‫بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم‬

Faulty of Engineering
Mechatronics Engineering Dept.

Automatic Control & Applications Course

Lec 3
Block Diagram of Control Systems

DR. M. Arafa 6/3/2024

 Lecture 3

➢ Block Diagram of Control Systems

➢ Block Diagram Reduction Rules

➢ Signal Flow Graph

➢ Signal Flow Graph from Block Diagram

➢ Calculate the Transfer Function using Mason’s Formula

Block Diagram of Control Systems
 Block Diagram in a Control System
➢ Block diagram is used to represent the control system in a graphical form that illustrates the path of
signal flow.

➢ It is not always easy to derive a complex control system’s entire transfer function in a single function. It
is easier to derive the transfer function of the control element connected to the system separately.

➢ Block diagrams are used to simplify complex control systems. Each element of the control system is
represented with a block, and the block is the symbolic representation of that element’s transfer
function. A complete control system can be represented with a required number of interconnected
blocks.

➢ A complex control system consists of several blocks. Each of them has its own transfer function. But
the overall transfer function of the system is the ratio of the transfer function of the final output to the
transfer function of the system’s initial input.
 Basic Elements of Block Diagram

The basic elements of a block diagram are:

• Block (or multiplication block)

• Summing point Block

Summing point
Take-off point
• Take-off point (or branching point)

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑌 𝑠
𝐺(𝑠)
−

𝐻(𝑠)
 Block

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠) 𝑌 𝑠 = 𝑅 𝑠 𝐺(𝑠)

Summing point 𝐶

−
𝐴 + 𝐴 + 𝐴 +
𝐶 𝐶 𝐷
− + +

𝐵 𝐵 𝐵

𝑪= 𝑨−𝑩 𝑪= 𝑨+𝑩 𝑫=𝑨+𝑩−𝑪

 Take-off point

𝑅 𝑠 − 𝐻 𝑠 𝑌(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 (𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠)𝐺1 (𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑌 𝑠
𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠)
𝐺2 (𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠)𝐺2 (𝑠) −

𝑅(𝑠)
𝐻(𝑠)

𝑌(𝑠)
𝐻 𝑠 𝑌(𝑠)
Block Diagram Reduction Rules
 Block Diagram Reduction Rules

1) Series Blocks

𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)

𝐺1 (𝑠) 𝐺2 (𝑠) ≡ 𝐺1 (𝑠) 𝐺2 (s)

𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)

𝐺1 (𝑠) 𝐺2 (𝑠) 𝐺3 (𝑠) ≡ 𝐺1 𝑠 𝐺2 s 𝐺3 (𝑠)
 Block Diagram Reduction Rules

2) Parallel Blocks

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 (𝑠)
𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 (𝑠)
+
𝑌(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)
≡ 𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 𝑠 ± 𝐺2 (s)
±
𝐺2 (𝑠)
𝑅 𝑠 𝐺2 (𝑠)
 Block Diagram Reduction Rules

3) Feedback

𝑅 𝑠 ∓ 𝐻 𝑠 𝑌(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)

𝐺(𝑠) 𝑌 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠
≡ 1 ± 𝐺 𝑠 𝐻(𝑠)
∓
𝐻 𝑠 𝑌(𝑠)
The prove:
𝐻(𝑠) 𝑌 𝑠 =𝐺 𝑠 𝑅 𝑠 ∓𝐻 𝑠 𝑌 𝑠
𝑌(𝑠)
=𝐺 𝑠 𝑅 𝑠 ∓𝐺 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠 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

𝑌(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠)
∴ =
𝑅(𝑠) 1 ± 𝐺 𝑠 𝐻 𝑠
 Special Cases of Feedback

➢ Unity Feedback

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)

𝐺(𝑠) 𝑌 𝑠 𝐺 𝑠
≡ 1±𝐺 𝑠
∓

𝐻 𝑠 =1
 Special Cases of Feedback

𝐺(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑃(𝑠) 𝑃(𝑠)

𝑌 𝑠 𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)
𝑄(𝑠) 𝑄(𝑠)
∓
≡ 𝑃(𝑠)
1± 𝐻(𝑠)
𝑄(𝑠)

𝐻(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) 𝑌(𝑠)
𝑃(𝑠)
≡
𝑄(𝑠) ± 𝑃(𝑠) 𝐻(𝑠)
 Shifting of Summing Point

➢ Shifting Summing Point After the Block

× 𝐺(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐶(𝑠)

𝐶(𝑠)
𝐺(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠)
− ≡ −
𝐵(𝑠)
𝐺(𝑠)
𝐵(𝑠)
𝑪 𝒔 = 𝑮 𝒔 (𝑹 𝒔 − 𝑩(𝒔))

𝑪 𝒔 = 𝑮 𝒔 𝑹 𝒔 − 𝑮 𝒔 𝑩(𝒔)
 Shifting of Summing Point

➢ Shifting Summing Point Before the Block

÷ 𝐺(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐶(𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐶(𝑠)

+ 𝐺(𝑠)
𝐺(𝑠)
−
− ≡
1
𝐵(𝑠) 𝐺 𝑠 𝐵(𝑠)
𝑪 𝒔 = 𝑮 𝒔 𝑹 𝒔 − 𝑩(𝒔)

𝑩 𝒔
𝑪 𝒔 = 𝑮 𝒔 [𝑹 𝒔 − ]
𝑮 𝒔
= 𝑮 𝒔 𝑹 𝒔 − 𝑩(𝒔)
 Shifting of Take-off Point

➢ Shifting Take-off Point After the Block

÷ 𝐺(𝑠)

𝐶(𝑠) 𝑅(𝑠) 𝐶(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠)

≡
𝑹(𝒔) 1 𝑹(𝒔)
𝐺 𝑠
 Shifting of Take-off Point

➢ Shifting Take-off Point Before the Block

× 𝐺(𝑠)

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐶(𝑠)
𝐶(𝑠) 𝐺(𝑠)
𝑅(𝑠)
𝐺(𝑠)
≡
𝐺(𝑠) 𝑪(𝒔)
𝑪(𝒔)
 Block Diagram Reduction Rules

• Rule 1 − Check for series blocks and simplify.

• Rule 2 − Check for parallel blocks and simplify.

• Rule 3 − Check for the blocks connected in feedback loop and simplify.

• Rule 4 − If there is difficulty with take-off point while simplifying, shift it.

• Rule 5 − If there is difficulty with summing point while simplifying, shift it.

• Rule 6 − Repeat the above steps till you get the simplified form, i.e., single block.
 Example 1:
𝐻3
➢ using block diagram reduction rules, find the
𝑌(𝑠)
transfer funtion 𝐺4
𝑅 (𝑠)

− +
𝑅(𝑠) + + + 𝑌(𝑠)
𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐺5
+ − +

𝐻1

𝐻2

Solution: 𝐻3

−
𝑅(𝑠) + + 𝑌(𝑠)
𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 + 𝐺4 𝐺5
+ − +

𝐻1

𝐻2
 𝐻3

−
𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝑌(𝑠)
𝐺3 + 𝐺4 𝐺5
1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 +
+

𝐻2 ÷ 𝐺5

𝐻3

−
𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝑌(𝑠)
𝐺3 + 𝐺4 𝐺5
1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 +
+

𝐻2
𝐺5
 𝐻3

−
𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐺1 𝐺2
𝐺5 (𝐺3 + 𝐺4 ) 𝑌(𝑠)
1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 +
+

𝐻2
𝐺5

𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺5 𝐺3 + 𝐺4
𝑌(𝑠)
1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 1 + 𝐻3 𝐺5 𝐺3 + 𝐺4
+

𝐻2
𝐺5
𝑅(𝑠) + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺5 𝐺3 + 𝐺4 𝑃(𝑠)
𝑌(𝑠)
1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 1 + 𝐻3 𝐺5 𝐺3 + 𝐺4 𝑄(𝑠)
+

𝐻2
𝐺5

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺5 𝐺3 + 𝐺4 𝑌(𝑠)
1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 1 + 𝐻3 𝐺5 𝐺3 + 𝐺4 − 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻2 (𝐺3 + 𝐺4 )

𝒀 𝒔 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺5 𝐺3 +𝐺4
∴ 𝑻. 𝑭 = =
𝑹 𝒔 1+𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1 1+𝐻3 𝐺5 𝐺3 +𝐺4 −𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻2 (𝐺3 +𝐺4 )
 Example 2:
𝑌(𝑠)
➢ using block diagram reduction rules, find the transfer funtion
𝑅 (𝑠)

𝐻2

−
𝑹(𝑺) + 𝐺1 + + 𝒀(𝑺)
𝐺2 𝐺3

+ − +

÷ 𝐺3
Solution: 𝐻1

𝐺4
 𝐻2

−
𝑹(𝑺) + 𝐺1 + 𝒀(𝑺)
𝐺2 𝐺3

+ − 𝐻1
×
𝐺3
𝐻1
𝐺3

𝐺4
 𝐻2

−
𝑹(𝑺) + 𝐺1 + 𝒀(𝑺)
𝐺2 𝐺3

+ −

𝐻1
𝐻1
−(𝐻2 + ) 𝐺3
𝐺3

𝐻1
𝐺3

𝐺4
𝑹(𝑺) + 𝐺1 + 𝒀(𝑺)
𝐺2 𝐺3

+ −

𝐻1
𝐻2 + 𝐺2 𝐺3
𝐺3
𝐻
1 + 𝐺2 𝐺3 (𝐻2 + 𝐺1 )
3
𝐻1
𝐺3
≡
𝐺2 𝐺3
1 + 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐻2 + 𝐺2 𝐻1
𝐺4
𝑹(𝑺) + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝒀(𝑺)
1 + 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐻2 + 𝐺2 𝐻1
+

𝐻1
𝐺3

𝐺4

𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3
1 + 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐻2 + 𝐺2 𝐻1 − 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1
𝑹(𝑺) 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 + 𝒀(𝑺)
1 + 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐻2 + 𝐺2 𝐻1 − 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1
+

𝐺4

≡
𝑹(𝑺) 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝒀(𝑺)
𝐺4 +
1 + 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐻2 + 𝐺2 𝐻1 − 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1

𝒀 𝒔 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3
∴ 𝑻. 𝑭 = = 𝐺4 +
𝑹 𝒔 1+𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐻2 +𝐺2 𝐻1 −𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻1
Report
Report
➢ consider the following liquid level system, draw the block diagram for the driven equations
𝑄𝑜 𝑠
and then find the overall transfer function .
𝑄𝐼 𝑠

𝒒𝒊 (𝒕)

𝒉𝟏 (𝒕)
𝒉𝟐 (𝒕)
𝒒𝒐 (𝒕)

𝑨𝟏 𝒒𝟏 (𝒕) 𝑨𝟐
Signal Flow Graph
 Signal Flow Graph (Mason’s Rule)

➢ Signal flow graph is used as an alternative method for the cases of complex control systems in

which the using of block diagram reduction technique is difficult to get the over all transfer

function.

The basic elements of a signal flow graph are:

• Node (represents the basic input 𝑅(𝑠), the basic output 𝑌(𝑠), summing point and branching point)

• Branch or Path (the path that joining two nodes, it has a gain and a direction)
 1 2 4
3
𝑅(𝑠) + 𝑌 𝑠
𝐺(𝑠)
−

𝐻(𝑠)

nodes
2 𝐺 3

➢ The branch (or path) from node 2 to node

𝑅(𝑠) 1 2 𝐺 3 1 𝑌(𝑠) 3 has a gain 𝐺 and a direction illustrated
by the arrow
1 4

−𝐻
branches
 Forward Path

➢ The sequences of paths to go from the basic input 𝑅 𝑠 to the basic output 𝑌 𝑠 without

touching any node twice.

➢ The gain of the forward path is obtained by multiplying all forward gains

Ex: 𝑅(𝑠) 2
𝐺1 𝐺2 3 𝐺3 𝑌(𝑠)
𝑃
1 4
Forward Paths:
−𝐻 𝑃 is a forward path ≡ 1234
𝑃 = 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3
 Forward Path
Ex:

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐺5 𝐺6 𝐺8 𝑌(𝑠)

3 4 5 6 𝑃1
1 2
𝑃2
𝐺2 𝐺7

Forward Paths:
𝐺4
𝑃1 = 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐺5 𝐺6 𝐺8
𝑃1 is a forward path ≡ 123456
𝑃2 = 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐺7 𝐺8
𝑃2 is a forward path ≡ 12356
 Loops

➢ The loop is a closed path that starts at a node and ends at the same node without touching any

node twice.

➢ The loop gain is obtained by multiplying all gains in the loop.

Ex:

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 2 𝐺2 3 𝐺3 𝑌(𝑠)
Loops:
1 𝐿 4
𝐿 = − 𝐺2 𝐻

−𝐻 𝐿 is a loop ≡ 2 3 2
 Loops

Ex:

𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐺5 𝐺6 𝐺8 𝑌(𝑠)

2 𝐿1 3 4 𝐿2 5 6
1
𝐺7
Loops: 𝐺2
𝐿3
𝐿1 = 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐺5
𝐺4 𝐿1 ≡ 2 3 4 2
𝐿2 = 𝐺3 𝐺4 𝐺5 𝐺6
𝐿2 ≡ 2 3 4 5 2
𝐿3 = 𝐺3 𝐺4 𝐺7
𝐿3 ≡ 2 3 5 2
 Non-touching Loops

➢ The loops with no common nodes and/or branches are called non-touching loops.

➢ The gain of non-touching loops is obtained by multiplying all gains of these non-touching loops.
Ex: 𝐺6

𝐿3 𝐺7
𝑅(𝑠) 𝐺 𝐺2 3
𝐿5 𝑌(𝑠)
1 2 𝐺3 4 𝐺4 𝐺5
Loops:
1 𝐿2 𝐿4 5 6
𝐿1 = 𝐺2 𝐻3 𝐿1
𝐻1
𝐿2 = 𝐺3 𝐺4 𝐻2 𝐻3 𝐿1 ≡ 2 3 2
𝐻2
𝐿3 = 𝐺6 𝐻2 𝐿2 ≡ 3 4 5 3
➢ Two non-touching loops
𝐿4 = 𝐺4 𝐻1 𝐿3 ≡ 3 5 3
𝐿1 𝐿4 = 𝐺2 𝐺4 𝐻3 𝐻1
𝐿5 = 𝐺7 𝐿4 ≡ 4 5 4
𝐿1 𝐿5 = 𝐺2 𝐺7 𝐻3
𝐿5 ≡ 5 5

➢ Three non-touching loops

None
Calculate the Transfer Function using
Mason’s Formula
 Mason’s Formula to Calculate Transfer Function

𝑌 𝑠 σ𝑁
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 ∆𝑖
𝑇. 𝐹 = =
𝑅 𝑠 ∆

• 𝑁 is the number of forward paths from 𝑅 𝑠 to 𝑌 𝑠

• 𝑃𝑖 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑝𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛

• f

• ∆i = ∆
𝑃𝑖 = 0
 Example 1:
𝑌(𝑠)
➢ using signal flow graph, find the transfer funtion for the following system.
𝑅 (𝑠)

𝑮𝟑
+
𝑹(𝑺) + + 𝒀(𝑺)
𝑮𝟏 𝑮𝟐

𝑯
Solution:
𝑮𝟑

1 + 6
𝑹(𝑺) + + 5 𝒀(𝑺)
3 𝑮𝟏 4 𝑮𝟐
2 −

𝑮𝟑

𝑹(𝑺) 𝟏 𝟏 𝑮𝟏 𝑮𝟐 𝟏 𝒀(𝑺)

1 2 3 4 5 6

−𝑯
 𝑮𝟑

𝑹(𝑺) 𝟏 𝟏 𝑮𝟏 𝑮𝟐 𝟏 𝒀(𝑺)

2 3 4 5 6
1
(1) Forward Paths: 𝐿1

• The number of forward paths 𝑁 = 2

−𝑯
𝑃1 = 𝐺1 𝐺2 ≡ 1 2 3 4 5 6
𝑃2 = 𝐺2 𝐺3 ≡ 1 2 4 5 6 𝑌 𝑠 σ𝑁=2
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 ∆𝑖 𝑃1 ∆1 + 𝑃2 ∆2 𝑃1 + 𝑃2
𝑇. 𝐹 = = = =
𝑅 𝑠 ∆ ∆ ∆
(2) Loops:

𝐿1 = −𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻 ≡ 3 4 5 3 • ∆1 = ∆ = 1 • ∆ =1 − 𝐿1 = 1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻
𝑃1 = 0
(3) Non-touching loops: 𝑌 𝑠 𝐺1 𝐺2 + 𝐺2 𝐺3
• ∆2 = ∆ = 1 ∴ 𝑇. 𝐹 = =
None 𝑅 𝑠 1 + 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐻
𝑃2 = 0
 Example 2:
𝑌(𝑠)
➢ using signal flow graph, find the transfer funtion for the following system.
𝑅 (𝑠)

𝑯𝟐

−
𝑹(𝑺) +
𝑮𝟏 + + 𝒀(𝑺)
𝑮𝟐 𝑮𝟑
− − −

𝑯𝟏 𝑯𝟑

𝑯𝟒
 𝑯𝟐

−
𝑹(𝑺) +
2 𝑮𝟏 + 4 𝑮𝟐 + 7 𝒀(𝑺)
1 3 5 𝑮𝟑
6 8
− − −
𝑯𝟏 𝑯𝟑
𝑯𝟒

−𝑯𝟐

𝑹(𝑺) 𝒀(𝑺)
𝟏 2 𝑮𝟏 3 𝟏 4 𝑮𝟐 5 𝟏 6 𝑮𝟑 7 𝟏

1 8

−𝑯𝟏 −𝑯𝟒 −𝑯𝟑

 −𝑯𝟐

𝑹(𝑺) 𝒀(𝑺)
𝟏 2 𝑮𝟏 3 𝟏 4 𝑮𝟐 5 𝟏 6 𝑮𝟑 7 𝟏

1 𝐿4 8
𝐿1

−𝑯𝟏 −𝑯𝟑
−𝑯𝟒
(1) Forward Paths:
(2) Loops: (3) Non-touching loops:
• The number of forward paths 𝑁 = 1

𝑃1 = 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 ≡ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 𝐿1 = −𝐺1 𝐻1 ≡ 2 3 4 2 𝐿1 𝐿4 = 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐻1 𝐻3
𝐿2 = −𝐺2 𝐻4 ≡ 3 4 5 6 3
𝑌 𝑠 σ𝑁=1
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 ∆𝑖 𝑃1 ∆1
𝑇. 𝐹 = = = 𝐿3 = −𝐺2 𝐻2 ≡ 3 4 5 6 3
𝑅 𝑠 ∆ ∆
𝐿4 = −𝐺3 𝐻3 ≡ 5 6 7 5
 (1) Forward Paths: (2) Loops: (3) Non-touching loops:
𝐿1 = −𝐺1 𝐻1
𝑃1 = 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3 𝐿1 𝐿4 = 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐻1 𝐻3
𝐿2 = −𝐺2 𝐻4
𝐿3 = −𝐺2 𝐻2
𝐿4 = −𝐺3 𝐻3

• ∆ = 1 − 𝐿1 + 𝐿2 + 𝐿3 + 𝐿4 + 𝐿1 𝐿4
= 1 + 𝐺1 𝐻1 + 𝐺2 𝐻4 + 𝐺2 𝐻2 + 𝐺3 𝐻3 + 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐻1 𝐻3

• ∆1 = ∆ = 1 𝑌 𝑠 σ𝑁=1
𝑖=1 𝑃𝑖 ∆𝑖 𝑃1 ∆1 𝑃1
𝑃1 = 0 𝑇. 𝐹 = = = =
𝑅 𝑠 ∆ ∆ ∆

𝑌 𝑠 𝐺1 𝐺2 𝐺3
∴ 𝑇. 𝐹 = =
𝑅 𝑠 1 + 𝐺1 𝐻1 + 𝐺2 𝐻4 + 𝐺2 𝐻2 + 𝐺3 𝐻3 + 𝐺1 𝐺3 𝐻1 𝐻3