Study No 3.

Familiarization of Measuring Instruments and tools

Date:
Scope of study: Familiarization/Application of testing instruments and
commonly used tools. [Multimeter, Function generator, Power supply, CRO
etc.] [Soldering iron, De-soldering pump, Pliers, Cutters, Wire strippers,
Screw drivers, Tweezers, Crimping tool, Hot air soldering and desoldering
station etc.]

Measuring Instruments

Multimeter

A multimeter or a multitester, also known as a VOM (Volt-Ohm meter or Volt-Ohm-

milliammeter ), is an electronic measuring instrument that combines several measurement
functions in one unit. A typical multimeter would include basic features such as the ability to
measure voltage, current, and resistance. Analog multimeters use a microammeter whose pointer
moves over a scale calibrated for all the different measurements that can be made. Digital
multimeters (DMM, DVOM) display the measured value in numerals, and may also display a bar
of a length proportional to the quantity being measured. Digital multimeters are now far more
common but analog multimeters are still preferable in some cases, for example when monitoring
a rapidly varying value.

A multimeter can be a hand-held device useful for basic fault finding and field service work, or a
bench instrument which can measure to a very high degree of accuracy. They can be used to
troubleshoot electrical problems in a wide array of industrial and household devices such as
electronic equipment, motor controls, domestic appliances, power supplies, and wiring systems.

MULTIMETER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

• As with other meters, the incorrect use of a multimeter could cause injury or damage. The
following safety precautions are the preferred while using a multimeter.
• Deenergize and discharge the circuit under test completely before connecting or
disconnecting a multimeter. Never apply power to the circuit while measuring resistance
with a multimeter.
• Connect the multimeter in series with the circuit for current measurements, and in
parallel for voltage measurements.
• Be certain the multimeter is switched to ac before attempting to measure ac circuits.
• Observe proper dc polarity when measuring dc.
• When you are finished with a multimeter, switch it to the OFF position, if available.

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 • If there is no OFF position, switch the multimeter to the highest ac voltage position.
• Always start with the highest voltage or current range. Select a final range that
allows a reading near the middle of the scale.
• Adjust the "0 ohms" reading after changing resistance ranges and before making a
resistance measurement.
• Be certain to read ac measurements on the ac scale of a multimeter.
• Observe the general safety precautions for electrical and electronic devices.

Cathode Ray Oscilloscope

An oscilloscope CRO (for cathode-ray oscilloscope), or DSO (for the more modern digital
storage oscilloscope), is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of constantly
varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of
time.

Oscilloscopes are used to observe the change of an electrical signal over time, such that voltage
and time describe a shape which is continuously graphed against a calibrated scale. The observed
waveform can be analyzed for such properties as amplitude, frequency, rise time, time
interval, distortion and others. The oscilloscope can be adjusted so that repetitive signals can be
observed as a continuous shape on the screen. The front panel layout and controls of a typical
CRO are given below.

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 DC regulated Power supply

A regulated power supply is an device which converts unregulated AC into a constant DC. With
the help of a rectifier it converts AC supply into DC. Its function is to supply a stable voltage (or
less often current), to a circuit or device that must be operated within certain power supply limits.
The output from the regulated power supply is always DC (Direct Current). The output is made
to be within certain limits under various load conditions, or it may also include compensation for
variations in its own supply source. D.C. variable supply (a bench power supply ) usually refers
to a power supply capable of supplying a variety of output voltages useful for bench testing
electronic circuits in a laboratory .

Function generator

A function generator is a piece of electronic test equipment used to generate different types of
electrical waveforms over a wide range of frequencies. Some of the most common waveforms

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produced by the function generator are the sine, square, triangular and sawtooth shapes. Function
generators cover both audio and RF frequencies. Function generators are used in the
development, test and repair of electronic equipment.

Capability of a function generator

• Generate sine, square, triangular and sawtooth shapes

• Provison to adjust the frequency up to 1 MHz
• Adjust the output amplitude from 20mV to 20V p-p
• Provision to adjust Duty cycle
• Capability to insert Dc voltage within AC signal (DC Offset)

Familiarization with Electronic Tools

Soldering Iron

A soldering iron is a hand tool used in soldering. It supplies heat to melt solder so that it can flow
into the joint between two work pieces and is used to physically establish connection between
components to a printed circuit board. A soldering iron is composed of a heated metal tip and an
insulated handle. Heating is often achieved electrically, by passing an electric current (supplied
through an electrical cord or battery cables) through a resistive heating element. Soldering irons
are most often used for installation, repairs, and limited production work in electronics assembly.

A soldering station, invariably temperature-controlled, consists of an electrical power supply,

control circuitry with provision for user adjustment of temperature and display, and a soldering
iron or soldering head with a tip temperature sensor. The station will normally have a stand for
the hot iron when not in use, and a wet sponge for cleaning. It is most commonly used for
soldering electronic components. Other functions may be combined; for example a rework
station, mainly for surface-mount components may have a hot air gun, vacuum pickup tool, and a
soldering head.

Desoldering Pump

A desoldering pump is a manually-operated device which is used to remove solder from a

printed circuit board. The most commonly used is the plunger type and has has a cylinder with a

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spring-loaded piston which is pushed down and locks into place. When triggered by pressing a
button, the piston springs up, creating suction that sucks the solder off the soldered connection.

Pliers

Pliers are a hand tool used to hold objects firmly, They are also useful for bending and
compressing a wide range of materials. Generally, pliers consist of a pair of metal first-class
levers joined at a fulcrum positioned closer to one end of the levers, creating short jaws on one
side of the fulcrum, and longer handles on the other side. This arrangement creates a mechanical
advantage, allowing the force of the hand's grip to be amplified and focused on an object with
precision. The jaws can also be used to manipulate objects too small or unwieldy to be
manipulated with the fingers.

There are many kinds of pliers made for various general and specific purposes.

combination pliers
Needle-nose pliers

Cutters

Wire cutters (also called diagonal cutting pliers or diagonal cutters) are pliers intended for the
cutting of wire or component leads. The plane defined by the cutting edges of the jaws intersects
the joint rivet at an angle or "on a diagonal", hence the name. Instead of using a shearing action
as with scissors, diagonal pliers cut by indenting and wedging the wire apart. The jaw edges are
ground to a symmetrical "V" shape, thus the two jaws can be visualized to form the letter "X", as
seen end-on when fully occluded. The pliers are made of tempered steel, and inductive heating
and quenching are often used to selectively harden the jaws.

The handles of diagonal cutting pliers are commonly insulated with a dip-type or shrink fit
electrically-insulating material for comfort and some protection against electric shock.Diagonal
pliers are useful for cutting copper, brass, iron, aluminium and steel wire. For electronics work,
special diagonal cutters that are ground flush to the apex of the cutting edge on one side of the
jaws are often used. These flush-cutting pliers allow wires to be trimmed flush or nearly flush to
a solder joint, avoiding the sharp tip left by symmetrical diagonal cutters. It is common for this

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type of diagonal cutter to be referred to by another name, such as "flush cutter" to distinguish it
from symmetrical cutters.

Wire Strippers

A simple manual wire stripper is a pair of opposing blades much like scissors or wire cutters.
The addition of a center notch makes it easier to cut the insulation without cutting the wire. This
type of wire stripper is used by rotating it around the insulation while applying pressure in order
to make a cut around the insulation. Since the insulation is not bonded to the wire, it then pulls
easily off the end. This is the most versatile type of wire stripper.

Screw drivers

A screwdriver is a tool, for driving or removing screws. A typical simple screwdriver has a
handle and a shaft, and a tip that the user inserts into the screw head to turn it. The shaft is
usually made of tough steel to resist bending or twisting. The tip may be hardened to resist wear,
treated with a dark tip coating for improved visual contrast between tip and screw—or ridged or
treated for additional 'grip'. Handle are typically wood, metal, or plastic and usually hexagonal,
square, or oval in cross-section to improve grip and prevent the tool from rolling when set down.

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Some manual screwdrivers have interchangeable tips that fit into a socket on the end of the shaft
and are held in mechanically or magnetically. These often have a hollow handle that contains
various types and sizes of tips, and a reversible ratchet action that allows multiple full turns
without repositioning the tip or the user's hand.

A screwdriver is classified by its tip, which is shaped to fit the driving surfaces—slots, grooves,
recesses, etc.—on the corresponding screw head. Proper use requires that the screwdriver's tip
engage the head of a screw of the same size and type designation as the screwdriver tip.
Screwdriver tips are available in a wide variety of types and sizes The two most common are the
simple 'blade'-type for slotted screws, and Phillips.

Blade type screw driver Phillips type screw driver

Tweezers

Tweezers are tools used for picking up objects too small to be easily handled with the human
hands. Tweezers make use of two third-class levers connected at one fixed end (the fulcrum
point of each lever), with the pincers at the others. Tweezers are used for handling small
electronics components , particularly surface-mount or other electronic parts especially while
soldering and they help to clasp hot component, and to dissipate heat to an extend both during for
soldering or desoldering.

Offset Tweezers Tweezers

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 Crimping tool

Crimping is joining two pieces of metal or other ductile material (usually a wire and a metal
plate) by deforming one or both of them to hold the other. The bend or deformity is called the
crimp. Typically, the metal connector and wire are joined together via a special connector.
Stripped wire (often stranded) is inserted through the correctly sized opening of the connector,
and a crimper is used to tightly squeeze the opening against the wire. RJ-45 connectors are
normally used in telephone and network cable. The figure of crimping process with a RJ 45
connector using a crimping tool is shown below.

Crimping Tool

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 Hot air soldering and desoldering station

For Surface mount device installation on a prototype basis, usually, Hot air soldering station is
preferred rather than a soldering Iron. The desoldering station is also used for refinishing
operation or repair of an electronic printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, usually involving
desoldering and re-soldering of surface-mounted electronic components (SMD) also.

Soldering Desoldering Station

Mass processing techniques are not applicable to single device placement, repair or replacement,
and specialized manual techniques by expert personnel using appropriate equipment are required
to replace defective components. The expertise required is tremendous and appropriate tools are
also required. A hot air gun or hot air station is used to heat devices and melt solder, and
specialised tools are used to pick up and position often tiny components. The workbench is
called a rework station and must have the tools and supplies.