Visualize Block Parameterization by Plotting Characteristic Curves

Simscape™ Electrical™ provides tools that let you display and plot block-level characteristics, like the current-voltage relationships of semiconductors or the torque-speed relationships of motors, based on the block parameter values in your model. You can use these tools to:

• Explore the impact of your parameter choices on device characteristics.

• Confirm that the block behaves as you expect, if you parameterized the block to match the manufacturer specifications of a specific part.

• Help you choose a part from a manufacturer, if you tuned the block parameter values so that your Simscape model satisfies your system-level design requirements.

• Communicate your design to other members of your organization.

To display and plot block-level characteristics, you can:

• Use the block equations — In MATLAB^®, define constants for the relevant block parameter values and calculate derived quantities using the block equations. This is rarely the best approach and is only suitable for blocks with simple, linear equations.

• Use dynamic simulation — In Simulink^®, build a harness containing a copy of your block, vary the circuit conditions, and record derived quantities in the logged simulation data. This approach is better for blocks with nonlinear equations than using steady-state MATLAB calculations.

• Use Utilities (since R2026a) — In the dialog box of a supported Simscape block, click one of the buttons in the Utilities settings. Because writing a MATLAB script or building a harness can be time consuming, many blocks support buttons that automate this process and generate summary data or common characteristic plots. This is the best approach if your block supports it. Different blocks have different buttons. There are three types of button:

  • Open live script buttons next to the Derived data sheet parameter open a built-in MATLAB script that generates a derived data sheet. Derived data sheets contain summary tables and characteristic plots similar to those that device manufacturers provide in their data sheets.

  • Plot buttons generate figures in a new figure window. For example, the Plot button next to the Saturation factor parameter of the Induction Machine (Squirrel Cage) block plots the saturation factor against magnetic flux linkage.

  • Display buttons next to the Base values parameter display a summary table of per-unit base values in the MATLAB command window.

  Before R2026a: To open the script that generates derived data sheets, click the Generate Datasheet hyperlink in the Description tab of the block mask. To generate plots or display base values, you right-click the block and select the relevant option, like Plot Saturation factor or Display Base Values, from the Electrical context menu.

Some blocks, like the MOSFET (Ideal, Switching) block and Induction Machine (Squirrel Cage) block, support both derived data sheets and Plot buttons.

Derived data sheets are ideal if you want to compare the characteristics to manufacturer data sheets, either to check that you have parameterized the block correctly or to help you select a manufactured part. Derived data sheets are also more customizable than Plot or Display options. You can edit the MATLAB script to define variables that are not specified in the block parameters or customize plots. You can also postprocess the results, which MATLAB stores as a structure in the MATLAB workspace.

Plot and Display buttons are ideal if you want to quickly compare block-level characteristics for different sets of parameter values. If you change the block parameter values and plot the characteristics again, the plot opens in a new window so you can compare the plots side-by-side.

Build your own harness only if your block does not support Utilities or if the buttons your block supports do not generate the plots and summary information you need. To learn how to build harness models and plot block-level characteristics, see the featured examples in the Visualize, Validate, and Tune Parameter Values category.

This table summarizes the different approaches for displaying and plotting block-level characteristics.

	Generate a Derived Data Sheet	Use Plot and Display Buttons	Build your own Harness
Method	Open the MATLAB script by clicking the Open live script button next to the Derived data sheet parameter in the Utilities section of the block dialog box. In the script that opens, provide values for any additional variables that the data sheet requires. Click the Generate Data Sheet button in the script.	Click the Plot or Display buttons in the Utilities section of the block dialog box.	In Simulink, build a harness containing a copy of your block, vary the circuit conditions, and record derived quantities in the logged simulation data. Postprocess and plot the results in MATLAB.
Output	A MATLAB live script containing detailed plots and summary tables similar to those that manufacturers provide in their data sheets	Simple plots in figure windows, or summary tables in the command window, that display a narrow set of block-level characteristics	Customizable summary tables and plots
Plot customization	High	Low	High
Effort	Low	Very low	High
Supported blocks	A few important Simscape blocks	A wide range of Simscape blocks	Any block or subsystem
Applications	Ideal if you want to compare your plots to manufacturer data sheets	Ideal if you want to quickly compare block-level characteristics for different sets of parameter values	Useful only if the buttons in the Utilities section do not generate the plots and summary information you need

Blocks That Support Derived Data Sheets

These blocks support derived data sheets.

• BLDC

• Induction Machine Squirrel Cage

• Magnetic Core

• MOSFET (Ideal, Switching)

• PMSM

• Solar Cell

For more information about derived data sheets, including a list of the quantities that the summary tables and plots display for each block, see Generate Derived Data Sheets.

Blocks That Support Plot or Display Buttons

This table shows all the blocks that support Plot or Display buttons.

Simscape Electrical Sublibrary	Supported Blocks	Output
Electromechanical	Machine Inertia Induction Machine (Single-Phase) Induction Machine Squirrel Cage Induction Machine Wound Rotor Simplified Synchronous Machine Synchronous Machine GENTPJ Synchronous Machine Model 2.1 Synchronous Machine Round Rotor Synchronous Machine Salient Pole	The Plot and Display buttons generate different output depending on the block. For more information, see the individual block reference page.
Integrated Circuits	CMOS AND CMOS NAND CMOS NOR CMOS NOT CMOS OR CMOS XOR D Flip-Flop D Latch S-R Latch Schmitt Trigger	Click the Plot button next to the Basic characteristics parameter to plot hypothetical input voltage waveforms and the corresponding output voltage waveform. For more information, see Plot Basic Input-Output Voltage Characteristics of Logic Gates.
Passive	Resistor Two-Winding Transformer (Three-Phase) Three-Winding Transformer (Three-Phase) Zigzag-Delta-Wye Transformer	Click the Plot button next to the Basic characteristics parameter of the Resistor block to plot temperature against resistance. To enable this parameter, set the Modeling option parameter to Show thermal port. Click the Display button next to the Base values parameter to plot the per-unit base values of transformers.
Semiconductors and Converters	Diode IGBT (Ideal, Switching) MOSFET (Ideal, Switching) N-Channel IGBT N-Channel JFET N-Channel LDMOS FET N-Channel MOSFET NPN Bipolar Transistor P-Channel JFET P-Channel LDMOS FET P-Channel MOSFET PNP Bipolar Transistor	Click the Plot button next to the Basic characteristics parameter to plot the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of semiconductors and semiconductor sensors. For more information, see Plot Basic I-V Characteristics of Semiconductor Blocks.
Sensors and Transducers	Light-Emitting Diode Photodiode
Sources	Battery Battery (Table-Based)	Click the Plot button next to the OCV-SOC Curve parameter to plot the voltage-charge characteristics of batteries. For more information, see Plot Basic Voltage-Charge Characteristics of Battery Blocks.