MAPLESOFT - Flexible Physical Modeling

Paul Goossens, Vice President, Application Engineering, Maplesoft Philipp Wallner, Global Technology Director, B&R

The well-known software provider Maplesoft has recently launched a partnership with B&R to make the

work of Automation Studio users easier by adding powerful physical modeling techniques to their workflow. Automation Studio users can quickly and easily develop system and machine models with MapleSimTM and then transfer them to the B&R real-time platform using automatic code generation. With Automation Studio, users can then efficiently design and test control strategies based on the ?virtual machine? they have created.

Modeling a physical system in just a few steps
A B&R reaction wheel balancing demo is modeled in MapleSimTM and visualized from CAD design data. The system model developed in MapleSimTM is shown in Fig 1. This model uses an extensive library of components such as rigid shafts, masses and articulated joints. The MapleSim model, developed quickly and easily, is automatically visualized thanks to the integrated 3D engine. Existing CAD data can also be included to enhance the 3D effect.

Implementation as a HIL (hardware-in-the-loop) simulation
The MapleSimTM connector is used to create a Simulink® function block from the physical model, which can be used for both simulation and automatic code generation. At this stage, MapleSimTM also applies a unique symbolic code optimization to the differential equations, which speeds up execution without reducing the fidelity of the model. This test verifies the physical model of the mechanisms developed in MapleSimTM during simulation with a control algorithm implemented in Simulink®. Thanks to B&R's Automation Studio Target for

Simulink®, the model is then transferred to B&R's industrial series hardware X20 at the

push of a button. The HIL model, implemented quickly and easily on the real-time controller,

emulates the behavior of the real demo system and can therefore be used for simulation,

training or real-time functional demonstrations.

Development times optimized thanks to the direct connection

To further improve the development of physical system models on industrial hardware in the future, MapleSimTM will export control code that can be integrated directly into Automation Studio. Developers will then universally benefit from the advantages of physical modeling and from the collaboration between Maplesoft and B&R tools.