Using of Co-simulation ADAMS-SIMULINK for
Development of Mechatronic Systems
Tomas Brezina, Zdenek Hadas and Jan Vetiska
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic,
e-mail: brezina@fme.vutbr.cz, hadas@fme.vutbr.cz, vetiska@fme.vutbr.cz
AbstractThis paper deals with an efficient technique for
the development of mechatronic systems. Individual parts of
such system as mechanics, actuators, sensors, control
system, etc. are designed in several passes through V-model
with respects to mutual feedbacks. Based on this
methodology the developed system is made as a virtual
prototype and can be tested and simulated using co-
simulation technique. The ADAMS and SIMULINK co-
simulation is used and it is based on direct embedding of
dynamic model of the mechanical system with sensors and
actuators implemented in ADAMS into MATLAB
environment to a control system design and a virtual
prototype model tuning. So the complex model of
mechatronic system applies the same implementation for
design, simulation and testing.
KeywordsMechatronic, development, simulation, model,
control, ADAMS, SIMULINK.
I. INTRODUCTION
This paper deals with an efficient technique for the
development of mechatronic systems. Individual parts of a
developed mechatronic system as mechanics, actuators,
sensors, control system, etc. are designed on the base of a
mechatronic approach, it means the mechatronic design
passes several times through development cycles with
respects to mutual feedbacks [1].
The methodology of a complex mechatronic system
design is presented in VDI 2206 [2]. Based on this
methodology the developed cycle contains a model of the
mechatronic system, which is made as a virtual prototype
and it can be tested and simulated using a co-simulation
technique.
II. BREIFLY ABOUT CO-SIMULATION TECHNIQUE
The co-simulation technique based on ADAMS and
SIMULINK cooperation can be useful tool for improving
of the development cycle [3]. This technique is suitable
for a design of a mechatronic system like robots [4],
manipulators, cars [5] and other mechatronic system with
a complex mechanical structure and a dynamic behavior
with a control system [6].
The co-simulation technique is used in a development
phase, where physical or mathematic model of the
mechatronic system and model of a control system is
designed. This technique is suitable for testing of the
mechanical design [7], a setup of system parameters [8],
analyses of a whole system behavior and testing of the
control system.
Generally the mechatronic system consists of a
mechanical system, actuators, sensors, control systems
and a user interface. A mechanical design of the
mechanical system is designed and assembled in some 3D
CAD software. This assembly of the mechanical system is
imported to ADAMS environment.
The ADAMS model can be used for a control design or
the control design is developed in SIMULINK
environment directly. State variables of the ADAMS
model are connected with the control system in
SIMULINK and the whole virtual prototype is tested. This
system, which is based on co-simulation techniques, is
depicted in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1. Co-simulation of mechatronic system
Efficient using of the co-simulation techniques for
development of the mechatronic system with respect to
mechatronic is demonstrated on an example of a simple
manipulator.
III. MECHATRONIC APPROACH
The traditional design of a new product consists of
several subsystems with different physical nature (e.g.
mechanics, electrical engineering, electronics, control and
data processing, etc.). These subsystems are developed
individually on the base of individual subsystem
requirement.
The mechatronic approach [2] is based on an
integration of knowledge from different areas of physics
and technical disciplines and then the synergic effect is
achieved. The mechatronic approach solves the
development process as only one task and development
task like mechanics, electronics, electronic, control system
(including software) are processed together.
A new product, which is developed with such
mechatronic approach, has the highest possible technical
and economical parameters [9].
The development of a new mechatronic system with
respect to the mechatronic approach [1] goes through
following design cycles:
Micro-level cycle,
Macro-level cycle,
Recurrent working tasks (cycles).
 The modeling and simulation of the mechatronic
system and subsystems under development cycles
represent very important parts of the development process.
IV. DESIGN OF SYSTEM BASED ON MODEL
Models of a system and subsystems of the new
mechatronic system in a computer environment are
required for the efficient development of models of the
systems. These models are created for all components of
the considered mechatronic structure.
Very important is an investigation of goals and tasks of
the mechatronic system and analysis of requirements for
modeling. The object of a model design is an appropriate
model of the mechatronic system with respects to
requirements.
A. Models of Mechatronic System
The procedure of a model design is varied for different
domains of mechatronics. The required quality of the
model and the model tasks fundamentally depended on the
considered problem.
In order to describe the model behavior with the
required accuracy, substitute models of the system are
formed on various abstraction levels:
Topological model,
Physical model,
Mathematical model,
Numerical or Computing model,
Experimental model,
Simulation modeling.
The setup and identification of model parameters and a
verification and validation of the complex mechatronic
model is very important for successful development of the
mechatronic system.
B. Simulations and Analysis
The mechatronic system can exist in reality or as the
complex system of a simulation model [10]. The
simulation model is derived from a real system and the
real parts and subsystems are interpreted as an ideal
behavior of ideal model elements. An accordance of the
real system and the model affects the accuracy and the
model analysis. Such created model of the mechatronic
system is prepared as the mechatronic system where the
simulation model is substituted for the real mechatronic
system.
This system model is used for an investigation of
individual subsystem properties (e.g. displacement,
velocity, acceleration, load, strength, etc.) and the
behavior of the basic mechatronic system is simulated and
analyzed.
The model is created as a parametric system. Therefore
the complex system of the mechatronic model can be
improved and expanded during passing through each
development cycle.
C. Simulations Tools
The development of mechatronic systems requires the
use of a large number of computing methods and
computer science skills. The use of these methods is
supported by engineering tools for simulation modeling of
individual mechatronic subsystems. For complex
development of the mechatronic system the mechatronic
engineer can use several simulation tools like
MATLAB/SIMULINK. It is complex programmable
environment for control systems, mathematic modeling,
optimization study [11], image and signal processing,
SimScape, FEM and other toolbox etc. The engineering
software represents fundamental tool for an engineering
development [12], for example:
Computer-aided design (CAD)
o Catia
o ProEngineer
o SolidWorks
o Inventor
o Etc.
Finite Element Method and Analysis (FEM, FEA)
o ANSYS
o MARC
o NASTRAN
o Etc.
Multi-body Systems (MBS)
o ADAMS,
o Pro/Mechanica,
o DYMOLA,
o Etc.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
o Fluent
o Etc.
Commonly the broad usage of the computer software to
aid in engineering tasks is marked as Computer-aided
engineering (CAE). It usually includes CAD, stress
analysis on components and assemblies - FEM, kinematic
and dynamic of assemblies MBS, thermal and fluid flow
analysis - CFD and usually also the computer-integrated
manufacturing (CIM), computer-aided manufacturing
(CAM), and computer-aided planning (CAP). The
optimization of the product or process is included in the
CAE software too. The product of Computer-aided
engineering (CEA) is distributed by companies:
PTC,
MSC,
I-DEAS,
Etc.
These engineering and simulation tools are very useful
for development of the traditional design of some machine
system consists of several subsystems with different
physical nature.
Our aim is a use of the CAE tool and computing or
programing environment (Matlab, LabView, etc.) together
with cooperation in the subsystem simulation and an
exchange of individual subsystems results. Cooperation of
such simulation tool is called a co-simulation and this
simulation tool can create analysis of several subsystems
together. The whole simulation model of the mechatronic
system is simulates and tested as the virtual prototype of
the real mechatronic system.
V. EXAMPLE OF MECHATRONIC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
A. Manipulator
The presented methodology of the co-simulation
ADAMS-SIMULINK for the development of the
mechatronic system is shown on a manipulator with 3
DOF. The topological model of this manipulator is shown
in Fig. 2 and the model consists of a revolving base, two
arms and holder on an effector. The revolving base and
arms are driven by DC motors.
Fig. 2. Mechatronic system - manipulator with 3 DOF
B. Model of Manipulator in ADAMS View
A simple parametric model of the manipulator was
created in ADAMS View and it is shown in Fig. 3. The
model contains bodies, gear boxes, DC motors, joints,
gears, gravity, applied torques and forces, damping forces
and friction in joints.
Fig. 3. ADAMS View model of manipulator
The length of arms is understood as a design variable
and these arm lengths can be adjusted to chosen working
space. The inertia moment, mass, material and cross
section geometry represent parameters of this system and
they can be optimized on the base of co-simulation results
afterwards.
Such parametric model in ADAMS View can be used
for an optimization or sensitivity analysis and the optimal
length of arms can be adjusted to a minimal energy
demand during operation in working space with a
transporting load.
Additionally, ADAMS View environment is able to
provide the multi-body model (MTB) for static, kinematic
and dynamic analysis.
The MTB model can be driven through a joint motion
and kinematic analysis of the manipulator effector can be
studied. However, the bodies can be driven by the applied
torque, which represent a motor shaft torque, and so the
dynamic study of the manipulator behavior can be
analyzed.
This mechatronic model of the manipulator contains a
model of a DC motor for dynamic study of a manipulator
operation [13] and [14]. The model of DC motor is
described by well-known equations (1) and (2). The
equation (1) describe an electrical behavior of the DC
motor and equation (2) represents a dynamic behavior of
the DC motor:
di R c 1
= i + u (1)
dt L L L
d
J + b = c i (2)
dt
where i is the instantaneous value of the electrical
current, R is a terminal resistance, L the terminal
inductance, J is the inertia, is the shaft velocity, b is the
linear approximation of a viscous friction in motor
bearings, c is DC motor constant and , u is the
instantaneous driving voltage.
The ADAMS View environment can solve also explicit
and implicit differential equations and the DC motor
equation (1) is added to the MTB model of the
manipulator.
The left side of the differential equation (2) describes
dynamic behavior of the driven manipulator body and this
part is used by ADAMS solver automatically during the
dynamic analysis. The right side of the differential
equation (2) is applied as the torque to the MTB model of
the manipulator. The left side of the real differential
equation (2) in the MTB model is more complicated due
to applied friction in an arms contact. The user does not
derive this side of the motion equation. The inertia
changes of the manipulators arms during moving and
frictions are solved automatically by the ADAMS.
C. Model in ADAMS/Control Toolkit
This electromechanical model of the manipulator is
prepared for a feeding by instantaneous voltage. The
feeding voltage has to be controlled. Such controlled
system can manipulate with the effector with respect to
planning trajectory. The control system of the driving
voltage can be realized in ADAMS/Controls toolkit. A
control tools with a PID regulator is prepared in the
ADAMS/Controls toolkit for mechatronic studies. The
ADAMS/Controls toolkit can provide opportunity of the
co-simulation in SIMULINK.
 The input and output of the MTB model in the ADAMS
View were determined as state variables. The information
exchange between the ADAMS/Controls toolkit and the
control system in SIMULINK is passed by the state
variables of the virtual prototype of the mechatronic
system.
The co-simulation of the MTB model of the
manipulator with the control system of 3 DC motors in
SIMULINK was prepared for presentation of this
technique.
VI. CO-SIMULATION OF MECHATRONIC SYSTEM
A. Building of ADAMS model for Co-Simulation
The MTB model in the ADAMS View is imported into
SIMULINK model with defined state variables. The
ADAMS/Control toolkit can import a linearized state
space model or nonlinear complex model of mechatronic
system with defined state variables for connection in
SIMULINK environment. We used the second choice
with these state variables:
Inputs state variables to the MTB model:
driving voltage of the base motor,
driving voltage of the arm 1 motor,
driving voltage of the arm 2 motor.
Outputs state variables from the MTB model:
position of the motors,
current of the motors,
torque of the motors,
position of effector in global coordinate system.
B. Control in SIMULINK
The ADAMS/Control toolkit creates m-file, which
connects adams_sub system in the SIMULINK
environment with a solver of the ADAMS enviroment.
This adams_sub system is shown in Fig. 4 and the Control
System can be used for a control of the driving voltage of
individual DC motors.
Only a simple control system with PID regulators was
designed for this presented example of the manipulator
with 3 DOF.
Fig. 4. Control System and ADAMS Connection
The co-simulation system on Fig. 4 opens the MTB
model in ADAMS and also the co-simulation system call
ADAMS Solver. The dynamic behavior of the MTB
model is calculated by ADAMS Solver in individual steps
of the co-simulation. The output state variables are solved
and values of the state variables is provided to
SIMULINK model in each step of the co-simulation. The
control system in SIMULINK drives the inputs voltage of
DC motors for a required system behavior.
VII. CO-SIMULATION RESULTS
The results of the co-simulation can be shown in
SIMULINK environment or the final results file of
ADAMS Solver can be used in ADAMS Postprocessor for
presentation of results. The ADAMS Postprocessor can
provide charts and animations of the MTB model behavior
with respect to the behavior of the control system in
SIMULINK.
The designed control system can drive the voltage of
DC motors of the base, arm 1 and arm 2 with respect to
required position of manipulator parts. The required
behavior of manipulator simulates a passage of a
manipulator effector movement. This movement is shown
in Fig. 5. The effector of the manipulator passes this
trajectory in direction outwards and back.
Fig. 5. Control System and ADAMS Connection
The position of the effector in the global coordinate
system during the simulation is shown in Fig. 6.
Fig. 6. Effector position X, Y, Z in global coordinate system
 This movement is provided by a controlled relative
position of DC motors. The positions of the individual
motor shafts are shown in Fig. 7.
F
ig. 7. Positions (orientation) of individual bodies during simulation
The required torque moment of the individual arm
motors is shown in Fig. 8. These moments of arm motors
are measured during simulation of DC motor behavior.
The behavior of motors depends on the control system and
requirements on the effector position or requirements on
the angular velocity of arms during simulation.
On the base of this computer experiment of the
manipulator virtual prototype the geometry of arms,
specification of motors, velocity of bodies and more
another manipulator parameters can be adjusted.
Fig. 8. Torque moment of individual motor during simulation
The aim of paper was not the manipulator design. The
results shown in this paper have only an illustrative and
education character and main aim of the presented
simulation was present the modern technique of the virtual
prototype design using co-simulation ADAMS
SIMULINK.
VIII. CONCLUSIONS
The presented methodology in this paper creates the
simulation model of the mechanical (electro-mechanical)
system. This model is derived directly from the ADAMS
to SIMULINK and the control system in SIMULINK
environment can affect behavior of this MTB model. The
complex behavior of this mechatronic system can be
simulated as behavior of the virtual prototype of the
manipulator with 3 DOF.
The co-simulation study of the parametric system can
by very useful for the development and the optimization
of this developed mechatronic system. The structural
analysis can be included in the MTB model in the
ADAMS View environment and the appropriate virtual
prototype can be used for several simulation studies of a
virtual behavior of the real mechatronic system.
This technique of the virtual prototyping can be very
useful for the design of modern mechatronic systems with
respect to development time, power consumption,
accuracy, etc.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Published results were acquired using the subsidization
of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the
Czech Republic, research plan MSM 0021630518
"Simulation modeling of mechatronics systems".
REFERENCES
[1] Z. HADAS, S. VCHET, V. SINGULE, C. ONDREK,
Development of Energy Harvesting Sources for Remote
Applications as Mechatronic systems,14th International Power
Electronics and Motion Control Conference, Ohrid, Macedonia,
pp.13-19, 2010.
[2] VDI 2206 - Design methodology for mechatronic systems,
Verband Deutscher Ingenieure / Association of German
Engineers, 118 pages, 01-Jun-2004.
[3] D.L. ZHU, J.Y. QIN, Y. ZHANG, H. ZHANG, M.M. XIA,
Research on Co-simulation Using ADAMS and MATLAB for
Active Vibration Isolation System, Proceedings of the 2010
International Conference on Intelligent Computation Technology
and Automation (ICICTA '10), Vol. 2. IEEE Computer Society,
Washington, DC, USA, pp. 1126-1129, 2010.
[4] Z. ZHU, M.P. NAING, A. AL-MAMUN, Integrated ADAMS +
MATLAB environment for design of an autonomous single wheel
robot, 35th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics
Society, Porto, Portugal, pp. 2253-2258, 2009.
[5] C. ANYU, D. XILIANG, H. SHUGEN, Co-simulation Study on
EPS System Based on ADAMS and MATLAB, Third
International Conference on Measuring Technology and
Mechatronics Automation ICMTMA, pp. 791-794, 2011.
[6] C. LIQING, C. WUWEI, Z. QUAN, Study of Active Suspension
Adaptive Fuzzy Control Based on Co-simulation, Journal of
System Simulation. Vol. 3(2008), pp. 1340-1343, 2008.
[7] M. YUEFENG, L. ZHAODU, Z. JINGBO: Co-simulation of
ACC with ADAMS/CAR and MATLAB, Computer Simulation.
Vol. 4(2007), pp. 252-254, 2007.
[8] L. WEI, L. DAWEI, C. HUANMING, Ride Comfort of MR-
damper Semi-active Suspension Systems Based on Co-
simulations, Society of Agricultural Machinery. Vol. 6(2009), pp.
16-22, 2009.
[9] Z. HADAS, J. ZOUHAR, V. SINGULE, C. ONDRUSEK,
Design of Energy Harvesting Generator Base on Rapid
Prototyping Parts, IEEE 13th Power Electronics and Motion
Control Conference. Poznan - Poland. pp 1688 1692, 2008.
[10] Z. HADAS, C. ONDRUSEK, V. SINGULE, Power sensitivity of
vibration energy harvester, Microsystem Technologies. Vol. 16,
No. 5, pp. 691 702, 2010.
[11] Z. HADAS, C. ONDRUSEK, J. KURFURST, Optimization of
Vibration Power Generator Parameters Using Self-Organizing
Migrating Algorithm, Recent Advances in Mechatronics 2008-
2009, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, pp. 245 250, 2009.
[12] J.J. WIJKER, Spacecraft structures, Springler-Verlag Berlin
Heidelberg, 2008.
[13] T. BEZINA, L. BEZINA, Controller design of the Stewart
platform linear actuator, Recent Advances in Mechatronics 2008-
2009, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, pp.341-346, 2009.
[14] L. HOUFEK et al, Development of Experimental Devices for
Testing of the Biomechanical Systems, 13th International
Conference on Biomedical Engineering, pp.256-260, 2008.
[15] P. FABO, A. SIROKA, D. MAGA, P. SIROKY, Interactive
Framework for Modeling and Analysis, Przeglad
Elektrotechniczny, 2007, 83 (11), pp. 79-80, ISSN 0033-2097.
[16] S. PAVLIKOVA, Linear Systems in Mechatronics, State-of-the-
Art in Mechatronics. Alphen aan den Rijn: Simulation Research
Press, 2007, pp. 253 277, ISBN 978-90-807898-2-1.
[17] D. MAGA, J. SITAR, J. DUDAK, R. HARTANSKY, P.
SIROKY, J. HALGOS, P. BAUER, Electromechanical Actuators
Web-Lab 13th EPE-PEMC, 2008, pp. 2399-2401, ISBN 978-1-
4244-1742-1.
[18] P. FABO, S. PAVLIKOVA, Gsim - Software for Simulation in
Electronics, Proceedings of EPE-PEMC 2010 - 14th
International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference,
pp. S414-S417. ISBN 978-142447854-5.
[19] WAGNER, J., HAJEK, V., FUHRICHOVA, R., MAGA, D.,
GUBA, R., OPATERN, J., Analysis of the magnetic field of a
DC Machine, Compel The International Journal for
Computation and Mathematics in Electrical and Electronic Eng,
1994, Vol. 13, Nr. 1, pp.145-149, ISSN 0332-1649.