Electronic Instrumentation I

Electronic Instrumentation I (223 - 14031)
Bachelor in Industrial Electronics and Automation
Semester 2/Spring Semester
3rd Year/Upper Division

STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE COMPLETED:

Fundamentals of Electronics Engineering
Analog Electronics

Competences and Skills that will be Acquired and Learning Results:

The goal of the course is to allow the student undestanding and being able to desing some parts of most common sensor and conditioning systems in industrial applications.
To achieve this goal, the student must acquire the following competences and skills:
- A knowledge of electronics and optoelectronics sensors
- A knowledge, and ability to use of measurement equipments
- An ability to design basic conditioning circuits for commercial sensors
- An ability to design and evaluate instrumentation systems for different applications
- An ability to select between commercial sensors and their related electronics and optoelectronics instrumentation for measuring different magnitudes

Description of Contents/Course Description:

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 What are instrumentation systems useful for?
1.2 Instrumentation systems blocks
1.3. An example of an instrumentation system

2. TRANSDUCERS
2.1 Definition
2.2 Advantages and disadvantages of electronic sensors
2.3 Active and pasive sensors.
2.4 Clasification.

3. SENSOR CHARACTERISTICS
3.1 Static and dynamic operation regime
3.2. Accuracy
3.3. Calibration curve
3.4. Input and output range
3.5. Sensitivity
3.6. non-linearity
3.7. Resolution
3.8. Hysteresys and other characteristics
3.9. Bandwidth

4. SIGNAL CONDITIONING
4.1 Basic signal conditioning characteristics
4.2 Potentiometric circuit
4.3 Wheastone bridge circuito
4.4 Amplification
4.5. Modulation and demodulation
4.6 Analog to digital conversion
4.7 Instrumentation System

5. TEMPERATURE SENSORS AND SIGNAL CONDITIONING
5.1 Applications
5.2. Mechanic temperatura sensors
5.3. Integrated circuits thermometers and signal conditioning
5.4. Resistive thermometers and signal conditioning
5.5. Thermocouplers
5.6. Different temperature sensors comparison

6. STRAIN SENSORS AND SIGNAL CONDITIONING
6.1. Applications and basic elastic principles
6.2. Operation principles
6.3. Types of extensometers.
6.4. Static characteristics and instalation conditions
6.5. Conditioning circuits

7. LEVEL AND POSITION SENSORS AND SIGNAL CONDITIONING
7.1. Applications and measuring principles
7.2. Resistive potentiometers and signal conditioning
7.3. Hall effect sensors
7.4. Inductive and capacitive sensors and signal conditioning

8. OPTICAL SENSORS AND SIGNAL CONDITIONING
8.1 Light properties. Basic light sources and photometry
8.2. Light detector resistance and signal conditioning
8.3. Photodiodes and phototransistors and signal conditioning
8.4. Solar cells and photomultipliers
8.5. Fiber-optic sensors

Learning Activities and Methodology:

- Theory: lectures 1.5 ECTS.
o Static and dynamic sensor characteristics and theoretical concepts for designing conditing circuits related to the sensor type and application
o Examples on lectures of using theoretical concepts and practical use of commercial sensors, for
being able to select a specific sensor technology depending on the requirements of
the industrial applications (solving new problems as part of lifelong learning recognition)
o Communication skills are enhanced through reading of materials and written reports in
English and Spanish.
- Practical exercises in lectures. 2 ECTS
o Problems are developed for being able to understand commercial sensor datasheets and circuits; students solve them individually or in groups of 2-3 students
o Practical examples on extracting information from calibration curves
o Identification of sensor technologies by analyzing manufacturer data sheets and
installed instrumentation systems
o To extract conclusions, they must also analyze, and interpret data and the following
methodology is used
o teacher provides individual questionnaires related to lab sessions and theoretical
concepts which are fill in by each student,
o there is a discussion and general correction in class;
o afterwards they form groups of 2-3 students and prepare a report to be used in the
session lab,
- Lab sessions. 2,5 ECTS
- Students must design and execute lab experiments with teacher support, such as:
o characterizing temperature and strain sensors,
o strain instrumentation system evaluation
o design on some conditing circuits for temperature and strain measurements
- Being able to use lab instrumentation: oscilloscopes, power sources, voltmeters
- Being able to put to work and instrumentation system from discrete components (sensors, IC amplifiers...) and evaluate their correct performance
- To extract conclusions, they must also analyze, and interpret data, comparing their
results with manufacturer data sheets; and the following methodology is used
o every student group (made up of 2-3 students) prepare a report on expected results
on lab sessions and theoretical concepts to be developed in the lab
o after measuring on the lab, they must analyze and interpret measured data and
prepare a final report
- Students are required to use commercial software and provide solutions to real-world
problems.
- They develop collaborative work, capacity to apply theoretical concepts, and capacity to
make an experiment in time, meeting desired needs.

Assessment System:

The evaluation allows knowing the degree of satisfaction of the knowledge goal, thus all
work of the students will be evaluated by using continuous evaluation of their activities
by using exercises, exams, lab projects, and other activities.
The following scoring will be used:
a) Exercises, reports and related short exam: 8%.
* 1 report by each system or circuit to be developed at the lab sessions (2 reports)
* Evaluation of the report. Each questionnaire is evaluated separately, including solution
adopted, and design. The evaluation should be discussed in public at practical lectures.
* At least there will be an individual exam related to the concepts of the report in classroom.
Afterwards they should elaborate a new memory with corrected results before the lab
session in groups of 2-3 students.
b) Short exams or test on-line or in the classroom: 12%.

*To assess theory concepts, problem solving abilities and knowledge of contemporary
issues affected by unknown commercial sensors.
c) Academic activities with the teacher. Lab experiments: 20%.
* Activities must be delivered on time. A theoretical report with expected results must be
carried to the lab session
* Evaluation of tools usage and circuits and link performance
* Evaluation of the collaborative work of the members distinguishing roles.
A final report with data and measurements interpretation should be delivered by the
group.
* Evaluation of the final report (or lab project memory). Project memory organization and
written correctness should be evaluated.
Responsibility of the result is shared by all members.
As an alternative to the continuous evaluation, a final exam with a total value of 60% of
10 will be made to the students not following continuous evaluation.
d) Final exam with questions and problems: 60%. At least a score of 3.5 out of 10 should be obtained.
* To assess theory concepts, problem solving abilities and knowledge of contemporary
issues affected by novel technologies.

Basic Bibliography:

Clyde F.Coombs Jr.. Electronic Instrument Handbook. McGraw-Hill Professional. 2000
Humphries J.T. Industrial Electronics. Delmar, 1993..
U.A.Bakshi, A.V.Bakshi. Electronic Instrumentation. Technical Publications. 2009