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Transfer Function

A transfer function represents the relationship between the output signal of a control system and the input signal, for all possible input values.


The transfer function of a control system is defined as the ratio of the Laplace transform of the output variable to Laplace transform of the input variable assuming all initial conditions to be zero.


There are major two ways of obtaining a transfer function for the control system. The ways are:

Block Diagram Method: It is not convenient to derive a complete transfer function for a complex control system. Therefore the transfer function of each element of a control system is represented by a block diagram. Block diagram reduction techniques are applied to obtain the desired transfer function.
Signal Flow Graphs: The modified form of a block diagram is a signal flow graph. Block diagram gives a pictorial representation of a control system. Signal flow graph further shortens the representation of a control system.

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