Introduction to Instrumentation

The term analog instrument was coined to

identify deflection –type instruments and to
distinguish these from totally different
instruments, which display in decimal (digital) form
the value of the quantity being measured.
These newer instruments are called digital
instruments .

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 Functions & characteristics of
Instruments
Instruments serve three basic functions :
1.Indicating
2.Recording
3.controlling
A particular instrument may serve any one or
more three of these functions simultaneously.
-general purpose electrical and electronic test
instrument primarily provide indicating and
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Recording functions, the instrumentation used
in industrial-purpose situations frequently
provides a control function .the entire system
may then be called a control or automated
system.

- There are many ways to measure the value of

different quantities some physical quantities
are best measured by purely mechanical means
.

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Other quantities are measured by methods that
are primarily electrical .other wise
measurements are made with electronic
instruments that contain an amplifying circuit
to increase the amplitude of the quantity being
measured.
- Although some electronic instruments are more
expensive than simple electrical instruments,
they offer some significant advantages for
measurement purpose .
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 Electrical Units
There are six electrical quantities are of concern
when we make electrical measurements.

- The six quantities are :

1. Electric charge , Q,
2. Electric current , I,
3. Electromotive force or potential difference ,V,
4. Resistance , R,
5. Inductance , L ,
6. Capacitance , C ,

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Six fundamental and some Derived Quantities
of the SI System
Quantity Unit Unit
Symbol Abbreviation
Fundamental Length L Meter m
Mass m Kilogram kg
Time T Second s
Temperature T Degree kelvin o
k
Electric Current I Ampere A
Electromotive force V Volt V
Quantity of charge Q Coulomb C
Electrical resistance R Ohm Ω

Capacitance C Farad F
Inductance L henry H
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 Measurement Standards
Standards are defined in four categories :
a) The international Standards are defined by
international agreement. These standards are
maintained at the international Bureau of weight and
measurement in Paris and are periodically evaluated
and checked by absolute measurements in terms of
the fundamental units of physics. they represent
certain units of measurement to the closest possible
accuracy attainable by the science and technology of
measurement.
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b) The primary Standards :
- are maintained at national standards laboratories in
different countries.
- Primary standards are not available for use outside
the national laboratories. their principle function is
the calibration and verification of secondary
standards.
c) The secondary Standards :
are the basic reference standards used by
measurement and calibration laboratories in the
industry to which they belong each industrial
laboratory periodically sends its secondary standards
to the national standards laboratory for
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- Calibration. After calibration the secondary standards
are returned to the industrial laboratory with a
certification of measuring accuracy in terms of a
primary standard.

e ) The working standards : are the principal tools of a

measurements laboratory or to make comparison
measurements in industrial application .

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