IT 444

Catalog Data: Electronic Instrumentation. (3:2:3) Prerequisites IT 241, IT 344 Design and application of basic sensors and transducers instrumentation to automated manufacturing and control processes. Applications in industrial control and automation.

This class has not been offered for some time and there are no plans to offer it again in the foreseeable future.

Textbook(s): Class notes provided through web page.

Lab Textbook(s):

Recommended Book(s):

 Reference Book(s):

• Dalley, James W.; Riley, William F.; McConnell, Kenneth G., Instrumentation for engineering Measurements 2 nd ed. Wiley 1993

Class website: http://class.et.byu.edu/eet444

Class Coordinator: Richard Helps

Goals:

• Know what a sensor and actuator is.
• Know the processes involved in acquiring data (computer) and controlling systems using sensors and actuators, user interfaces and signal data processing.
• Design a moderately complex sensor/actuator based system
• Be able to explain and use principles of instrumentation signal processing including analog to digital conversion.
• Use modern instrumentation specific software package (Labview)

Prerequisites by topic:

• Basic electronics: simple circuit design and analysis. Be able to calculate currents, voltages and power sufficient for interfacing sensors to transducers.
• Programming experience with a modern structured high-level computer programming language. (C, C++, Java etc.)

Topics:

• Basic concepts of instrumentation. Terminology and definitions. (1)
• Statistics for instrumentation accuracy analysis. (2).
• Signal path (0.5)
• Graphical Instrumentation Systems Design (Labview) (2)
• Resistive sensor technology
• LVDT
• Capacitive and inductive sensors
• Signal conditioning. Op-amps, Wheatstone bridge
• Hall-effect sensing technology
• Piezo sensors
• Force pressure and torque sensors
• Position velocity and acceleration
• Photonic sensing technologies
• Temperature- Thermocouples
• Temperature – thermoresistivity, thermoelectric
• Fluid flow
• Encoders
• DAQ systems

Laboratory projects: The first ten laboratories explore the capabilities of different sensing technologies. The remaining four labs are used by the students to design a multi-sensor system of their own choice. All labs in 305 CTB. Students will also use 345 CTB for Labview homework.

Laboratory assignments:

1. Labview Introduction.
2. Using statistics to evaluate a sensor. Mean, std.dev (variance) precision, curve fitting (straight line and simple curves (polynomials)
3. Position Sensing (resistive)
4. Instrumentation data transmission
5. Hall effect and simple computer processing
6. Sonic Transducers
7. Strain Gauges
8. Pressure, Piezo and acceleration
9. Photonic sensors
10. Thermal Sensors
11. Design and build a complete system involving several instruments or actuators. (4 weeks)

Laboratory equipment: Each of labs 1 through 10 has its own kit of equipment. Lab 11 is dependent on the student-selected project.

Computer Equipment used: Labview software (current version) is used for simulation, analysis and data acquisition. Students perform statistical analyses on all instrument technologies investigated in labs. This requires statistical software. Typical packages used for this include spreadsheets such as Excel and Quattro Pro and whatever analysis package the Statistics department is currently recommending.

Written and oral communication requirements:

• Lab books are used to record and analyze each experiment.
• Presentation and demonstration of final project.
• Formal written report of final project.

Math Analysis: Statistics and linear and polynomial regression is used in several labs. Calculus is used briefly when discussing capacitive and inductive sensors. Calculus is used when discussing PID loops (DAQ).

Library or other Research Projects: Students are required to search through current technical literature in the field, find a new development or application in instrumentation and the write a brief report on their findings.

Life-long Learning Expectations and Experiences: Research project (see above) is intended to acquaint them with outside sources of information and encourage them to use them.

Prepared By: R. Helps

Date Revised: 8 Nov 2001