Instrumentation and Measurement

Code:

L.EEC030

Acronym:

IM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Systems Electronics and Digital Systems

Instance: 2021/2022 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L.EEC	123	Syllabus	3	-	6	52
M.EEC	8	Syllabus	1	-	6	52	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

This Curricular Unit aims to develop fundamental skills in measuring quantities and signals of current interest in the various fields of engineering and in conceiving and designing electrical and electronic devices and equipment for measurement and instrumentation.

Thus faced with a problem of measuring an electric or non electric quantity, the student should be able to select, define and evaluate themeasurement method and the most appropriate components, equipments, procedures and programs, as well as to design the respective measurement chain or instrumentation system.

It is also intended that the activity performed by students under this course promotes knowledge of business and professional activity in Electrical Engineering in the field of Instrumentation and Measurement.

Learning outcomes and competences

In order to achieve the above mentioned aim, students should develop the skills outlined below.
Specific technical skills:

• mastery of technical concepts of measurement, instrumentation and use of their technologies;
• development of reasoning in analyzing and solving measurement problems systematically and accurately;
• development of design, implementation and test skills of instrumentation for specific applications.

Other skills:

• development of skills for experimental team work by performing laboratory and project work;
• development of written and oral technical communication skills.

Learning outcomes are assessed from the capabilities to:

• explain and analyze operating principles of electronic devices in typical situations of measurement and instrumentation
• properly use electronic and virtual instruments in experimental measurements of electrical quantities and signals and evaluate possible sources of error
• apply knowledge on sensors and instruments for measuring non-electrical quantities and signals of current interest
• interpret the specifications of the major components of the measuring chain, in particular conditioning circuitry, analog-digital converters and the most important non-electrical transducers
• characterize a measurement problem and prepare requirements and technical specifications
• conceive, design, implement and validate measurement systems and instrumentation for specific applications
• organize and prepare technical documentation related to a method or instrument and apply methods for evaluating the quality of measurement.

Working method

Presencial

Program

Fundamentals of measurement and instrumentation

• SI units and quantities
• Organization of an instrumentation system
• General characteristics: static and dynamic

Analog to digital conversion and Virtual instrumentation

• Signal sampling: Sampling theorem; aliasing phenomenon
• Signal digitization and reconstruction: quantization, resolution, number of bits, digitization errors
• Encoding: direct and complementary binary
• A/D and D/A converters: methods and technologies

Signals Conditionning

• Notions of attenuation, amplification and filtering
• Differential and instrumentation amplifier
• Design of active filters, anti-aliasing filters and other classic filters
• Conditioning and signal integrity in measurement

Measurement of Quantities and Signals

• Signal characterization: period, frequency, average value, effective value
• Measurement of voltage, current, power and electrical energy
• Measurement of resistance, impedance, capacitance and inductance
• Analog and digital instrumentation: multiscale multimeter, digital counters

Transduction, Sensors and Measurement chain

• Principles of transduction, sensors and measurement of non-electrical quantities
• Measurement chain, analog and digital measurement relationships, sensitivity and errors
• Measurement chain design

Measurement quality assessment

• Characterization of measurement quality
• Measurement error and calculation of measurement errors
• Measurement uncertainties

Mandatory literature

Aurélio Campilho; Instrumentação electrónica: Métodos e técnicas de medição, 2a Edição, FEUP Edições, 2013. ISBN: 978-972-752-163-0

Complementary Bibliography

John Essick; Hands-on introduction to LabVIEW for scientists and engineers. ISBN: 978-0-19-537395-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures where the theoretical concepts are presented, and application problems are solved and discussed in the classroom or remote learning.
Laboratory classes where several laboratory assignments will be carried out in person with the instructors support.

Software

Multisim
Matlab
Labview

keywords

Physical sciences > Physics > Metrology
Technological sciences > Technology > Measurement technology
Technological sciences > Technology > Instrumentation technology > Sensors
Technological sciences > Technology > Instrumentation technology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	5,00
Trabalho laboratorial	30,00
Exame	40,00
Trabalho escrito	10,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	15,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	104,00
Frequência das aulas	26,00
Trabalho laboratorial	26,00
Trabalho escrito	6,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Laboratory classes (in lab or e-learning) are mandatory and subject to the regulations regarding the maximum number of allowable absences.

The justification of an absence does not eliminate the respective work from the count for the purpose of classification, and students must carry out the respective work in another class or in extra-curricular time, provided that it is authorized by the teacher and accompanied by the technician responsible for the laboratories.

Students have to attain a minimum grade of 10 out of 20 in the laboratory work assessment for it to be considered complete.

Students with approval in the laboratory component obtained in previous years can maintain this classification, and should not enroll in laboratory classes.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final grade is the average of two grades, corresponding to the theorecital and laboratory components of the course.

The grades for each of the components are evaluated as follows:

1 - Theoretical component  (50%):

• Exam grade = 40%
• Average of Written Essay (Knowledge Integration Challenges) = 10%

2 - Laboratory component (50%), divided into:

• Average of lab assignments grades = 30%
• Project evaluation = 15%
• Student participation, attendance, etc. = 5%

Minimum passing grade: at least 9.5 marks in 20 at each of the two components mentioned above.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Written assignments are answered individually and consist of solving problems available throughout the semester, at the end of 4 of the main topics taught in theoretical classes.

The attendance of laboratory classes is evaluated based on participation and performance in classes, written answers to questions, demonstration and report of the project carried out (with the weights indicated above).

Special season exams (completion of course or others) follow the rule applicable to regular and resit exams.

Internship work/project

A mini-project of a complete measurement chain will be carried out in laboratory classes.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Laboratory work is compulsory to all students. Students with a special status will also have a chance to do the assignments (at an adequate time for them). Nevertheless, they will be assessed just like the other regular students.

Classification improvement

Of the theoretical component through the completion of exam at a later appropriate period for that purpose. The weighting of the written work component will pass to the exam.

Of the laboratory component by performing all laboratory activities of this component in the following school year.

Observations

Any practices detected and identified as fraudulent or improper that violate the provisions of the "Ethical Code of Academic Conduct for the University of Porto" will be reported.