Bond-graphs for modelling of manufacturing systems

Bond-graph are succinct, pictorial statements of mathematical models. These statements are so precise that computers can be programmed to derive differential equations from them: the so-called state variable equations. Previously, bond-graphs have been used to describe physical systems only. However, in this paper, the authors extend the method to the analysis of nonlinear dynamic production systems. An explicit set of rules is provided for the construction of bond-graphs and for the step-by-step derivation of the state equations. The use of the rules is illustrated with a large number of examples. The aim of this study is to apply this tool to model manufacturing systems