Why Simscape has been calling as a 1D simulation tool?

I'm wondering why Simscape has been calling as a 1D simulation tool.

During my master's degree in the korea, I was simulating the Simscape and Fluent(3D tool).

So, I understood that Dimension is constited as a governing equation and discretization by taylor series and etc.

To be specific, We need to make the mesh or divide the control distance(1D) for numerical analysis.

Aside from the governing equation, Simscape block consider just balance between inlet, outlet, sour/sink.

When i was thinking about these things, I noticed that Simscape doesn't solve governing equation but consider only the time term.

So, I think that Simscape was made as 1D psuedo method for solving the balance with time area for decreasing the simulating time.

is this correct or not?

If any correct answer or i'm wrong, please tell me.

Answer 1

[Tushar Sharma]

Hi Jiseung,

Your observation about Simscape primarily being referred to as a 1D simulation tool, while insightful, merits a nuanced clarification given the breadth of capabilities offered by Simscape and various other products, including Simscape Multibody for 3D mechanical simulations.

Simscape products enable you to model, optimize, and test physical systems. Model a physical system by connecting components from mechanical, hydraulic, electric, pneumatic, and thermal domains into a network. You can also create custom components by using the Simscape language. Refer to this link to know more about physical modeling - https://in.mathworks.com/help/overview/physical-modeling.html?s_tid=hc_product_group_bc

Simscape is often used for system-level simulations where the spatial details within each component are less critical than the interactions and dynamics between components over time. This is where the perception of Simscape as a "1D" tool originates, as it abstracts away the spatial complexities in favor of a focus on temporal dynamics and system-level behavior. This doesn't mean the tool is incapable of representing spatial dimensions or that it's limited to linear systems. Instead, it means that the primary focus is on the temporal evolution of system variables without explicitly modeling spatial variations within components.

Simscape indeed abstracts spatial details in many domains to expedite simulation times and simplify model construction. Yet, with tools like Simscape Multibody, it also accommodates detailed 3D simulations, showcasing its versatility across different types of physical modeling. Therefore, Simscape's designation as a "1D" tool is more about its approach to system-level modeling in certain domains rather than a strict limitation of its capabilities.

Hope it helps!