ME 451
Introduction To Instrumentation & Measurement Systems

Course Description

Function, operation, and application of common mechanical engineering instruments, measurement principles, and statistical analysis. Major elements of measurement systems, including transduction, signal conditioning, and data recording. Function and operation of digital data acquisition systems.

Topics

• Analog signal input, data display and capture, sampling rate, report generation
  
• Image acquisition and analysis, pressure transducers, instrument calibration
  
• Multiple channel sampling, shunt calibration, rigorous data/theory comparison
  
• Digital signal output, continuous data acquisition with instrument control

Learning Outcomes

The student, upon completion of this course, will be able to:

• Describe the operation of transducers for strain, acceleration, pressure, temperature, and fluid flow measurement.
• Select and assemble the components of basic analog and digital data acquisition systems.
• Write simple computer programs for digital data acquisition and process control.
  
• Apply theoretical analysis of time-varying signals to selection of signal conditioning components.
• Conduct uncertainty analysis and perform basic statistical treatment of experimental data.