Engineering Experimentation & Measurements

[ EM312 ]

Chapter #01

The General Instrumentation and

Measurement Systems

FETBE
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Measurement System in
Daily Life

Measurement System in UCSI

Purpose and Performance of Measurement

Systems
PURPOSE: To present an observer with
numerical value corresponding to the variable
being measured.

 The purpose of the measurement system is also to link the

observer to the process via the obtained data (in Table 1.1)
from the measurement of the process

 A process is a system which generates information such as

chemical reactor, a jet fighter, a car, a human heart, and a
weather system.
The observer as a person who needs this information from
the process such as a car driver, the plant operator or the
nurse.
The input to the measurement system is the true value of the
variable; the system output is the measured value of the
variable. In reality, the measured value does not equal the
true value.

 The purpose of the measurement system is to link the

observer to the process via the obtained data (in Table 1.1)
from the measurement of the process

Accuracy of the System

Can be defined as the closeness of the measured value to the
true value.
A perfectly accurate system is a theoretical ideal.
The accuracy of a real system is quantified using
measurement system error E, where

Error is the main performance indicator for a measurement

system.
Ex: Measured value of the flow rate of gas in a pipe is 11.0
m3/h and the true value is 11.2 m3/h, then the error E = 0.2
m3/h.
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Structure of Measurement Systems

The general measurement system consists of several
elements or blocks such as

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Examples of Measurement Systems

1. Temperature Measurement System

Thermocouple

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Temperature Measurement System

Thermocouple = A sensor to measure the temperature

sensing element; this gives a millivolt output.
Signal conditioning consists of a circuit to compensate for
changes in reference junction temperature, and an amplifier.
Analogue-to-digital converter = Convert the voltage signal
into digital form.
Computer = Corrects for sensor non-linearity, and the
measured value is displayed on a VDU display.
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2. Speed Measurement System

Use an electromechanical generator to produce electrical
power from mechanical energy, usually the turning of a shaft.
Schmitt trigger = An active circuit which converts an analog
input signal to a digital output signal (a sharp pulse). (Digital
Tachometer)

Schmitt trigger

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Speed Measurement System

Electromagnetic Tachogenerator = Sense the speed of

rotation of an engine which gives an a.c. output signal with
frequency proportional to speed.
The Schmitt trigger = Convert the sine wave into sharp-edged
pulses.
Counter = Count the sharp-edged pulses over a fixed time
interval. Then, the digital count is transferred to a computer.
Computer = Calculates frequency and speed.
Digital display = Present the speed in digital form.
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3. Flow Rate Measurement System

Orifice Plate

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Flow Rate Measurement System

Orifice plate sensing element = A device used for measuring

flow rate ; this gives a differential pressure output.
Differential pressure transmitter converts this differential
pressure output into a current signal and therefore combines
both sensing and signal conditioning stages.
The ADC converts the current into digital form and
The computer calculates the flow rate, which is obtained as a
permanent record on a chart recorder.
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4. Weight Measurement System

Cantilever = Load placement with weight
Strain Gauge = A device used to measure strain on an object
Wheatstone Bridge = An electrical circuit used to measure an
unknown electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a bridge
circuit

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Weight Measurement System

Cantilever is a primary sensing element which converts
weight into strain.
Strain gauge converts strain into a change in electrical
resistance and acts as a secondary sensor.
There are two signal conditioning elements: the deflection
bridge converts the resistance change into millivolts and the
amplifier converts millivolts into volts.
The computer corrects for non-linearity in the cantilever and
the weight is presented on a digital display.
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Wheatstone Bridge
The strain gauge is connected into a Wheatstone Bridge circuit with a
combination of four active gauges (full bridge), two gauges (half bridge), or,
less commonly, a single gauge (quarter bridge)
As stress is applied to the bonded strain gauge, a resistive changes takes
place and unbalances the Wheatstone Bridge.
This results in a signal output, related to the stress value. As the signal value
is small, (typically a few millivolts) the signal conditioning electronics provides
amplification to increase the signal level to 5 to 10 volts, a suitable level for
application to external data collection systems such as recorders or PC Data
Acquistion and Analysis Systems.

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Applications in Manufacturing
Measurement Applications categories:
1. Monitoring of processes and operations
2. Control of Process and operations
3. Experimental engineering analysis

Applications in Manufacturing
1. Monitoring of processes and operations:

Measuring devices are being used to keep track

of some quantity
E.g.: thermometers, barometers, radars, etc.

To indicate the environment condition, and the

reading does not serve any control functions in
the ordinary sense.

In automotive industry speedometer, fuel gauge,

outdoor temperature sensor and compass
belongs to this class of operation.

Applications in Manufacturing
2. Control of processes and operation:
Automatic feedback control systems.
Sensors are used as feedback systems.
Every feedback control system have at least one
measuring device as a vital component

Applications in Manufacturing

Applications in Manufacturing
3. Experimental Engineering Analysis:

All the engineering design, development

and research lies on laboratory testing

Solutions
Theory ~
Experimentation ~

Chapter #01

Static Characteristics of
Measurement System Elements

Mohamadariff Othman
FETBE
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Characteristics of
Measurement System Elements
Discuss on characteristic that typical elements may
posses and give effect on the overall performance of
the system.
- Systematic Characteristics

Element

- Generalized Model

- Statistical Characteristics

Characteristics of
Measurement System Elements
Element Characteristics

Static Characteristics
(Steady-state Characteristics)

Systematic Characteristics
(Graphical or Mathematical forms)

Range
Span
Linear
Non-Linearity
Sensitivity
Hysteresis
Resolution
Error Band
Environmental Effects:
+ Modifying Env. Inputs
+ Interfering Env. Inputs

Generalized Model
(Block Diagram or Mathematical forms)

Dynamic Characteristics
(Transient Characteristics)

Identification of Static Characteristics

(Statistical Characteristics)

- Repeatability
- Tolerance
- Calibration:
+ Standards
+ SI Units
+ Experimental: O vs I (Im=Ii=0)
O vs Im, Ii (I=Constant)
Repeatability Test

Characteristics of
Measurement System Elements
Static/Steady-State Characteristic
The relationship between input I (constant value or
changing slowly) and output O.
It has three kind of characteristic:
Systematic Characteristic = Those can be exactly
quantified by mathematical or graphical means
Statistical Characteristic = Identification of static
characteristic.
Generalized Model = To represent static and dynamic
characteristic in term of block diagram and mathematical
form.
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Characteristics of
Measurement System Elements
Dynamic Characteristic
The ways in which an element responds to sudden input
changes.
These are most conveniently summarized using a transfer
function G(s).

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