Introduction
ME 341
MEASUREMENT
&
INSTRUMENTATION
Engr. Sana Ullah
Department of Mechanical Engg. University of
Engineering & Technology Peshawar
engrsanaullah@[Link]
Grading Policy:
• Mid-term: 25%
• Final: 50%
• Quizzes: 07%
• Assignments: 05%
• CEP: 10%
• Attendance: 03%
Attendance Policy:
You are required to attend all the classes, because class attendance will
significantly help you understand the material and prepare for the exams.
That's why there is small percentage of sessional grading for attendance.7
Introduction to Measurement
Measurement is actually the process of estimating the values, i.e. the
physical quantities like; time, temperature, weight, length etc. and is
represented in the form of some standard units. So, “Measurement is
the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement. If you
can't measure something, you can't understand it. If you can't understand it,
you can't control it. If you can't control it, you can't improve it.”
Measurement (also called Metrology) is the science of collecting information
from a physical world through instruments and hence these estimated values
are actually compared against the agreed Standard Quantities of the same
type.
The term measuring system includes all components in a chain of hardware
and software that leads from the measured variable to the processed data.
Knowledge of the instruments available for various measurements , how they
operate, and how they interface with other parts of the system is essential for
every engineer.
Modern engineering systems rely heavily on a magnitude of sensors
for monitoring and control to achieve optimum operation
9
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation is the technology of measurement. The term
instrumentation refers to a collective term for Measuring
Instruments which help us measure objects and maintain control
of a process
Precision is a term that describes an instrument’s degree of
freedom from random errors (How closely the results agree with
each other)
10
Measurement Units
Physical Characteristic
◦ Qualitative Aspect
◦ Quantitative Aspect
Fundamental units
Derived units
11
Measurement Units
12
Physical Variables
• Temperature
• Pressure
• Light intensity
• Displacement
• Speed
• Level
• Flow-rate
13
Derived or Secondary
14
METHODS OF MEASUREMENT
• The measurement of an unknown physical quantity (measurand)
involves both the magnitude of a value and the unit of measurement,
e.g. The voltage is measured 10 V
Unit of measurement,
Magnitude (volts)
• Different methods employed to measure a quantity, namely:
Direct Comparison Method:
• Measurand is directly compared with primary or secondary standard,
e.g. length of a bar is measured with measuring scale or tape which
acts secondary standard. Expressed as num. value & a unit, let say 2m
• The primary standard need not to be known as secondary standards
are made from them.
• Direct comparison method of measurement is not always accurate
due to the involvement of human factors.
• The length can be measured to great degree of accuracy as compared
to mass
Indirect Method:
• Indirect method for measurement is preferred so that to overcome
the drawbacks of direct comparison method.
• This method measures quantities which cannot be measured
directly.
• It consists of a system (transducer coupled to a number of connecting
apparatus) that senses, converts, and finally presents an analog
output in the form of chart or displacement.
• Instruments, the man-made devices, are used as physical means
of determining the magnitude of a quantity/variable; and are
designed to keep the prescribe relation (transfer function, TF)
between the parameters being measured and physical variable
under investigation.
In Continuous system, the TF may be linear or non-linear
y = electrical signal
𝒚 = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝒙 x = physical stimulus
a = output signal for a zero input
b = slope, sensitivity
• Instruments are designed and manufactured as: Analog, digital,
or hybrid.
• The electronic instrument, having relatively simple construction, is
based on electrical or electronic principles for its measurement
function.
e.g. Basic dc current meter
Measurement System
• A measuring system exists to provide information about the physical
value of some variable being measured.
• In simple cases, the system can consist of only a single unit that
gives an output reading or signal according to the magnitude of the
unknown variable applied to it
• It has its input the quantity being measured and its output the
value of that quantity
Example: A temperature measurement system, a thermometer, has
an input of temperature and an output of a number on a scale
Output
Input
THERMOMETER
Temperature Number On A Scale
18
Measurement System Applications
What do we measure by Measurement Systems?
Monitoring of a process or operation to indicate its state or condition
Examples:
i. Monitoring environmental conditions such as: Temp, humidity,
pressure etc.
ii. Measurement of temperature and pressure at various points for
the progress of chemical reactions.
iii. Patient monitoring in hospitals (blood pressure, heart beat,
temperature) etc.
iv. In vehicles various instruments are incorporated to indicate speed,
fuel left in tank, engine temperature etc
19
Measurement System Applications
Process Control
Automatic control systems incorporate measuring instruments at various stages
of the process
Data Recording
This is the recording of data for experimentation /storage and later use for
analysis
20
