What is Simulink?

Simulink is a simulation and model-based design environment for dynamic and embedded systems. Simulink is a data flow graphical programming language tool for modelling, simulating, analyzing multi-domain dynamic systems. It is basically a graphical block diagramming tool with a customizable set of block libraries.

It is a drag and drop system for simulation components that can then be connected between them with lines. The components you use can be configured, and you have components that allow for mathematical operations. It allows you to incorporate MATLAB algorithms into a model as well as export the simulation results into MATLAB for further analysis.

It is a great way to model your system, as it is very visual and is suited for some applications that are not too specific or performant.

Terminologies

Some terms should be known when you work with Simulink. Let’s see a few ones:

• Block: They generate, modify, combine, output, and display signals. There are several classes of blocks: Sources, Sinks, Continuous, Discrete, Math operators etc. You can find most of them in Simulink block Library.
• Data inspector: It is a Simulink tool that you can use for visualizing and comparing signals.
• Fit to view: This is a feature that works like a zoom option that displays your Simulink design on all over the screens.
• Lines: It transfers signals from one block to another.
• mdl: It is one of the file extensions for files in Simulink.
• Model: In Simulink, a model is a collection of blocks that, in general, represents a system.
• Simulink block Library: A Block library is a collection of blocks that you can use to create instances of those blocks in a Simulink model. You can create instances of blocks from installed Simulink libraries, and you can create custom libraries to create and maintain instances of your blocks in the model.
• slx: It is another file extension for files in Simulink

We hope you understood all the terminologies related to Simulink model software. The next lesson describes the steps involved in opening a new Simulink model.