schakelfactor

Schakelfactor is a term used in technical disciplines, especially in Dutch-language literature, to describe the degree to which a change in one element of a system is transmitted through a chain of interconnected elements. The word schakelen means to switch or connect; schakelfactor thus captures the propagation of perturbations across stages of a process or network.

In a simple linear chain of n stages with gains g1, g2, ..., gn, a small input change δu at the first stage induces an output change δy at the end that, to first order, equals δy ≈ (∏ i=1..n gi) δu. The product ∏ gi is the basic schakelfactor along that path. When multiple parallel paths exist, the overall factor is the sum of the factors of the individual paths. For nonlinear systems, the schakelfactor is obtained by linearizing around an operating point and computing a Jacobian-derived propagation gain.

The schakelfactor is a dimensionless quantity that depends on topology, component gains, delays, and operating conditions. It measures propagation strength rather than absolute gain, and it can vary with time or state, making it a local rather than global property in many applications.

It finds use in control engineering, signal processing, and modeling of complex networks such as supply chains, ecological networks, and epidemiological systems, where researchers are interested in how perturbations or decisions ripple through a chain of dependent elements.

Because schakelfactor is not a universally standardized term, its definition and calculation can vary across sources. It is often discussed alongside related concepts such as transfer gain, propagation factor, and sensitivity, and is most common in Dutch-language practice.