGRAMS
The block diagram is a schematic representation of control systems. For example, the
following relation
X 2 ( s)
G( s) 
X 1 ( s)
or
X 2 ( s )  G( s ) X 1 ( s )
The block diagram representation of the above relationship is

X1(s) X2(s)
G(s)

Each block in a block diagram has at least one input and one output. For a single-
input/single-output system, a block has one input and one output. The block itself acts a
multiplier of the input to produce the output signal.
Another example is the system
X 2 ( s) X ( s)
G1 ( s)  and G2 ( s)  3
X 1 ( s) X 1 ( s)
The system can be represented is a block diagram as

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Automatic Control Systems, 3432
Department of Mechatrinics Engineering, German Jordanian University

X2(s)
G1(s)
X1(s)
X3(s)
G2(s)

Also, for the process X 3 (s)  X 1 (s)  X 2 (s) , the block diagram representation is

X1(s) + X3(s)
+

X2(s)

Reduction of Single-Input/Single-Output Block Diagrams

The reduction of block diagrams is a simplification process where a complex block diagram
is reduced to a single block.
Some useful simplifications are
1. Blocks in series
Consider the block diagram

X1(s) X2(s) X3(s)

G1(s) G2(s)

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Automatic Control Systems, 3432
Department of Mechatrinics Engineering, German Jordanian University
X 2 ( s)  G1 ( s) X 1 ( s)
X 3 ( s)  G2 ( s) X 2( s)
The system can be reduced to
X 3 (s)  G2 (s) G1 (s) X 1 (s)

X1(s) X3(s)
G1(s) G2(s)

2. Blocks in parallel G1(s)

Consider the block diagram

X2(s)
G1(s)
X1(s) + X4(s)
X3(s) +
G2(s)

X 2 ( s)  G1 ( s) X 1 ( s)
X 3 ( s)  G2 ( s) X 1 ( s)
X 4 ( s)  X 2 ( s)  X 3 ( s)
The system can be reduced to
X 4 ( s)  G1 ( s) X 1 ( s)  G2 ( s) X 1 ( s)
 G1 ( s)  G2 ( s)X 1 ( s)

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Automatic Control Systems, 3432
Department of Mechatrinics Engineering, German Jordanian University

X1(s) X4(s)
G1(s) + G2(s)

3. Feedback systems
Consider the block diagram

R(s) + E(s) Y(s)

G(s)
_

H(s)Y(s)
H(s)

E ( s )  R( s)  H ( s ) Y ( s )
Y ( s)  G( s) E ( s)
Then
Y ( s)  G( s) R( s)  H ( s) Y ( s)
 G ( s ) R( s )  G ( s ) H ( s ) Y ( s )
Solve the above for Y(s)
Y ( s)  G ( s) H ( s) Y ( s)  G ( s) R( s)
1  G(s) H (s)Y (s)  G(s) R(s)
G( s)
Y (s)  R( s)
1  G(s) H (s)
Then the block diagram is reduced to

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Automatic Control Systems, 3432
Department of Mechatrinics Engineering, German Jordanian University

R(s) G( s) Y(s)
1  G( s) H ( s)

4. Signal displacement
Consider the block diagram

X(s)
G1(s) G2(s)

G1(s) X(s)

The signal line between the blocks G1(s) and G2(s) can be moved back to before the block
G1(s) as

X(s)
G1(s) G2(s)

G1(s) X(s)
G1(s)

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