Instrumentation and

Measurement Techniques

Performance of measurement
 Objective

•Defining terms of performance of measurement

systems
•Reliability of measurement system
•Discuss the requirement of measurement system
Function of Instruments & Measurement
Systems
Indicating instruments :Meter display, digital
display
Example: speedometer in car, pressure gauge

Recording function : Data Keeping

Example: Printer, magnetic disc

Controlling function :Temperature, position, speed,

liquid level, flow control.
 Performance assessment
• An ideal measuring system is one where the output
signal has a linear relationship with the measurand.
• Error is the difference between the indicated value
and the true value.
• Measuring and control system performance can be
examined in two ways ,
• Static performance –when steady or constant input
signals are applied
• Dynamic performance – when changing input signals
are applied
 Static Performance Indication
• Static sensitivity is defined as the ratio of the
change in output to the corresponding change
in input under static or steady state conditions,
• For a system having static sensitivities of K1
,K2,K3 ……, the overall system sensitivity is
given by
 Static Performance Indication
• Dynamic performance of both measuring and control
system is specified by response to certain standard
test inputs
• Step input- abrupt change from one steady value to
another ,will give the transient response
• Ramp input –which varies linearly with time, will
give the ramp response
• Sine wave input – will give the frequency response
Terms of performance of measurement
•True value •Reliability
•Measured value •Hysterisis
•Nominal value •Resolution
•Static error •Response time
•Relative static error •Life time
•Accuracy •Frequency response
•Precision •Switching time
•Sensitivity •Bandwidth
 True value

•The real numerical unit.

•It is almost impossible to obtain in
practice.

For example:
Light speed = 299792458.63… m/s
 Measured value

•Value indicated by an instrument.

•It should always follow by its uncertainty
in measurement

For example:
l = (3.5± 0.1) cm
R = (102.5 ± 0.2) Ω
 Nominal value

•Value of the quantity specified by

the manufacturer
•It follows by tolerance
For example:
l = 3.5cm ± 10%
R = 10k Ω ± 5%
(True value is between 9.9k Ω and 10.1k Ω)
 Static error

•The different between the measured

value and the true value of the
quantity.

δA = Am - At
δA = static error
Am = measured value
At = true value
 Relative Static error

•The ratio of static error to true value

εr= δA/ At
εr= (Am - At )/ At
εr = relative static error
 Accuracy
•Closeness with which an instrument
reading approaches the true value of
the quantity measured
Example:
Reading from instrument A, l = 3.82cm
Reading from instrument B, l = 3.91 cm
True value, l = 3.90cm
Conclusion: Instrument B is more accurate.
 Precision

•It is a measure of reproducibility of the

measurement
•It composed of 2 characteristics:
a) Conformity

b) Number of significant figures

Instrument A, l= 3.82, 3.82, 3.81, 3.82…

Instrument B, l = 3.82, 3.84, 3.83, 3.80…
Conclusion: Instrument A is more precise.
 Accuracy and Precision

True value, l = 1.50mm

Instrument A, l = 1.475mm
Instrument B, l = 1.49mm

Conclusion:
Instrument A is more precise
Instrument B is more accurate
Accuracy and Precision
 Sensitivity
The ratio of the magnitude of the output
signal or response to a change the magnitude
of input signal.
 Example
A wheastone bridge requires a change of 7Ω
in an unknown arm of the bridge to produced
a change in deflection of the galvanometer.
Determine the sensitivity

Sensitivity = magnitude of output response

Magnitude of input

= 3mm = 0.429 mm/Ω

7Ω
 Hysterisis
A phenomenon which depicts/shows the
difference in output when loading and
unloading

Cause: friction, backslash,elastic deformation,

magnetic and thermal effects.
Resolution/ Discrimination
The smallest increment in input which can
be detected with certainty by an instrument
Example:
A mercury thermometer react every 0.5°C
of changes of ambient temperature.
This thermometer won’t have any reaction
if the changes of temperature is 0.4°C
And it only move a step if the changes of
temperature is 0.6°C
 Response time
The period of time which from it sensing
till it reach to steady state condition.
Example:
A mercury thermometer react every 0.5°C
of changes of ambient temperature which
require 1.5s to settle.
If the temperature change rapidly every 1s,
then this thermometer will never could
gives a proper value.
 Frequency response
The minimum time that an instrument can
sense an instantaneous changes.

Example:
our eyes cannot see light photon because
the rapidly moving of photons is much
more faster than our brain processing time.
 Switching time
The best on-off time for a switching
device which is distortion free.

Example:
For a device which require 2s to charge up
and 3s to discharge. Hence the switching
time must be always larger than 5s.
 Bandwidth
A range of frequency that can sense by an
instrument.

Example:
The bandwidth of our ears is from 20Hz to
20kHz. Any sound that outside this range is
undetectable.
 Others

• Range – the limit within which the input can vary-

resisted thermometer can be quoted to have range of -
200 to + 800 degree celcius
• Dead band or dead space is used for range where
there is no output
• Stability –ability of system to give the same output
when used to measure a constant input over a period
of time.
• Dynamic characteristics – are characteristics of
measurement that are time dependent
 Reliability

A period of an instrument that maintain its

accuracy and precision.

Example:
After two years of using an instrument…
Accuracy of Instrument A drop 1%
Accuracy of Instrument B drop 5%
Conclusion: Instrument A is more reliable
 Requirement
• Fitness of purpose – measurement to predefined
accuracy
• Calibration – comparing output with the standards
-Company standard
-National standards
calibration records normally include: Reference
number, calibrations data, calibration result,
frequency of calibration,, repair and modification
information , limitation
 National Standards
• National standards are defined my international agreement maintain by
national establishment like national physics laboratory in great Britain, and
national bureau of standards in the US.
Primary standards Mass:
• Length
• Time
• Current
• Temperature
• Luminous intensity
• Amount of substance

Supplementary standards:
• Plane angle
• Solid angle
Safety system
Indicated value − True value
x 100%
True value

Error Calculation
• Accuracy can be stated in terms of errors
introduced

• Percentage error = Indicated value – True value . X . 100%

Maximum scale value

Precision is used to specify the closeness of

output result when a measuring device is
subjected to the same input on a number of
occasions
 EXAMPLE
A measuring system consist of a transducer , an
amplifier and a recorder, with an individual
sensitivities as follows :
• Transducer sensitivity 0.2 mV /0 C
• Amplifier gain 2.0 V/mV
• Recorder sensitivity 5.0 mm /V
• Determine the overall system sensitivity
• K= K1 x K2x K3
• = 0.2 mV/0C x 2.0V/mVx 5.0 mm/V
• =2.0 mm/0 C
 EXAMPLE
A 0 to 10 bar pressure gauge was found to have an error of ±
0.15 bar when calibrated by the manufacturer .Calculate (a)
the percentage error of the gauge and (b) the possible error as
a percentage of the indicated value when reading of 2.0 bars
was obtained in a test .
Percentage error = 0.15/10. x 100 = ± 1.5%
Possible error = ± 0.15%
∴ error at 2.0 bars = 0.15/10. x 100 =± 7.5%

• The gauge is therefore more unreliable at the lower end of its

range, and alternative gauge with a more suitable range should
be used .
 EXAMPLE
• For a general measuring system where the errors in
the transducer, signal conditioner , and recorder are ±
2 % , ± 3%,and ±4 % respectively, calculate the
maximum possible system error and the probable or
root- sum –square error.
• Maximum possible error = ± (2+3+4)% =±9%
• Root –sum-square error = ± √(22+32+42)%
• = √ 29% =± 5.4%
• Thus the error is possibly as large as ± 9% but
probably not larger than ± 5.4%.