University of Engineering and Technology Taxila

Mechanical Engineering Department

Lecture No: 01

Course Title: Measurement and

Instrumentation (ME-314)
Tutor: Khalid Masood Khan

Recommended Books
1. Thomas G. Beckwith, John H. Lienhard V
and
Roy D. Marangoni: Mechanical
Measurements,
6th Edition, 2007 Pearson Education
Inc.
2. Richard S. Figliola and Donald E.
Beasley:
Theory and Design for Mechanical

Variable
Variable is the quantity targeted for
measurement
It can be independent or dependent,
continuous or discrete
Engineering variables such as
displacement,
pressure, strain, or temperature are
continuous
Continue

continued
A variable is controlled if it can be
held
at a constant value or at some
prescribed
condition during a measurement
Variables that are not or cannot
be
controlled during measurement
but

Parameter
It is a functional relationship between
variables.
Example is a fan flow coefficient (C1).
C1 = Q / (nd3) = f (Q, n, d)
Where
Q = flow rate
n = fan rotational speed
d = fan diameter

Measurement
The process of quantifying a
parameter
An act of assigning a specific
value to a
physical variable
Objective is to establish the
value or
the tendency of some variable
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Mechanical Measurement
Every thing that exists is related to the
practice of mechanical engineering
The determination of the amount/extent
constitutes the subject of mechanical
measurement
The means to achieve the measurement
may or may not be mechanical
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Significance of Mechanical
Measurement
An essential activity in every branch of
science and technology
Allows monitoring and control of
processes and
operations
Temperatures, flows, pressures, and
vibrational
amplitudes monitored by measurement
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 Allows experimental engineering

analysis
Measurement is one of the important
basic
subjects for engineers and scientists
Measurement and the correct
interpretation
thereof are necessary parts of any
engineering
and development program

continued
All research, design and development is
based on measurement

The experimental element of a product/proc

development is based on measurement

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Experimental Test Plan

Conceptualize the factors that
influence the test
Plan the experiment around these
factors
Define test objectives
Identify process variables,
parameters,
and means for their control

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continued
Define tolerances for errors
Select measurement technique,
equipment,
and test procedure
Plan in advance on how to analyze,
interpret, and present the
expected data

12

True Value and Measured

Value
The input to the measurement
system
is the true value of the variable
called
measurand
Output is the measured value

13

ct/Process of Measurement

Obtaining a quantitative comparison between

a predefined standard and a measurand

The act of measurement produces a result

14

System
A system is composed of
components that work together
to accomplish a specific task.

15

Measurement System

A measurement system is an information syst

which presents an observer with a numerical
value corresponding to the variable being
measured.

Measurement system is meant to include

all components in a chain of hardware
and software that leads from the measured
variable to processed data.
16

easurement System Elements

here are four types and, in a system, one type

element may be missing or may occur more
an once.

17

18

Sensor)
The sensor is a physical element that
uses some natural phenomenon to
sense the variable being measured.
Examples:
. Energy exchange between the liquid
(the
sensor) contained in the bulb of a
thermometer and the surrounding air
is the
input signal

19

continued
Thermocouple is the sensing
element
that measures temperature
Load cell in a strain gauge is the
sensing
element that is used to measure
mechanical
strain
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2. Signal Conditioning Element

(The Transducer)
. The transducer takes output from the
sensing
element and converts it into a form
more
suitable for further processing. The
transduced
signal form might be electrical,
mechanical,
optical, etc.
Continue

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 Transducer may include both

sensing and
signal processing units. Each
element in
the measurement system may
itself be a
system made up of simpler
components.
Continue

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Examples:
Thermal expansion forces the liquid
into the
narrow capillary (transducer) of the
bulb
thermometer. It transforms thermal
information
into a mechanical displacement.
Deflection Bridge converts an
impedance

23

continued
Amplifier amplifies millivolts to volts
Oscillator converts an impedance
change
into a variable frequency voltage

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3. Signal Processing Element

Takes the output of the conditioning
element/ transducer and converts it
into a form more suitable for
presentation.
Example:
. Analogue-to-Digital-Converter
takes
analogue signal as input and
converts it to
digital form for input to a computer.

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4. Data Presentation Element

Presents the measured value in a
form which can be easily recognized
by the observer.
Examples:
. A simple pointer-scale indicator
. Chart recorder
. Alphanumeric display
. Visual display unit
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