20-sim

Last updated
20-sim
Developer(s) Controllab Products B.V. [1]
Initial release1994
Stable release
5.1.0 / January 12, 2024 (2024-01-12)
Written in C++ and Smalltalk
Operating system Windows [2]
License Proprietary
Website http://www.20sim.com/

20-sim is a commercial modeling and simulation program for multi-domain dynamic systems, which is developed by Controllab. With 20-sim, models can be entered as equations, block diagrams, bond graphs and physical components. 20-sim is widely used for modeling complex multi-domain systems [3] and for the development of control systems. [4]

Contents

Use

20-sim supports four methods for modeling dynamic systems: iconic diagrams, block diagrams, bond graphs and equations. All these methods are allowed to be used in one model. The package has advanced support for bond graph modeling, making it well known in bond graph communities. [5]

For modeling physical systems, the package provides libraries for electrical systems, mechanical systems, hydraulics systems and thermal systems. For block diagrams, libraries comparable to those of Simulink, are provided. A feature of the software is the option to create models with differential equations and package them as block diagram elements or physical components.

20-sim models can be simulated using state of the art numerical integration methods. After checking and processing, models are directly converted into machine code, resulting in high speed simulations. Unlike Simulink, simulation results are shown in 20-sim in a separate window called the Simulator. The simulator is versatile: plots can be displayed horizontally and vertically as time and frequency based plots and 3D animations.

20-sim is self containing, i.e. no additional software is required and all toolboxes are included. Toolboxes are available for model building, time domain analysis, frequency domain analysis and controller design. To enable scripting it is necessary to install either Matlab, GNU Octave, or Python. The last is included as an optional feature in the 20-sim installer.

Reviews

20-sim is considered as highly rated by the bond graph community, due to its extended support of bond graph modeling . According to Borutzky, [6] only "20-sim, MS1 and Symbols can be categorized as a fully integrated (multi-formalism) modeling and simulation environments especially supporting bond graphs".

Roddeck [7] compares several modeling and simulation tools like Simulink, Labview and 20-sim. Allthough Roddeck acknowledges the market leadership of Simulink, he states that an advantage of 20-sim is the direct input of bond graphs in 20-sim and the availability of built-in tools for FFT-analysis and 3D mechanical modeling. Both of these functions are not present in Simulink.

The book of J. Ledin [8] gives practical guidelines for modeling and simulation of dynamic systems, a chapter of which is spent on simulation tools. According to Ledin, "20-sim differs from other simulation tools like Simulink and VisSim in that it supports four methods for modeling dynamic systems: iconic diagrams, block diagrams, bond graphs and equations. This allows for example, the construction of electrical circuit simulations using standard symbols to represent components, such as op-amps and capacitors." A weak point, according to Ledin is the missing capability for distributed simulation in 20-sim.

Add-on products

20-sim offers tight integration with 20-sim 4C. Any 20-sim model can be exported as C-code to 20-sim 4C where it can be used for deployment on hardware. Typical use is the development of controllers for embedded software and the creation of "virtual plants" for use in hardware-in-the-loop simulators. [9] 20-sim can be controlled by scripting, allowing task automation and scenario building. Scripting is supported in Matlab or GNU Octave, and Python (since v4.6).

Next to scripting, 20-sim has a tight connection with Matlab, GNU Octave and Simulink allowing the import and export of data on many levels. The export of 20-sim models as M-files or S-functions is the most prominent example.

History

20-sim is the redevelopment of the simulation software package TUTSIM, [10] which was developed at the Control Laboratory of the University of Twente. While TUTSIM was sold in the late 70's, research into modeling and simulation continued at the laboratory. A new program was developed as part of the Ph.D. project of Jan Broenink. The program was equipped with a graphical user interface and allowed the creation of models by bond graphs. The prototype name for this modeling and simulation package was CAMAS. While CAMAS was all built around bond graphs, a new prototype package called MAX was developed to investigate object oriented modeling techniques and modeling by iconic diagrams. After extensive testing, in August 1995 version 1.0 of the software was commercially released under the trade name 20-sim (Twente Sim). The trade name refers to the origin (University of Twente) of the package and the region (Twente) where it was made. The company Controllab Products was established to further develop and distribute the package.

Release history

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MATLAB</span> Numerical computing environment and programming language

MATLAB is a proprietary multi-paradigm programming language and numeric computing environment developed by MathWorks. MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GNU Octave</span> Numerical analysis programming language

GNU Octave is a scientific programming language for scientific computing and numerical computation. Octave helps in solving linear and nonlinear problems numerically, and for performing other numerical experiments using a language that is mostly compatible with MATLAB. It may also be used as a batch-oriented language. As part of the GNU Project, it is free software under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scilab</span> Open-source numerical computation software

Scilab is a free and open-source, cross-platform numerical computational package and a high-level, numerically oriented programming language. It can be used for signal processing, statistical analysis, image enhancement, fluid dynamics simulations, numerical optimization, and modeling, simulation of explicit and implicit dynamical systems and symbolic manipulations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simulink</span> Programming environment

Simulink is a MATLAB-based graphical programming environment for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamical systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. It offers tight integration with the rest of the MATLAB environment and can either drive MATLAB or be scripted from it. Simulink is widely used in automatic control and digital signal processing for multidomain simulation and model-based design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MathWorks</span> Company that produces mathematical computing software

MathWorks is an American privately held corporation that specializes in mathematical computing software. Its major products include MATLAB and Simulink, which support data analysis and simulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OrCAD</span> Electronic design automation software

OrCAD Systems Corporation was a software company that made OrCAD, a proprietary software tool suite used primarily for electronic design automation (EDA). The software is used mainly by electronic design engineers and electronic technicians to create electronic schematics, and perform mixed-signal simulation and electronic prints for manufacturing printed circuit boards (PCBs). OrCAD was taken over by Cadence Design Systems in 1999 and was integrated with Cadence Allegro in 2005.

VisSim is a visual block diagram program for the simulation of dynamical systems and model-based design of embedded systems, with its own visual language. It is developed by Visual Solutions of Westford, Massachusetts. Visual Solutions was acquired by Altair in August 2014 and its products have been rebranded as Altair Embed as a part of Altair's Model Based Development Suite. With Embed, virtual prototypes of dynamic systems can be developed. Models are built by sliding blocks into the work area and wiring them together with the mouse. Embed automatically converts the control diagrams into C-code ready to be downloaded to the target hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reservoir simulation</span> Using computer models to predict the flow of fluids through porous media

Reservoir simulation is an area of reservoir engineering in which computer models are used to predict the flow of fluids through porous media.

Dynamic simulation is the use of a computer program to model the time-varying behavior of a dynamical system. The systems are typically described by ordinary differential equations or partial differential equations. A simulation run solves the state-equation system to find the behavior of the state variables over a specified period of time. The equation is solved through numerical integration methods to produce the transient behavior of the state variables. Simulation of dynamic systems predicts the values of model-system state variables, as they are determined by the past state values. This relationship is found by creating a model of the system.

ModelSim is a multi-language environment by Siemens for simulation of hardware description languages such as VHDL, Verilog and SystemC, and includes a built-in C debugger. ModelSim can be used independently, or in conjunction with Intel Quartus Prime, PSIM, Xilinx ISE or Xilinx Vivado. Simulation is performed using the graphical user interface (GUI), or automatically using scripts.

Web-based simulation (WBS) is the invocation of computer simulation services over the World Wide Web, specifically through a web browser. Increasingly, the web is being looked upon as an environment for providing modeling and simulation applications, and as such, is an emerging area of investigation within the simulation community.

CAMeL-View is a software application, which is used for the model based design of mechatronic systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecolego</span>

Ecolego is a simulation software tool that is used for creating dynamic models and performing deterministic and probabilistic simulations. It is also used for conducting risk assessments of complex dynamic systems evolving over time.

The Functional Mock-up Interface defines a standardized interface to be used in computer simulations to develop complex cyber-physical systems.

Simcenter Amesim is a commercial simulation software for the modeling and analysis of multi-domain systems. It is part of systems engineering domain and falls into the mechatronic engineering field.

TUTSIM was the first commercial simulation software ever to run on an IBM-PC. The package was used for the modeling and simulation of multi-domain systems using differential equations and bond graphs.

References

  1. ↑ Controllab Products B.V.
  2. ↑ 20-sim requirements
  3. ↑ Duindam, V.; Macchelli, A.; Stramigioli, S.; Bruyninckx, H. (2011). Modeling and Control of Complex Physical Systems. Springer. ISBN   978-3-642-03195-3.
  4. ↑ Broenink, J.F. (1999). "20-sim software for hierarchical bond-graph/block-diagram models". Simulation Practice and Theory. 7 (5–6): 481–492. doi:10.1016/s0928-4869(99)00018-x. ISSN   0928-4869.
  5. ↑ Delgado, M. (1999). "Use of MATLAB and 20-sim to simulate a flash separator". Simulation Practice and Theory. 7 (5–6): 515–530. doi:10.1016/s0928-4869(99)00016-6.
  6. ↑ Borutzky, W. (2011). Bond Graph Modelling of Engineering Systems. Springer. ISBN   978-1-4419-9367-0.
  7. ↑ Roddeck, Werner (2013). Modellbildung mit Bondgraphen. Springer. pp. 134–140. ISBN   978-3-8348-1747-1.
  8. ↑ Ledin, Jim (2001). Simulation Engineering, Build Better Embedded Systems Faster. CMP Books. pp. 241–283. ISBN   1-57820-080-6.
  9. ↑ ODIM Launch and Recovery System simulator (PDF) (Report). Norway. Feb 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ Beukeboom, J.J.A.J.; Van Dixhoorn, J.J.; Meerman, J.W. (1985). "Simulation of mixed bond graphs and block diagrams on personal computers using TUTSIM" (PDF). Journal of the Franklin Institute. 319 (1): 257–267. doi:10.1016/0016-0032(85)90079-1 . Retrieved Nov 7, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.