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General Overview

Libraries

The SFPLibDyn library is divided into sub-libraries:

  • hydraulic: base for the simulation of hydraulic circuits
  • mechanical: for the implementation of mechanisms, linear or rotary
  • components: extension of the hydraulic and mechanical libraries for the construction of characteristic hydraulic components
  • signals: for the transmission of dimensionless signals

Connections between blocks

All ports (or connectors) at the ends of the blocks in the libraries have variables of type through or flow and variables of type across or potential.

When connecting two ports with a line:

  • for variables of type through conservation equations are generated (sum = 0);
  • for variables of type across equality equations are generated (copied between blocks).

🔸 Exception: signal connectors (input / output) can be connected only between input and output.

🔹 Hydraulic connector

  • Flow rate (through): outgoing with negative sign
  • Pressure (across): always positive (unless cavitation)
  • Volume (across): always positive

🔸 Mechanical translational connector

  • Force (through): sign dependent on the direction set by the linear mass
  • Displacement (across): sign dependent on the direction set by the linear mass

🔸 Mechanical rotational connector

  • Torque (through): sign dependent on the rotation direction set by the rotational inertia
  • Angle (across): sign dependent on the rotation direction set by the rotational inertia

🔹 Signal connector

  • Can only be connected input with output

🔄 Connecting the blocks

The connection line generates an equation:

  • through: conservation equation
  • across: equality equation

👆 To connect one component model to another, the user must first activate the connection mode connect-icon from the toolbar.

  • Move the mouse over the connector: the cursor will change from arrow to cross.
  • To start the connection, press the left mouse button and move the cursor while holding the button down.
  • Release the left button.
  • Move towards the destination connector and click when the cursor changes back to cross.

Only ports of the same type can be connected.

Warning

In simulation, no hydraulic port can remain unconnected.