Improving Student Understanding of Instrumentation and Measurement in US Engineering Undergraduate Programs

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the importance of improving engineering student understanding of measurement and instrumentation in undergraduate engineering programs. It also describes a method for increasing understanding based on a graduate level course that has been offered for several decades at Oakland University. Efforts are described related to the development of a more powerful measurement culture in our institution, and to create the potential to open a new, measurement-oriented, program option. 1. Introduction The 1999 NASA experience with mismatched English and metric units that led to a loss of a $125 million dollar Mars orbiter strengthened our belief that an early, systematic approach to teaching instrumentation and measurement courses is a good idea1. There is a compelling need to teach engineering students how to select, prepare, and use proper measurement procedures and measurement systems; as well as to understand system specifications and their limits; to calibrate and test systems; and to acquire, validate, process, and interpret data2,3. But which engineering students should be targeted for such an educational effort? Electrical? Mechanical? Computer? At what stage in their curriculum should students receive this information? And what type of prerequisites should be mandated? This last question is complexthe following subjects have been bruited about as necessary preparation for instrumentation and measurement: calculus, Fourier analysis, differential equations, Laplace transformation, functions of complex variables, probability and statistics, analog and digital electronics, devices, electromagnetics and electromagnetic compatibility, communication systems, control systems, noise problems, component and system modeling and model parameter measurements, optics, knowledge of mechanical processes and their parameters related to strain, heat and temperature, pressure, and motion. Moreover, there is a need to use software for simulations, modeling, and interfacing, as well as the issue of the preparation necessary for medical and biomedical measurements. Ultimately, the complexities are far more involved than might initially be supposed. II. University Instrumentation and Measurement Courses It appears that most university level instrumentation and measurement courses are offered to mechanical and civil engineering students. (For examples, see4-7.) In general, mechanical engineering students have a limited exposure to electrical engineering concepts. At the same time, most test and measurement environments are oriented towards mechanical systems. Both

electrical and mechanical engineering students need a good understanding of measurement and instrumentation at the undergraduate level in order to be successful industrial engineers. In building the energy conversion bridge between electrical and mechanical systems, sensors (transducers) are used. Data collection and processing in digital form is preferred since it has large dynamic range while analog data processing is limited due to noise. Signal conversion A/D D/A is necessary for further processing and storage. With these considerations in mind, instrumentation and measurement engineers need to be aware of interference problems due to both the process and the connections (which includes the effects of long cables and grounding). These issues are particularly critical in bio-measurements. For the instrumentation and measurement educator, all this leads to the question: how much information about electrical measurements and electronic instruments should be included in any course so as to show limitations of electronics? Other important pedagogical points include statistics, errors, error corrections, system parameters, models, and lastly, error compensation threshold compensation by modification of static characteristics of interfaces to reduce deadband problem in the case of closing the feedback loop8. III. Our University Course on Instrumentation and Measurement As with most universities, our undergraduate engineering program is packed with mandatory offerings, so an instrumentation and measurement course is available only as an elective for undergraduate students. A graduate course on Instrumentation and Measurements was first taught by a professor from the Electrical Engineering Department in 1992 at General Motors (GM), and continued to be taught for more than five years. Both ME and EE practicing engineers were enrolled. The course was included in the GM masters program guided by Purdue University. Later, in mid-nineties, the course was added to Oakland University Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Program. Since the beginning, the course structure has maintained a balanced orientation between electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering material so that electrical and computer engineers in particular could not only review important mechanical engineering material, but could also acquire more physics background related to mechanical processes. The course begins with a review of signals, including their parameter description and analysis in the time and frequency domains. The basic signals are analyzed using software such as MATLAB and PSPICE in order to verify analytical calculations. To strengthen signal analysis, practical demonstrations are performed with general function generators, specialized pulse generators with variable rise and fall times, and spectrum analyzers. Theoretical signals are compared with practical results. For instance, the demonstrations show the disappearance of even harmonics in the spectrum of a square wave, the spectral bandwidth dependence upon the speed of rising and falling edges of a periodic pulse wave, and influence of transmission line reflections on the spectra of pulses. After introducing these concepts, the course continues with a discussion of typical measurement system configurations, together with generalized static and dynamic characteristics of these systems. The sinusoidal and pulse inputs with the first- and second-order system responses are analyzed thoroughly to create a basis for error analysis and system parameter identification. For instance, given a second-order system response, students are asked find such parameters as static

sensitivity, damping factor, and natural frequency. The transfer function of the identified system is then used to establish the acceptable sampling moment for signal digitization. Dynamic errors made during such processes are also analyzed. The identified transfer function is ultimately verified via software such as MATLAB (SIMULINK) and PSPICE. It is at this stage that analysis of critical concepts such as the analysis and interpretation of measurement errors, the application of standards, and calibration, takes place9. Modern experiments often need highly sophisticated instruments. It is important for students to understand the limitations of these instruments, and more particularly, how to prepare experiments in order to perform correct measurements and analyze the results10. As a consequence, the course also includes a discussion of instrumentation block structures, their major characteristics and limitations leading to measurement errors11. Over last decade, Oakland Universitys graduate instrumentation and measurement course has had a very good enrollment, with a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 32 students. Moreover, some mechanical engineering faculty members have audited the course, not only to collect material, but also to observe student reactions, participation, and course material modifications. IV. Details of the Text Book Several editions of Doebelins Measurement Systems, Application and Design have provided structure for the course over the years12. The book covers far more than one semesters worth of material, but many of the graduate students taking the course work for industry, either in research or manufacturing areas, and they have found the text useful not only in the class, but also at work. Additional materials distributed to the students have been mostly used to enhance the electrical engineering parts of the book. Topics such as measurement amplifiers, A/D and D/A converters, active and passive filters, digital oscilloscopes and their limitations, frequency and time measurements and instruments, shielding and grounding in instrumentation have been added, either as instructors notes or from the application notes available on internet. V. Laboratory Component Most of our graduate students work for local companies that have a number of measurementoriented projects. This means that the students can use company resources, including sensors, interfaces, and other instruments, to support work on their projects. Projects are prepared by teams or individuals, and the results are presented to all students participating in the course. If other, non-working students have projects, they can use in-house university resources, which include equipment designed by Feedback and Hampden Corporations. Additionally, resources are also available in our mechatronics and autonomous vehicle laboratories. The course, which is based out of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, will also serve as a base for a new Mechanical Engineering Department course that is intended to be developed soon in close collaboration with Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. VI. Current XXX Course Description It can be helpful to see how a course is developed and described. As such, a brief description of salient material is provided from the current graduate level instrumentation and measurement course, ECE 525: Instrumentation and Measurements- 4 credits Of note is that the course belongs to the following Electrical and Computer Engineering options: Controls, Electronics,

Energy, and Mechatronics. The course also belongs to Systems Engineering and Industrial and Systems Engineering electives. It is felt to meet ABET EC 2000 Criteria a, b, e, g, i, j, k (also as indicated in the course objectives). Course Outline: The following topics are covered in the course. The alphabet listed within the bracket refers to the ABET criteria. 1. General configuration of measurement and control systems (a) 2. General performance characteristics of instruments (a) 3. Measurement errors, standards, calibration (a, b, e) 4. Motion and dimensional measurements (b, e) 5. Pressure measurements (b, e) 6. Flow measurements (b, e) 7. Temperature and heat-flux measurements (b, e) 8. Electrical quantities and their measurements (b, e) 9. Components of electronic instruments (b, e) 10. Data transmission and interfacing (i, j) 11. Data acquisition and processing (i, j) 12. Introduction to shielding and grounding in instrumentation, EMC, EMI (j, k) Each student participating in the course is supplied with a CD ROM that includes approximately 350 MB of software to be installed, lecture notes, lecture notes from other universities, sensors information, data sheets of analog interface circuits, application notes, samples of old project presentations, and tutorial materials from USA, Canada, Great Britain, and elsewhere. Software applied in simulations The simulation software used in the course includes: EXCEL, PSPICE, and MATLAB with SIMULINK, which are used as follows:

EXCEL is applied to statistical error analysis and to pseudo-random number generation to produce a file for PSPICE in order to generate noise signals and demonstrate noise signal filtering. PSPICE is applied to model sensors and interfaces, A/D and D/A data conversions, analyze signals, and analyze operation of linear and nonlinear systems. MATLAB is helpful in measurement system parameter identification when the system frequency or time-domain system response to excitation signals is given and system parameters have to be determined. First and second order systems are primarily used so the results can also be analytically obtained and discussed.

Selected examples of PSPICE simulations are shown in Figures 1-7 below.

Figure 1: This figure shows a semiconductor diode (base-emitter diode of a transistor) connected to a measurement amplifier composed of three operational amplifiers in order to compensate a DC, establish zero voltage output between 20 and 25 C, and increase sensitivity of the measurement system. The PSPICE capability of the temperature sweep is used in this example.

Figure 2: This figure shows the temperature changes of the sensor voltage (upper line) and the temperature changes of the amplifier output voltage. The output signal has the desired positive slope and includes a DC offset introduced by the amplifier to show out of balance changes where the balance, or zero, is chosen for one temperature.

Figure 3: This figure shows A/D and D/A converters. The input ramp voltage is converted into its equivalent digital binary signal, and this signal is converted back into its analog equivalent signal.

Figure 4: The lower signal (ramp) is the A/D converter input signal. The upper eight waves show the digital representation of the ramp D/A conversion.

Figure 5: Digital signals (the upper eight waves) are applied to the inputs of the D/A converter. The staircase wave shows the reconstructed input ramp signal. The expanded image of the staircase demonstrates the discrete structure of the recovered ramp signal from its digital representation after the first conversion. The A/D and D/A conversions are used in measurement and control systems where a computer is in the loop.

Figure 6: A Second order system step response analyzed by means of PSPICE to verify the system parameters identified from the time-domain response.

Figure 7: The input and output signals of the system.

VII. Fabrication of Sensors for Measurement Sensors play an important role in the measurement of such physical phenomena as pressure, temperature, strain, and humidity. We introduce the fundamental concepts behind sensor fabrication through the Doebelin textbooks chapter on Measurement Systems Applied to Micro and Nanotechnology. Of particular importance are concepts related to Micro-ElectroMechanical systems (MEMs), i.e. the integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators and electronics on a common silicon substrate through micro-fabrication technology. Such devices as MEMS accelerometers have a number of applicationsthey are used in vehicle safety airbag systems, health monitoring, and portable consumer electronics, among other uses. The theory of sensors fabrication on silicon wafer is briefly covered. VII. Projects As previously mentioned, almost all Oakland University graduate students work for local industry, and the practical portions of the currently offered course are based on projects oriented towards the needs of those companies and businesses. Sample topics from recent projects are listed below; Pyrometric Measurements ; Collision Avoidance Radar; Turbine Engine Sensors; Calibration Errors in GPS; Vehicle Speed Signal Analyzers; Hall Effect Sensors ; Tire Pressure Monitor; Measurement of Radiated Susceptibility Using a Reverberation Chamber; Magnetic Angle Sensors; Capacitive MEMS strain gauge. The project results are presented near the end of the semester. Several slides from the presentation related to magnetic angle sensors are shown below (Figures 8-10) to provide a feel for the quality and scope of coverage of the projects. The student constructed a test system for a selected sensor, performed tests, collected data and processed the data in order to analyze the results.

Figure 8: Details of project construction related to an Anisotropic Magnetoresistance (AMR) sensor

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Figure 9: Frequency analysis related to an Anisotropic Magnetoresistance (AMR) sensor.

Figure 10: MEMS capacitive strain gauge VIII. Laboratory Experiments As far as laboratory requirements for the instrumentation and measurement course to date, extant equipment has been used to demonstrate processes of sensor calibration, interfacing and data collection. The available transducer list includes: variable resistance transducers, including strain gauges; variable capacitance transducers ; variable inductance transducers; linear variable differential transformers; optical transducers; temperature transducers ; The transducers and interfaces were manufactured by Feedback Corporation and Hampden Engineering Corporation. Data collection and processing are based on HP measurement instruments controlled by HPVEE software13.

XI. Conclusion One problem that has long been noted in academia is the development of separate silos of disciplines14. Sadly, this occurs even between the separate categories of engineers, including electrical, mechanical, computer, and other types of engineers. Development of a sound measurement and instrumentation course at an undergraduate level would not only prevent mishaps such as the expensive loss of the multimillion dollar Mars orbiter, but would also help tie engineering disciplines together and ultimately allow an ideal mechanism for interfacing with disciplines ranging from medicine to music.

X. References
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