2010 8th IEEE International Conference on
1
Control and Automation
Xiamen, China, June 9-11, 2010
Integrated Modeling of an Electro-hydraulic Servo
Manipulator Using Linear Graphs
M. Ganji, S. Behbahani, and C.W. de Silva
 To demonstrate the capabilities of the LG, an integrated
Abstract Analysis and design of mechatronic systems
require integrated and concurrent tools. This paper presents
an integrated mechatronic modeling tool using linear graphs
(LG) theory. To demonstrate the capabilities of the presented
framework, an integrated model of a complex electro-hydraulic
servo manipulator and its governing motion equations in the
state space form are presented. It includes a hydraulic power
supply unit, a two-stage flapper-nozzle servovalve, a double-
acting single-ended hydraulic cylinder, a position transducer
(embedded in the cylinder), a controller circuit, and a servo
amplifier. The LG model of each subsystem is generated, and
the full integrated dynamic model of the system is obtained by
assembling the LG model of the subsystems. The control
elements, information pathways and modulated source
elements (amplifier and position transducer) are also
incorporated.
I. INTRODUCTION
A mechatronic system is a mixed and multi-domain
system, different components or parts of which fall within
different domains such as mechanical, electrical, hydraulic
and control. Due to its multi-domain nature and dynamic
interactions between components, the modeling of a
mechatronic system should use a multi-domain approach,
where all domains are treated in a unified manner. There
are various unified languages and environments for
modeling of mixed mechatronic systems, including block
diagrams, bond graphs and linear graphs(LG). This paper
presents an integrated mechatronic modeling tool using
linear graphs. Linear graphs theory use interconnected line
segments (branches) to represent dynamic model of
multidisciplinary systems. This model is very similar in
form to an electric circuit diagram. A node represents a
point of interconnection of system elements and a line
(branch) represents a system element. Some state variables
are classified as through variables, such as current, force
and flow rate, which measure transmission through an
element. Other state variables are considered as across
variables, such as voltage, velocity and pressure, which
measure difference in state across an element. The product
of a through variable and an across variable is power. To
obtain the state-variable equations, we apply a generalized
version of Kirchhoff's current law, called a continuity (node)
equation, to describe the balance that must exist among the
through variables. Furthermore we use a generalized version
of Kirchhoff's voltage law, called a compatibility (loop)
equation, to describe how the across variables are related. In
addition we must apply the constitutive equations for each
element, such as v = iR, f = Bv and P = RQ, relating the
through variable to the across variable. Linear-graph
representation is particularly useful in understanding rates of
energy transfer (power) and dynamic interactions between
components. Using LG we can directly obtain the state-
space model of a dynamic system [13].
978-1-4244-5196-8/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE 303
WeD3.
model of a complex electro-hydraulic servo manipulator and
its governing motion equations in the state space form are
presented. The electro-hydraulic servo systems have been
widely used in industrial applications because of their high
power-to-weight ratio, high accuracy, high stiffness, high
payload capability, etc. However, their dynamic behavior is
highly nonlinear due to various factors such as the pressure-
flow characteristics of the valve, the leakage flow
characteristics of the valves and cylinder with variation of
supply pressure, the friction effects, the variation of the
system coefficients with the supply pressure and the load
pressure. Modeling of electro-hydraulic systems has been
discussed by many authors. Most of the essential concepts
and formulations are available in [4]. Behbahani and de
Silva [5] modeled and identified an electro-hydraulic
manipulator of a fish processing machine by a bond-graph
based evolutionary system tool. In [6], a LG model of an
electro-hydraulic servo system, which includes fluid,
servovalve, servoactuator and load dynamics, have been
developed and used for evaluating the proposed model-
based controller. Scheidl and Manhartsgruber [7]
determined 10th order non-linear model of an electro-
hydraulic system composed of a servovalve and a hydraulic
cylinder and carried out singular perturbation analysis. In
[8], an improved linearized model of an electro-hydraulic
servo actuator including a two-stage flapper nozzle
servovalve is derived from a ten order nonlinear state
equation model. Zeb [9] employed an analytical method in
mathematical modeling of an electro-hydraulic position
control servosystem and discussed various factors affecting
the performance of a typical position servo and developed
expressions for estimating the more important performance
factors. In [10] and [11] authors presented the LG modeling
of electro-hydraulic actuation systems of a prototype
forestry vehicle, the experimental identification of the
dynamic models parameters and control strategies for
forestry operations. The effects of internal leakage on the
mathematical model and the performance of the servovalve
are investigated in [12].
Available literature has mainly focused on separate
modeling of components of electro-hydraulic systems, and
often only linear models have been derived due to complex
nature of these systems. In this paper we have developed an
accurate integrated and comprehensive model to be used in
controller design and fault detection and diagnosis of an
electro-hydraulic servo system. The effects of
compressibility, internal leakages in servovalve, leakage in
actuator, friction and inertia are included in the model. The
control elements, information pathways and modulated
source elements (amplifier and position transducer) are also
incorporated into this model.
The organization of the paper is as follows. Next section
demonstrates the LG modeling of individual subsystems.
Subsequently, the full integrated model of the system is