Quarc Library Simulink May 2026

For engineers and researchers in control systems, robotics, and mechatronics, the leap from a mathematical model to a physical prototype is often fraught with challenges. Simulink, by The MathWorks, has long been the gold standard for model-based design, allowing users to simulate complex dynamic systems. However, the final step—deploying that controller to real hardware—typically requires tedious manual coding, driver integration, and real-time scheduling.

Enter QUARC (Quanser Real-Time Control). Developed by Quanser Inc., the QUARC library for Simulink acts as a magic bridge. It extends Simulink’s capabilities by providing a suite of blocks that allow your models to communicate directly with physical hardware in real-time. Whether you are controlling a DC motor, an inverted pendulum, or a sophisticated omnidirectional robot, QUARC transforms Simulink from a simulation-only environment into a powerful real-time control prototyping platform.

This article provides an exhaustive exploration of the QUARC library for Simulink, covering its architecture, core components, practical applications, and best practices.

The QUARC Stream block can send vectors of data from the real-time application to MATLAB at a lower rate than the control loop. For example, you can log encoder position every 100 ms while the loop runs at 1 kHz. This is ideal for long-duration experiments without overwhelming the host.

One of the critical distinctions between Simulink simulation and Quarc is how time is handled.

Title: Real-Time Control Just Got Easier: QUARC Library for Simulink 🚀 quarc library simulink

Post: If you’re working on real-time control systems, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, or rapid prototyping in MATLAB/Simulink, you need to know about QUARC from Quanser.

The QUARC library seamlessly integrates into Simulink, transforming your block diagrams into real-time applications with just a few clicks. No more manual coding for hardware I/O or real-time scheduling.

Why add QUARC to your Simulink workflow?

✅ Direct Hardware Support: Interface with a wide range of data acquisition cards (National Instruments, etc.), sensors, actuators, and Quanser plants (like the QUBE-Servo, Rotary Pendulum, and AERO).

✅ Hard Real-Time Performance: Achieve deterministic execution on Windows (real-time extension) or Linux (with PREEMPT_RT) – ideal for robotics, aerospace, and mechatronics. For engineers and researchers in control systems, robotics,

✅ No S-Function Headaches: Drag-and-drop blocks for HIL Read/Write, streaming, logging, and even network-based control (e.g., from Simulink to a remote target).

✅ Faster Prototyping: Design your controller in Simulink, add QUARC I/O blocks, hit "Run" – and your algorithm controls the physical hardware instantly.

Perfect for:

👉 Learn more: [Insert link to Quanser QUARC]

Have you used QUARC with Simulink? What’s your favorite feature – HIL Write blocks, the ultra-low latency, or the easy data logging? The QUARC Stream block can send vectors of

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QUARC supports External Mode, which allows you to tune parameters (e.g., PID gains) and view scopes live while the model runs on a separate target computer. This is critical for hard real-time performance where the host OS may introduce jitter.

QUARC shines in teaching and rapid prototyping because you can run real-time control on a standard Windows laptop (using Real-Time Kernel) without requiring a second dedicated target computer.

The Stream blocks in Quarc allow a Simulink model running on the target hardware to communicate with a "Host" application running on a PC.