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ME10285: Instrumentation, electronics & electrical drives

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2013/4
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Mechanical Engineering
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment: CW 30%, EX 70%
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: ME10285 Re-Assessment Examination (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: This unit is not normally available to visiting/exchange students.
Further information on descriptions 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.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

ME10285 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • UEME-AFB26 : BEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKB26 : BEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFB01 : BEng (hons) Automotive Engineering (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKB01 : BEng (hons) Automotive Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFB16 : BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKB16 : BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFB41 : BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Advanced Design and Innovation (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKB41 : BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Advanced Design and Innovation (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFB38 : BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKB38 : BEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFM04 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKM04 : MEng (hons) Aerospace Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFM01 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKM01 : MEng (hons) Automotive Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFM16 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKM16 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFM41 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Advanced Design and Innovation (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKM41 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Advanced Design and Innovation (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1
  • UEME-AFM38 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Full-time) - Year 1
  • UEME-AKM38 : MEng (hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 1

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2013/4 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2014/15 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2013/14.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.