Syllabus

AEM 4601

Instrumentation Laboratory

3 Credits

 

Catalog Description:

 

Introduction to laboratory instrumentation. Computerized data acquisition. Statistical analysis of data. Time series data and spectral analysis. Transducers for measurement of solid, fluid and dynamical quantities. Design of experiments.

 

Course Web Address:

 

http://www.aem.umn.edu/courses/aem4601/

 

Prerequisites by Topic:

 

1. C/C++ Computer Programming (CS 1113)
2. Electronics (EE 3005, EE 3006)

 

Text:

 

Wheeler and Ganji, Introduction to Engineering Experimentation, 3^rd  edition, , Prentice Hall.

 

References:

 

The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill, Cambridge University Press, 1989.

Practical C Programming by Steve Oualline, O’Reilly and Associates, 1993.

 

The following are available in the laboratory, 301 Akerman:

 

Dynamic C 5.x Technical Reference, Rabbitt

Dynamic C 5.x Function Reference, Rabbitt

Dynamic C 5.x Application Frameworks, Rabbitt

User Manual:  Digital Oscilloscope, Tektronix

 

Format of Course:

 

3 hours of lecture per week, 3 hours of laboratory per week.

 

Computer Usage:

 

Dynamic C (micro-controller IDE)

 

Various numerical calculations including FFT’s (Excel, Matlab, student choice)

 

Course Objectives:

 

Develop an understanding of computerized data acquisition, the methods of experimentation in fluids and solid mechanics and in dynamics and methods for analysis of experimental data.

 

Course Outcomes:

 

1. An understanding of computerized data acquisition.
2. An understanding of computer interfacing.
3. An understanding of statistical data analysis.
4. An understanding of time-series data analysis.
5. A knowledge of the types of sensors for measuring fluid, solid and dynamical quantities.

 

Relationship of course to program objectives:

 

This course provides an understanding of the fundamentals of experimentation important to aerospace engineers, including the use of computers, and experimental data analysis.

 

 

Relationship of course to student outcomes:

 

This course supports the following student outcomes:

 

            3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences;

 

5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives;

 

6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering   judgment to draw conclusions.

 

 

Course Outline:

 

 

	Laboratory	Lectures	Text
Week 1	Lab: (No Lab)	M: (Holiday) W: Computer Overview	Ch 1
Week 2	Lab: Check Out Parts and Tutorial	M: C Programming Review  (Dynamic C class demo) W: Bread Board and Lab Instruments	§ 4.1, 4.2   § 3.1, 3.3
Week 3	Lab: Digital I/O	M: Electronics Review W: Parallel and Serial I/O	§ 3.2.3 § 3.4
Week 4	Lab: Serial Communications	M: Serial Programming W: A/D Conversion: Errors, Types	§ 4.3-4.5
Week 5	Lab: D/A Conversion	M: D/A conversion and DAC0806 W: A/D with D/A and comparator
Week 6	Lab: A/D in Software	M: Statistical Analysis of Data W: (cont)	Ch 6
Week 7	Lab: A/D in Software (cont)	M: (cont) W: Measurement systems	Ch 2
Week 8	Lab: (No lab)	M: ADC080x W: MIDTERM
Week 9	Lab: A/D in Hardware	M: Multitasking W: (cont)
Week 10	Lab: Periodic sampling	M: Time Series Analysis W: (cont)	Ch 5
Week 11	Lab: Frequency Analysis	M: FFT’s with packages (class demo) W: Op-amps	App A § 3.2
Week 12	Lab: (No Lab – Thanksgiving Holiday)	M: Sensors and transducers W: Strain gages	Ch 8, 9, 10
Week 13	Lab: Strain Gage sensor – static measurements	M: Hot wires and Pitot tubes W: Experimental Uncertainty Analysis	Ch 7
Week 14	Lab: Strain Gage sensor – dynamic measurements	M: (cont) W: Filters and 3 op-amp inst. amp
Week 15	Lab: (No Lab – 3 day week)	M: Experimental Design W: TBD	Ch 12

 

 

 

 

Student Survey Questions:

 

In this course I acquired the following:

 

1. A knowledge of laboratory instrumentation.
2. A knowledge of statistics.
3. A knowledge of experimental data analysis.
4. A knowledge of basic computer interfacing.

 

Please answer the following questions regarding the course:

 

5. The text book was clearly written and appropriate for the course.
6. The homework helped me to understand the concepts presented in the course.
7. The tests were appropriate in length and content.
8. The labs helped me to understand the concepts presented in the course
9. The level of work required in this course was appropriate for the credit given.

 

 

Last modified:

 

2018-11-20