Simulink

Simulink
Developer(s)MathWorks
Initial release1984; 40 years ago (1984)
Stable release
10.7 (part of R2023a) / March 16, 2023; 19 months ago (2023-03-16)
Operating systemLinux, macOS, Microsoft Windows[1]
LicenseProprietary
Websitemathworks.com

Simulink is a MATLAB-based graphical programming environment for modeling, simulating and analyzing multidomain dynamical systems. Its primary interface is a graphical block diagramming tool and a customizable set of block libraries. It offers tight integration with the rest of the MATLAB environment and can either drive MATLAB or be scripted from it. Simulink is widely used in automatic control and digital signal processing for multidomain simulation and model-based design.[2][3]

Add-on products

MathWorks and other third-party hardware and software products can be used with Simulink. For example, Stateflow extends Simulink with a design environment for developing state machines and flow charts.

MathWorks claims that, coupled with another of their products,[4] Simulink can automatically generate C source code for real-time implementation of systems. As the efficiency and flexibility of the code improves, this is becoming more widely adopted for production systems,[5][6] in addition to being a tool for embedded system design work because of its flexibility and capacity for quick iteration[citation needed]. Embedded Coder creates code efficient enough for use in embedded systems.[7][8][9]

Simulink Real-Time (formerly known as xPC Target), together with x86-based real-time systems, is an environment for simulating and testing Simulink and Stateflow models in real-time on the physical system. Another MathWorks product[10] also supports specific embedded targets. When used with other generic products,[11] Simulink and Stateflow can automatically generate synthesizable VHDL and Verilog[citation needed].

Simulink Verification and Validation enables systematic verification and validation of models through modeling style checking, requirements traceability and model coverage analysis. Simulink Design Verifier uses formal methods to identify design errors like integer overflow, division by zero and dead logic, and generates test case scenarios for model checking within the Simulink environment.

SimEvents is used to add a library of graphical building blocks for modeling queuing systems to the Simulink environment, and to add an event-based simulation engine to the time-based simulation engine in Simulink.[12]

Release history

MATLAB Version[13][14] Release name Simulink version Year Notes
1.0 1984
2 1986
3 1987
3.5 1990 Ran on MS-DOS but required at least a 386 processor. Version 3.5m required math coprocessor
4 1992 Renamed from Simulab to SIMULINK[15]
4.2c R7 1994 Ran on Windows 3.1. Required a math coprocessor
5.0 R8 1996
5.1 R9 1997
5.1.1 R9.1
5.2 R10 1998
5.2.1 R10.1
5.3 R11 1999
5.3.1 R11.1
6.0 R12 2000
6.1 R12.1 2001
6.5 R13 Simulink 5.0.2 2002
6.5.1 R13SP1 Simulink 5.1 2003
6.5.2 R13SP2 Simulink 5.2
7 R14 Simulink 6.0 2004
7.0.1 R14SP1 Simulink 6.1
7.0.4 R14SP2 Simulink 6.2 2005
7.1 R14SP3 Simulink 6.3
7.2 R2006a Simulink 6.4 2006
7.3 R2006b Simulink 6.5
7.4 R2007a Simulink 6.6 2007
7.5 R2007b Simulink 7.0 Last release for Windows 2000 and PowerPC Mac.
7.6 R2008a Simulink 7.1 2008
7.7 R2008b Simulink 7.2
7.8 R2009a Simulink 7.3 2009 First release for 32-bit & 64-bit Windows 7.
7.9 R2009b Simulink 7.4 First release for Intel 64-bit Mac, and last for Solaris SPARC.
7.10 R2010a Simulink 7.5 2010 Last release for Intel 32-bit Mac.
7.11 R2010b Simulink 7.6
7.12 R2011a Simulink 7.7 2011
7.13 R2011b Simulink 7.8
7.14 R2012a Simulink 7.9 2012
8 R2012b Simulink 8.0
8.1 R2013a Simulink 8.1 2013
8.2 R2013b Simulink 8.2
8.3 R2014a Simulink 8.3 2014
8.4 R2014b Simulink 8.4
8.5 R2015a Simulink 8.5 2015
8.6 R2015b Simulink 8.6 Last release supporting 32-bit Windows
9.0 R2016a Simulink 8.7 2016
9.1 R2016b Simulink 8.8
9.2 R2017a Simulink 8.9 2017
9.3 R2017b Simulink 9.0
9.4 R2018a Simulink 9.1 2018
9.5 R2018b Simulink 9.2
9.6 R2019a Simulink 9.3 2019 Simulink Onramp; Schedule Editor;
9.7 R2019b Simulink 10.0 Toolstrip; Messages; Blockset Designer; Subsystem Reference
9.8 R2020a Simulink 10.1 2020
9.9 R2020b Simulink 10.2
9.10 R2021a Simulink 10.3 2021
9.11 R2021b Simulink 10.4
9.12 R2022a Simulink 10.5 2022
9.13 R2022b Simulink 10.6
9.14 R2023a Simulink 10.7 2023

References

  1. ^ "System Requirements and Platform Availability by Product". mathworks.com. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
  2. ^ "The Successful development process with MATLAB Simulink in the framework of ESA's ATV project" (PDF). Vega Group PLC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  3. ^ Reedy, John; Lunzman, Stephen (2010). "Model Based Design Accelerates the Development of Mechanical Locomotive Controls". sae.org. SAE Technical Paper Series. 1. doi:10.4271/2010-01-1999. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Automatic Code Generation - Simulink Coder". mathworks.com. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  5. ^ A Software Safety Certification Plug-in for Automated Code Generators: Feasibility Study and Preliminary Design
  6. ^ BioAge Media. "Green Car Congress: General Motors Developed Two-Mode Hybrid Powertrain With MathWorks Model-Based Design; Cut 24 Months Off Expected Dev Time". greencarcongress.com. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  7. ^ Lotus Engineering Develops Control Systems Software to Reduce Diesel Emissions Archived 2006-02-23 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ A Comparison of Three Code Generators for Models Created in Simulink Archived 2010-08-11 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Multitarget modeling reduces ECU software costs". EETimes. Archived from the original on 18 October 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Code Generation - Embedded Coder - Simulink". mathworks.com. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  11. ^ HDL Coder
  12. ^ Cassandras, Christos (2007-11-27). "Introduction to Discrete-Event Simulation". Springer US. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  13. ^ Mathworks. "MatLab & Simulink: Simulink Reference R2015b" (PDF). Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  14. ^ Mathworks (June 2009). "list of version and release numbers for Simulink". Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  15. ^ "THE MATHWORKS ANNOUNCES SHIPMENT OF SIMULINK ON MICROSOFT WINDOWS". thefreelibrary.com. Archived from the original on 2015-06-30. Retrieved 28 June 2015.