Ultimate Guide to Measurement and Instrumentation: Article Index



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Fundamentals of Measurement Systems [1]

Instrument Types and Performance Characteristics [2]

Measurement Uncertainty [3]

Measuring Sensors and Instruments: Calibration [4]

Data Acquisition with LabVIEW [5]

Signal Processing with LabVIEW [6]

Electrical Indicating and Test Instruments [7]

Measurement Data: Display, Recording, and Presentation [8]

Variable Conversion Elements [9]

Measurement Signal Transmission [10]

Intelligent Devices [11]

Measurement Reliability and Safety Systems [12]

Sensor Technologies [13]

Temperature Measurement [14]

Pressure Sensors [15]

Flow Measurement: [16. Note: 14 and 16 are rev'd]

Level Measurement: [17]

Mass, Force, & Torque Measurement [18]

Translational Motion, Vibration, and Shock Measurement [19]

Rotational Motion Transducers [20]


The overall aim of the guide is to present the topics of sensors and instrumentation, and their use within measurement systems, as an integrated and coherent subject. Measurement systems, and the instruments and sensors used within them, are of immense importance in a wide variety of domestic and industrial activities. The growth in the sophistication of instruments used in industry has been particularly significant as advanced automation schemes have been developed. Similar developments have also been evident in military and medical applications.

Unfortunately, the crucial part that measurement plays in all of these systems tends to get overlooked, and measurement is therefore rarely given the importance that it deserves. For example, much effort goes into designing sophisticated automatic control systems, but little regard is given to the accuracy and quality of the raw measurement data that such systems use as their inputs. This disregard of measurement system quality and performance means that such control systems will never achieve their full potential, as it is very difficult to increase their performance beyond the quality of the raw measurement data on which they depend.

Ideally, the principles of good measurement and instrumentation practice should be taught throughout the duration of engineering courses, starting at an elementary level and moving on to more advanced topics as the course progresses. With this in mind, the material contained in this guide is designed both to support introductory courses in measurement and instrumentation, and also to provide in-depth coverage of advanced topics for higher-level courses. In addition, besides its role as a student course text, it is also anticipated that the guide will be useful to practicing engineers, both to update their knowledge of the latest developments in measurement theory and practice, and also to serve as a guide to the typical characteristics and capabilities of the range of sensors and instruments that are currently in use.

As is normal with measurement texts, the principles and theory of measurement are covered in the first set of SECTIONs and then subsequent SECTIONs cover the ranges of instruments and sensors that are available for measuring various physical quantities. This order of coverage means that the general characteristics of measuring instruments, and their behavior in different operating environments, are well established before the reader is introduced to the procedures involved in choosing a measurement device for a particular application. This ensures that the reader will be properly equipped to appreciate and critically appraise the various merits and characteristics of different instruments when faced with the task of choosing a suitable instrument.

It should be noted that, while measurement theory inevitably involves some mathematics, the mathematical content of the guide has deliberately been kept to the minimum necessary for the reader to be able to design and build measurement systems that perform to a level commensurate with the needs of the automatic control scheme or other system that they support. Where mathematical procedures are necessary, worked examples are provided as necessary throughout the guide to illustrate the principles involved. Self-assessment questions are also provided at the end of each SECTION to enable readers to test their level of understanding.

The earlier SECTIONs are organized such that all of the elements in a typical measurement system are presented in a logical order, starting with data acquisition from sensors and then proceeding through the stages of signal processing, sensor output transuding, signal transmission, and signal display or recording. Ancillary issues, such as calibration and measurement system reliability, are also covered. Discussion starts with a review of the different classes of instruments and sensors available, and the sorts of applications in which these different types are typically used. This opening discussion includes analysis of the static and dynamic characteristics of instruments and exploration of how these affect instrument usage.

A comprehensive discussion of measurement uncertainty then follows, with appropriate procedures for quantifying and reducing measurement errors being presented. The importance of calibration procedures in all aspects of measurement systems, and particularly to satisfy the requirements of standards such as ISO9000 and ISO14000, is recognized by devoting a full SECTION to the issues involved. The principles of computer data acquisition are covered next, and a comprehensive explanation is given about how to implement this using industry-standard LabVIEW software. After this, signal processing using both analogue and digital filters is explained, with implementation using LabVIEW software in the digital case. Then, after a SECTION covering the range of electrical indicating and test instruments that are used to monitor electrical measurement signals, the following SECTION discusses the display, recording, and presentation of measurement data. A SECTION is then devoted to presenting the range of variable conversion elements (transducers) and techniques that are used to convert non-electrical sensor outputs into electrical signals, with particular emphasis on electrical bridge circuits. The problems of measurement signal transmission are considered next, and various means of improving the quality of transmitted signals are presented. This is followed by a discussion of intelligent devices, including the digital computation principles used within them, and the methods used to create communication mechanisms between such devices and the other components within a measurement system. To conclude the set of SECTIONs covering measurement theory, a SECTION is provided that discusses the issues of measurement system reliability, and the effect of unreliability on plant safety systems. This discussion also includes the important subject of software reliability, since computational elements are now embedded in most measurement systems.

The subsequent SECTIONs covering the measurement of particular physical variables are introduced by a SECTION that reviews the various different technologies that are used in measurement sensors. The SECTIONs that follow provide comprehensive coverage of the main types of sensors and instruments that exist for measuring all the physical quantities that a practicing engineer is likely to meet in normal situations. However, while the coverage is as comprehensive as possible, the distinction is emphasized between (a) instruments that are current and in common use, (b) instruments that are current but not widely used except in special applications, for reasons of cost or limited capabilities, and (c) instruments that are largely obsolete as regards new industrial implementations, but are still encountered on older plant that was installed some years ago. As well as emphasizing this distinction, some guidance is given about how to go about choosing an instrument for a particular measurement application.


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Updated: Tuesday, December 31, 2019 15:12 PST