UNIT-IV

Measuring Instruments:

 Block diagram, specification and design considerations of different

types of DVMs.
 Spectrum analyzers.
 The IEEE488 or GPIB Interface and protocol.
 Delayed time base oscilloscope and Digital storage oscilloscope.
 Introduction to virtual instrumentation, SCADA.
 Data acquisition system block diagram.

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 UNIT-IV

Measuring Instruments
Introduction:

 Voltmeter is an electrical measuring instrument used to measure the potential difference

between two points.
 The voltage to be measured may be AC or DC. Two types of voltmeters are available for the
purpose of voltage measurement i.e., analog and digital.
 Analog voltmeters generally contain a dial with a needle moving over it according to the
measure and hence displaying the value of the same.
 With time analog voltmeters are replaced by digital voltmeters due to the same advantages
associated with digital systems.
 Although digital voltmeters do not fully replace analog voltmeters, still there are many places
where analog voltmeters are preferred over digital voltmeters.
 The digital voltmeter systems are measuring instruments that convert analog voltage signals
into a digital or numeric readouts.
 A digital voltmeter is also called digital electronic voltmeter, it measures and displays dc or ac
voltages as discrete number instead of a pointer deflection on a continuous scale.
 Such a voltmeter displays measurements of dc or ac voltages as discrete numerals instead of
pointer deflections on a continuous scale as in analog instruments.
Advantages of Digital Voltmeter

1. Due to digital display the human errors like parallax are removed
2. The accuracy is up to ± 0.005 % of the reading.
3. The reading speed is high due to digital display.
4. Compatibility with other digital equipment for further processing and recording.
5. Due to small size, portable.
Block Diagram of DVM

Input signal: It is basically the signal i.e., voltage to be measured.

Pulse generator: Actually, it is a voltage source. It uses digital, analog or both techniques to generate
a rectangular pulse. The width and frequency of the rectangular pulse is controlled by the digital
circuitry inside the generator while amplitude and rise and fall time is controlled by analog circuitry.

AND gate: It gives high output only when both the inputs are high. When a train pulse is fed to it
along with rectangular pulse, it provides us an output having train pulses with duration as same as the
rectangular pulse from the pulse generator.

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 Train pulse

Rectangular pulse

Output of AND gate

NOT gate: It inverts the output of AND gate.

Output of NOT gate

Decimal Display: It counts the numbers of impulses and hence the duration and display the value of
voltage on LED or LCD display after calibrating it.

Working of a Digital Voltmeter

 The Unknown voltage signal is fed to the pulse generator which generates a pulse whose
width is proportional to the input signal.
 Output of pulse generator is fed to one leg of the AND gate.
 The input signal to the other leg of the AND gate is a train of pulses.
 Output of AND gate is positive triggered train of duration same as the width of the pulse
generated by the pulse generator.
 This positive triggered train is fed to the inverter which converts it into a negative triggered
train.
 Output of the inverter is fed to a counter which counts the number of triggers in the duration
which is proportional to the input signal i.e. voltage under measurement.
The working of digital voltmeter that it is nothing but an analog to digital converter which converts an
analog signal into a train of pulses, the number of which is proportional to the input signal. So, a
digital voltmeter can be made by using any one of the A/D conversion methods.

On the basis of A/D conversion method used digital voltmeters can be classified as:

 Ramp type digital voltmeter

 Dual-Slope Integrating Type DVM
 Successive-approximation DVM
 Potentiometer type DVM
 Continuous balance type digital voltmeter

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Ramp Type Digital Voltmeter

 The block diagram of a ramp-type digital Voltmeter consists of voltage-to-time conversion

unit and a time measurement unit.
 The operating principle is to measure the time that a linear ramp takes to change the input
level to the ground level, or vice-versa.
 This time period is measured with an electronic time-interval counter and the count is
displayed as a number of digits on an indicating tube or display.

 At the start of measurement, a ramp voltage is initiated. The ramp voltage can be negative or
positive.

 a negative going ramp, this ramp is continuously compared with the unknown input voltage.
 At the instant that the ramp voltage equals to the unknown voltage to be measured, a
coincidence circuit or comparator generates a pulse to open the gate.

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  The ramp voltage continues to decrease with time until it finally reaches 0 V. At this instant
the ground comparator generates an output pulse to close the gate.
 The time between opening and closing of the gate is Δt as shown in Fig.
 During this time interval pulses from a clock pulse generator pass through the gate and are
counted and displayed.
 An oscillator generates clock pulses which are allowed to pass through the gate to a number
of counting units which totalize the number of pulses passed through the gate.
 The sampling rate multivibrator determines the rate at which the measurement cycles are
initiated.
 The sample-rate circuit provides an initiating pulse for the ramp generator to start its next
ramp voltage.
Advantages of Ramp-Type DVM
1. Circuit is easy to design and low in cost.
2. Output pulse can be transmitted over long distance.
Disadvantages of Ramp-Type DVM
1. Single ramp requires excellent characteristics regarding linearity of ramp and time
measurement.
2. Large errors are possible when noise is superimposed on the input signal.
3. Input filter are required for this type of converter.
Dual-Slope Integrating Type DVM

With the development and perfection of IC modules, the size and power requirement of DVMs have
reduced to a level where they can compete with conventional analog instrument both in price and
portability.

The block diagram of a DVM based on dual-slope technique is shown in Fig. The dual-slope analog-
digital (A-D) converter consists of five basic blocks: an Op-Amp used as an integrator, a level
comparator, a basic clock (for generating timing pulses), a set of decimal counters and a block of logic
circuitry.

Operation:

 The unknown voltage Vx is applied through switch S to the integrator for a known period of
time T as shown in Fig.

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  This period is determined by counting the clock frequency in decimal counters. During time
period T, C is charged at a rate proportional to Vx.
 At the end of time interval T, S is shifted to the reference voltage Vref of opposite polarity.
 The capacitor charge begins to decrease with time and results in a down-ward linear ramp
voltage.
 During the second period a known voltage (i.e., Vref is observed for an unknown time (t).
 This unknown time t is determined by counting timing pulses from the clock until the voltage
across the capacitor reaches its basic reference value (reference may be ground or any other
basic reference level). From similar triangles of Fig.

 The count after ‘t’ which is proportional to the input voltage ‘Vx’ is displayed as the
measured voltage.
 By using appropriate signal conditioners, currents, resistances and ac voltages can be
measured by the same instrument.
 Let time period of clock oscillator be ‘T’ and digital counter has counted the counts ‘n1‘
and ‘n2’during the period ‘t1’ and ‘t2’ respectively, then

Advantages

 Excellent noise rejection as noise and superimposed ac are averaged out during the
process
 of integration.
 The RC time constant does not affect the input voltage measurement.
 Sample and hold circuit is not necessary.
 The accuracy is high and can be readily varied according to the specific requirements.
Disadvantage
The speed of DVM is very slow, as compare to other DVMs.

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Successive-approximation DVM

 The output of the DAC is compared with the unknown voltage by the comparator. The output
of the comparator is applied to the control circuit.
 The control circuit generates the sequence of code which is applied to DAC. Conversion time
is fixed (not depend on the signal magnitude) and relatively fast.
 In successive approximation type DVM, the comparator compares the output of digital to
analog converter with the unknown voltage.
 The comparator provides logic high or low signals.
 The digital to analog converter successively generates the set of pattern signals. The
procedure continues till the output of the digital to analog converter becomes equal to the
unknown voltage.

Advantages

 Very high speed of the order of 100 readings per second possible.
 Resolution up to 5 significant digits is possible.
 Accuracy is high.
Disadvantages

 Circuit is complex.
 Digital to Analog is required.
 Input impedance is variable.
 Noise can be cause error.

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Potentiometer type DVM

A potentiometric type of digital voltmeter employs voltage comparison technique. In this DVM the
unknown voltage is compared with a reference voltage whose value is fixed by the setting of the
calibrated potentiometer.

The potentiometer setting is changed to obtain balance (i.e., null conditions). When null conditions
are obtained, the value of the unknown voltage is indicated by the dial setting of the potentiometer. In
potentiometric type DVMs, the balance is not obtained manually but is arrived at automatically. Thus,
this DVM is, in fact, a self-balancing potentiometer. The potentiometric DVM is provided with a
readout which displays the voltage being measured.

 The unknown voltage is filtered and attenuated to a suitable level.

 This input voltage is applied to a comparator (also known as error detector). This error
detector may be chopper.
 The reference voltage is obtained from a fixed voltage source. This voltage is applied to a
potentiometric R.
 The value of the feedback voltage depends upon the position of the sliding contact. The
feedback voltage is also applied to the comparator.
 The unknown voltage and the feedback are compared in the comparator. The output voltage
of the comparator is the difference of the above two voltages.
 The difference of voltage is called the error signal. The error signal is amplified and is fed to a
potentiometer adjustment device which moves the sliding contact of the potentiometer.
 This magnitude by which the sliding contact moves depends upon the magnitude of the error
signal.
 The direction of movement of slider depends upon whether the feedback voltage is larger or
the input voltage is larger.
 The sliding contact moves to such a place where the feedback voltage equals the unknown
voltage.
 In that case, there will not be any error voltage and hence there will be no input to the device
adjusting the position of the sliding, contact and therefore it (sliding contact) will come to
rest.
 The position of the potentiometer adjustment device at this point is indicated in numerical
form on the digital readout device associated with it.
 Since the position at which no voltage appears at potentiometer adjustment device is the one
where the unknown voltage equals the feedback voltage, the reading of readout device
indicates the value of unknown voltage.

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  The potentiometer adjustment device i.e., the device which moves the sliding contact is a 2-
phase servo motor.
 The reference voltage source must be extremely stable and generally consists of a standard
cell or Zener diode sources.
Continuous Balance Type Digital Voltmeter

 The input voltage is applied to one side of a mechanical chopper comparator, the other side
being connected to the variable arm of a precision potentiometer.
 The output of the chopper comparator, which is driven by the line voltage at the line
frequency rate, is a square wave signal whose amplitude is a function of the difference in
voltages connected to the opposite side of the chopper.
 The square wave signal is amplified and fed to a power amplifier, and the amplified square
wave difference signal drives the arm of the potentiometer in the direction needed to make the
difference voltage zero.
 The servo-motor also drives a mechanical readout, which is an indication of the magnitude of
the input voltage.

Spectrum Analyzers:

• It is an instrument used to display the energy distribution of signal (i.e. Amplitude) as a

function of frequency.
• The electronic instrument, used for analyzing waves in frequency domain is called spectrum
analyzer.
• Basically, it displays the energy distribution of a signal on its CRT screen. Here, x-axis
represents frequency and y-axis represents the amplitude.
Types of Spectrum Analyzers
1. Filter Bank Spectrum Analyzer
2. Superheterodyne Spectrum Analyzer

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Filter Bank Spectrum Analyzer
• The spectrum analyzer, used for analyzing the signals are of AF range is called filter bank
spectrum analyzer, or real time spectrum analyzer because it shows (displays) any variations
in all input frequencies.

 It has a set of band pass filters and each one is designed for allowing a specific band of
frequencies. The output of each band pass filter is given to a corresponding detector.
 All the detector outputs are connected to electronic switch. This switch allows the detector
outputs sequentially to the vertical deflection plate of CRO. So, CRO displays the frequency
spectrum of AF signal on its CRT screen.
Superheterodyne Spectrum Analyzer

• The spectrum analyzer, used for analyzing the signals are of RF range is called
superheterodyne spectrum analyzer.

• The RF signal, which is to be analyzed is applied to input attenuator. If the signal amplitude is
too large, then it can be attenuated by an input attenuator.
• Low Pass Filter (LPF) allows only the frequency components that are less than the cut-off
frequency.
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 • Mixer gets the inputs from Low pass filter and voltage tuned oscillator. It produces an output,
which is the difference of frequencies of the two signals that are applied to it.
• IF amplifier amplifies the Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal, i.e. the output of mixer. The
amplified IF signal is applied to detector.
• The output of detector is given to vertical deflection plate of CRO. So, CRO displays the
frequency spectrum of RF signal on its CRT screen.
• So, we can choose a particular spectrum analyzer based on the frequency range of the signal
that is to be analyzed.
Applications

 For obtaining purity of a signal

 Analyzing modulated signals
 Studying hormonic components of signal
 Finding inter modulation content
Applications in the field of

 Bio-medical
 RADARS
 Oceanography
The IEEE488 or GPIB Interface and protocol

 The Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) has laid out a specification
titled IEEE standard Digital Interface for programmable instrumentation or IEEE-488.
 This specification provides details for a standard interface between a computer and
instruments.
 The IEEE-488 bus or General-purpose interface bus (GPIB) is a tool that is based on the
IEEE specifications.
 The Hewlett-Packard interface bus (HPIB) is a proprietary version of the IEEE-488 bus.
 The digital signals on the IEEE-488 bus are generally similar to TTL (transistor-transistor
logic), i.e. a logic LOW is less than 0.8 V and a logic HIGH is greater than 2.0 V.
 The digital signals can be connected to the instruments through a multiconductor cable up
to 20 meters in length provided that an instrument load is placed every 2 meters.
 Most IEEE-488/GPIB systems operate unrestricted to 250 kilobytes per second or faster
with some restrictions.
 There are two basic configurations for the IEEE-488/GPIB system: (1) linear and (2) star.
 In the linear configuration shown in Fig. (a), a tap-off to the next instrument is taken from
the previous one in series.
 On the other hand, in star configuration shown in Fig. (b), the instruments are connected
from a central point.

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The following Figure shows the basic structure of IEEE-488/GPIB system. The figure indicates four
different devices (i.e. computer, frequency counter, signal generator and digital multimeter) connected
to the bus. The IEEE-488/GPIB system itself consists of three major buses: (1) general interface
management (GIM) bus. (2) data I/O (DIO) bus and (3) data byte transfer (DBT) bus.

1. General Interface Management (GIM) bus: This bus coordinates the whole system and ensures
an orderly flow of data over the data input/output (DIO) bus. This bus has a number of signals
explained below.
IFC (Interface Clear Signal): This signal is used by the controller to place all devices in a
predefined quiescent or standby condition.
ATN (Attention Signal): This signal is used by the computer/controller to let the system know how
data on the DIO bus lines are to be interpreted and which device is to respond to the data.
SRQ (Service Request Signal): This signal is used by a device on the system to ask the
controller for attention. It is basically an interrupt request signal.
REN (Remote Enable Signal): This signal is used by the controller to select between two alternate
sources of device programming data.
EOI (End or Identify Signal): This signal is used by talkers for the following two purposes: (1) it
will follow the end of a multiple byte sequence of data in order to indicate that the data are now
finished. (2) It is also used in conjunction with the ATN signal for polling the system.
2. Data I/O (DIO) bus: This bus is a bidirectional 8-bit data bus that carries data, interface messages
and device-dependent messages between the controller, talkers and listeners. This bus sends
asynchronously in byte-serial format.

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3. Data Byte Transfer (DBT) bus: This bus controls the sending of data along the DIO bus.
There are three signals on this bus as explained below:
DAV (Data Valid Signal): This signal indicates the availability and validity of data on the line. If the
measurement is not finished, for example, the DAV signal will be false.
NRFD (Not Ready for Data Signal): This signal lets the controller know whether or not the specific
device addressed is in a condition to receive data.
NDAC (Not Data Accepted Signal): This signal is used to indicate to the controller whether or not
the device accepted the data sent to it over the DIO bus. Each signal line in the bus has a circuit
similar to the one shown in Fig. As seen from this circuit, each signal line has a pull-up and pull-down
resistors, receiver, and driver-circuits. Besides this each signal line has also a shunt protection diode
and a stray capacitance.

1. Controller: Its function is to communicate device addresses and other inface buses to instruments
in the system.
2. Listener: Its function is to receive commands from other instruments (usually the controller) when
the correct address is placed on the bus. The listener acts on the message received but does not send
back any data to the controller.
3. Talker: Its function is to respond to the message sent to it by the controller. The frequency counter
is an example of a talker.
There is also a combination device the accepts commands from the controller to set up ranges, tasks
etc. and then return data back over the DIO bus to the controller. The digital multimeter an example of
this category.
The IEEE-488 was introduced to the electronic industry in 1977. Since then, it has evolved to IEEE-
488.1 in 1987 and further to IEEE-488.2 in 1990. At present the system allows the control upto 14
instruments and it has data transfer rate greater than 1 M bytes/s.
The signals defined for the three buses in the IEEE-488/GPIB systems are implemented as conductors
in a system interface cable.
Each IEEE-488/GPIB compatible instrument will have a female 36 pin Amphenol-style connector on
the rear panel. The pin-out definitions are given in Table.

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Delayed Time Base Oscilloscope

In this oscilloscope, the input signal of the vertical plates is delayed by some finite time with delay
circuit. The signal before the delay circuit is applied to the trigger time base circuit to the horizontal
section as shown in Fig.1. This allows the study of all leading or lagging edges of a pulse type
waveform.

The triggering of time base input signal sweep starts in time. In vertical section the sweep is triggered
and delayed waveform is displayed as shown in Fig.2.

The delayed time base oscilloscope uses two-time base generators. One is normal time base while the
other one is an additional time base generator. The additional time base generator is superimposed on
the additional time base generator output. Due to this additional time base the waveform can be
brightened when oscilloscope is running on a normal time base.

The block diagram of delayed time base oscilloscope is shown in Fig.3. As seen in the figure, it uses
main time base and delayed time base circuit.

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  The normal time base circuit is for main time base circuits which works the same as in other
oscilloscopes.
 The main time base unbalancing circuit produces an unbalancing pulse which is applied to
CRT grid to turn on an electron beam in the CRT during the sweep time.
 The ramp output of the main time base is applied to the vertical comparator and to the
horizontal deflection amplifier through the switch.
 The other input to the voltage comparator is derived from the potentiometer whose level is
adjustable.
 When the levels of ramp output of main time base and trigger level set by potentiometer are
equal then the voltage comparator produce a negative or positive output spike at that instant.
 This spike triggers the delayed time base circuit. The main time base and delayed time base
unbalancing circuit produces an unbalancing pulse during the ramp time of delayed time base.
 The unbalancing pulse from these is applied to the summing circuit and then applied to the
CRT.
Applications
1. It is used to extend any part of the waveform on the entire screen of the oscilloscope and
make it bright to analyze the desired portion of the waveform.
2. The rising and falling edges of the pulses are investigated with delayed time-based
oscilloscope.
Digital storage oscilloscope:

 We know about the cathode ray oscilloscope which is used for the display and analysis of
different types of waveforms of electronic signals in the electronics and electrical circuits.
 The DSO is also one type of oscilloscope, used to display the waveform, but the difference
between CRO and DSO is that in DSO, the digital signal is converted into analog and that
analog signal will be displayed on the screen of the digital storage oscilloscope.
 In the conventional CRO, there is no procedure for the storage of the waveform but in DSO,
there is a digital memory that is going to store the digital copy of the waveform.
Definition: The digital storage oscilloscope is an instrument which gives the storage of a digital
waveform or the digital copy of the waveform. It allows us to store the signal or the waveform in the
digital format, and in the digital memory also it allows us to do the digital signal processing
techniques over that signal.

The maximum frequency measured on the digital signal oscilloscope depends upon two things they
are: sampling rate of the scope and the nature of the converter. The traces in DSO are bright, highly
defined, and displayed within seconds.

Block Diagram of Digital Storage Oscilloscope

 The block diagram of the digital storage oscilloscope consists of an amplifier, digitizer,
memory, analyzer circuitry.
 Waveform reconstruction, vertical plates, horizontal plates, cathode ray tube (CRT),
horizontal amplifier, time base circuitry, trigger, and clock.
 The block diagram of the digital storage oscilloscope is shown in the below figure.

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  As seen in the above figure, at first digital storage oscilloscope digitizes the analog input
signal, then the analog input signal is amplified by amplifier if it has any weak signal.
 After amplification, the signal is digitized by the digitizer and that digitized signal stores in
memory.
 The analyzer circuit process the digital signal after that the waveform is reconstructed (again
the digital signal is converted into an analog form) and then that signal is applied to vertical
plates of the cathode ray tube (CRT).
 The cathode ray tube has two inputs they are vertical input and horizontal input. The vertical
input signal is the ‘Y’ axis and the horizontal input signal is the ‘X’ axis.
 The time base circuit is triggered by the trigger and clock input signal, so it is going to
generate the time base signal which is a ramp signal.
 Then the ramp signal is amplified by the horizontal amplifier, and this horizontal amplifier
will provide input to the horizontal plate. On the CRT screen, we will get the waveform of the
input signal versus time.
 The digitizing occurs by taking a sample of the input waveform at periodic intervals. At the
periodic time interval means, when half of the time cycle is completed then we are taking the
samples of the signal.
 The process of digitizing or sampling should follow the sampling theorem. The sampling
theorem says that the rate at which the samples are taken should be greater than twice the
highest frequency present in the input signal.
 When the analog signal is not properly converted into digital then there occurs an aliasing
effect.
 When the analog signal is properly converted into digital then the resolution of the A/D
converter will be decreased.
 When the input signals stored in analog store registers can be read out at a much slower rate
by the A/D converter, then the digital output of the A/D converter stored in the digital store,
and it allows operation up to 100 mega samples per second.
DSO Operation Modes

The digital storage oscilloscope works in three modes of operations they are roll mode, store mode,
and hold or save mode.

Roll Mode: In roll mode, very fast varying signals are displayed on the display screen.

Store Mode: In the store mode the signals stores in memory.

Hold or Save Mode: In hold or save mode, some part of the signal will hold for some time and then
they will be stored in memory.

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Waveform Reconstruction

There are two types of waveform reconstructions they are linear interpolation and sinusoidal
interpolation.

Linear Interpolation: In linear interpolation, the dots are joined by a straight line.

Sinusoidal Interpolation: In sinusoidal interpolation, the dots are joined by a sine wave.

Difference Between Digital Storage Oscilloscope and Conventional Storage Oscilloscope

The difference between DSO and the conventional storage oscilloscope or analog storage oscilloscope
(ASO) is shown in the below table.

S.No Digital Storage Oscilloscope Conventional Storage Oscilloscope

1 The digital storage oscilloscope collects data After triggering only, the conventional storage
always oscilloscope collects data
2 The cost of the tube is cheap The cost of the tube is costlier
3 For higher frequency signals the DSO produce For higher frequency signals the ASO cannot produce
bright images bright images
4 The resolution is higher in digital storage The resolution is lower in conventional storage
oscilloscope oscilloscope
5 In DSO an operating speed is less In ASO an operating speed is less

Applications

The applications of the DSO are

 It checks faulty components in circuits

 Used in the medical field
 Used to measure capacitor, inductance, time interval between signals, frequency and time
period
 Used to observe transistors and diodes V-I characteristics
 Used to analyze TV waveforms
 Used in video and audio recording equipment’s
 Used in designing
 Used in the research field
 For comparison purpose, it displays 3D figure or multiple waveforms
 It is widely used an oscilloscope

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Advantages

 Portable
 Have the highest bandwidth
 The user interface is simple
 Speed is high

Disadvantages

 Complex
 High cost

Data Acquisition System Block Diagram

Introduction

 Data acquisition system (DAS) is a computerized system that collects data from the real
world, converts it into the form of electrical signals and do required processing on it for
storage, and presentation on computers.
 The complete system is controlled and operated by a software application. This software
application is developed by using general-purpose high-level programming languages like C,
C++, java, etc.
 These systems are used in industrial and commercial fields. They are used for collecting,
storing and processing of data.
The data acquisition system can be divided into two types:

 Analog data acquisition system

 Digital data acquisition system
The analog data acquisition system gives an analog output whereas the digital data acquisition system
gives a digital output.

Analog DAS is used when wide frequency width is required or when lower accuracies can be
tolerated.

Digital DAS is used when physical quantity being monitored has a narrow bandwidth (i.e., when the
quantity varies slowly). Also, high accuracy and low per channel cost are required. These are more
complex than analog DAS.

The digital data have more advantages over analog data. Some of those are:

 easy and fast processing,

 easy and fast transmission,
 easy to display,
 less storage space is required,
 more accurate.
Due to these advantages, mostly the digital data acquisition system is preferred.

Block Diagram

A generalized data acquisition system block diagram is shown in Figure.

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Transducers: They are converting physical quantities (such as temperature, pressure, etc.) into
electrical quantities, or measuring electrical quantities directly. They collect data from the physical
world.

The most commonly used transducers are:

 RTDs, thermocouples, and thermistors for temperature measurements.

 Photosensors for light measurements.
 Strain gages, piezoelectric transducers for force and pressure measurements.
 Microphone for sound measurements.
 Potentiometer, LVDT, optical encoder for position and displacement measurements.
Signal Conditioning Unit: The signal produced by the transducers may or may not be very suitable
for our system to work properly. It may be very weak, very strong or may have some noise.

To convert this signal into the most suitable form, amplification, and filtration is done respectively by
signal conditioning unit. So, the signal conditioning unit converts electrical signals in the most
suitable form.

Multiplexer: The multiplexer receives multiple analog inputs and provides a single output signal
according to the requirements.

If a separate channel is used for each quantity, the cost of installation, maintenance, and periodic
replacement becomes high. Therefore, a single channel is used which is shared by various quantities.

Analog to Digital (A/D) Converters: The data is converted into digital form by A/D converters.

After the conversion of data into digital form, it is displayed with the help of oscilloscopes, numerical
displays, panel meters to monitor the complete system.

Also, the data can be either permanently or temporarily stored or recorded according to the
requirement. The data is recorded on optical, ultraviolet, stylus or ink recorders for future use.

Applications

The data acquisition system is used in industrial and scientific fields like aerospace, biomedical and
telemetry industries.

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