Project report instrumentation and measurement

Ref: Kirkup (1994). Experimental Methods: An Introduction to the Analysis and Presentation of Data. Brisbane: John Wiley & Sons.

Group work is permitted with one project topic per group of four students maximum.

The format of the report is that of an engineering/scientific report. All aspects of your report must be your group's own original work. You must acknowledge any assistance that you received, and must provide appropriate referencing for any copyright information that you include in your report.

One of the primary goals of the project is to get you to perform "inquiry or problem- based learning" through this project. You investigate the problem, and when you reach the limit of your knowledge, you will need to backtrack and re-examine the problem. You should determine explicitly what you need to know at each stage, and then search for information from the sources at your disposal - the lecture notes, textbook, other references, the library, the internet, etc. We understand that you may not know everything you need to know at this stage, but your learning should accelerate as you progress through the project.

Note that during the three lab sessions you perform a number of experiments that are directly related to this project, and if relevant, you can use the information and your analyses from these experiments as part of your project. For example, if you want to measure a load between 0 and 10kg, then obviously you will incorporate your load cell results into your project - you don't have to repeat the load cell characterization. There are also many other sensors available that you can chose from and use in your project (see last page).

What Your Report Should Contain
You are required to include the following information, and structure your report as described:

Assignment Cover Sheet - download from the Unit page on Blackboard.
I&M Project Report Template - download from the Unit page on Blackboard then:

- Edit the Word file and adjust it to your project realisation.
- Keep the number of words within the limits indicated next to each paragraph title.
- Follow the guidelines below and keep the report as professional as possible.
- Achieve as much as you can of the measurement system.

Introduction
- Short summary of the purpose or function of your proposed system - what goals are you trying to achieve. Not "to measure temperature", but to "monitor and control engine temperature in a motor vehicle".
- Include background information on previous work, including references.

Project Description
- Brief description of the procedures and apparatus to be used. Include a diagram of your proposed measurement system.
- Input Measurand(s): Based on the project goals, define what you intend to measure (e.g. the water temperature in a motor vehicle). Include a description of the operating range (and any other properties) of your defined measurement (e.g. the temperature range of interest - 0oC to 100oC - why this range? - justify your reasons for choosing these).
- Input Sensor(s): How do you intend to measure the chosen measurand - state the sensor type (e.g. a thermistor). If you know the make and model of the sensor, include this. Give a brief explanation of how this sensor works, and any limitations, advantages and disadvantages, etc and how these may affect your measurement system performance. What will the form of the input signal be (e.g. digital or analogue)?
- DAQ Card Properties: You will need to feed the energy signal from the sensor into your data acquisition (DAQ) card. What are the relevant specifications of the DAQ card (e.g. input voltage range, resolution, etc) and how do they affect your measurement system design.
- Software: If you use a DAQ Card, then describe the control software and what you need to include in the software to achieve your stated goals. You should map out a plan of the functions you want the software to perform. This can be a flow diagram.
- Control/Actuator Element: What is your proposed output response or control element - that is, what actuators do you intend to use and what do you intend to control. This must relate to the input measurand. How will this be achieved? What will the form of the DAQ output be (digital, analogue, etc). How does the actuator work, etc?

References
Reference all material that you use from other sources. Use the correct referencing method defined by the University (or Kirkup)*.

Appendix
- Include any information that you feel is important for interpreting the report that does not actually belong in the body of the report; i.e. important datasheets and other equipment information.

Project ideas
(Select one from this list below or develop your own instrument idea)

Sensors:

Temperature
Platinum RTD
Thermistor
Thermocouple
IR

Light

Photodiode
Phototransistor
LDR

Magnetic
Hall Effect Sensor
EM induction

Mechanical
Strain Gauge
Piezoelectric
Sensor Microphone

Other

Conductance
Resistance
Capacitance

Measurands:
Temperature
Light
Magnetic flux
Strain
Pressure
Sound
pH
Salinity
Turbidity
Radiation
Smoke
Water
Moisture
Humidity
Position
Rotation

Actuators:
Light (LED)
Speaker
Piezoelectric Transducer
Fan
Relay

Attachment:- Project Report Template.rar