Engineers constantly demand innovation in modeling and simulation. This is driven by the need to simulate ever more sophisticated systems while minimizing development time and cost. Model development consumes project time at an increasing rate, due largely to the limitations of existing simulation tools and the need to switch between tools to address multiple physical domains. Additionally, these tools often produce simulations that are too slow to model complex systems and, in some cases, lack the mathematical power to solve the governing equations.
These are some of the issues that have driven the development of MapleSim, a new physical modeling tool from Maplesoft. This article will explore the historical development of the early tools for simulation, and then expand on their design
deficiencies. This is followed by a discussion of MapleSim, its unique design characteristics, and how it bypasses the
limitations of current modeling and simulation technology.
Highlights:
- Advantages of model-based development
- Legacy of the analog computer: Signal-flow block diagram tools
- Limitations of the signal-flow modeling paradigm
- Advantages offered by physical modeling and symbolic computation
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