Department of Mechanical Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2011/12 |
|
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Certificate (FHEQ level 4) |
| Period: |
Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| CW 30%, EX 70% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | ME10285 Re-Assessment Examination (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| This unit is not normally available to visiting/exchange students. |
| Description:
| Aims: To provide an introduction to measurement, instrumentation and signal processing. To provide an introduction to electromagnetic actuation systems. Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: Match an indicating instrument or data recorder to a given signal source and estimate the accuracy of the indicated output. Select a suitable transducer type for a particular measurement application. Describe the shielding and guarding techniques that are necessary to keep extraneous signals in the environment from affecting the signals in a measurement system. Understand the basic amplification circuits used for instrumentation. Understand the basic operation of electromagnetic machines, including DC motors, and three phase induction motors. Select appropriate drives for simple applications. (i) understand the characteristics of elementary AC circuits and components. (ii) be able to use strain gauges, LVDTs and accelerometers. Skills: Problem solving; numeracy; written communication; working independently. Content: Transducers, strain gauges: operating principles, characteristics, selection based on application requirements. Measurement of voltage, current and resistance. Use of bridge circuits. Matching of instruments to signal sources. Thevenin's theorem. Explanation of concepts of accuracy, systematic and random errors, noise, linearity and repeatability of measurements. Signal amplification; amplifier types, signal buffers and instrumentation amplifiers.. Brief description of guarding and shielding techniques. A-D conversion, data presentation. Electromagnetic energy conversion - electromagnetic induction, Faraday's laws. Motor types, with detailed operating characteristics of DC and induction motors. Rated motor data and voltage-speed-torque- relationships. Elements of AC theory, capacitors and inductors, mutual inductance, transformers. The linearly variable differential transformer (LVDT) application and associated instrumentation. Accelerometers. AC characteristics, basic high pass and low pass filters, band-width, signal-to-noise ratio. Electrical noise reduction by bandwidth control. AC bridges, advantages of narrow bandwidth amplification and detection. |
| Programme availability: |
ME10285 is Compulsory on the following programmes:Department of Mechanical Engineering
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