Acquisition of advanced knowledge in the field of programming measurement instrumentation, for the creation of automatic measurement systems used in ICT application and industrial contexts
Fundamentals of Electronic Measurements I
Lectures and Laboratory
Oral examination preceded by a practical, project-based laboratory assignment.
To pass the exam, with a minimum grade of 18/30, students must successfully complete the practical, project-based laboratory assignment, which consists in the development of a simple application for the control of measurement instrumentation. Depending on the level of detail with which the proposed task is implemented, the grade for a functioning assignment may range from 18/30 to 24/30 for a solution that meets the required functionalities at a basic level, based on well-motivated design choices. For more detailed implementations, including additional functionalities that demonstrate proficiency in the development environment, the grade may range from 25/30 to 30/30.
In the oral examination, covering the fundamentals of LabVIEW programming and ATE systems theory, up to a maximum of 5 additional points may be awarded on top of the grade obtained in the practical part, based on the level of knowledge of the topics, the appropriate use of technical language, and the ability to autonomously apply acquired knowledge to solve the proposed problems.
Lecture Notes, LabVIEW Core 1 and LabVIEW Core 2 Manuals, Practical Data Acquisition for Instrumentation and Control Systems, John Park and Steve Mackay, Newnes.
Course syllabus:
General architecture of a measurement system. Data acquisition systems: signal conditioning, multiplexer, sample and holder, AD/DA converters, digital memories. Analysis of sampling-related issues. Noise in electronic systems and rejection methods. Standard communication protocols and interfacing systems: RS232, IEEE488, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Local use of the main measuring instruments available in the laboratory to explore their characteristics and functions. Remote control of instrumentation through the development of programs in LabView. General methods for processing and statistical analysis of measurement data. Analysis of issues related to temporal discretization and interpolation techniques. [3 cfu]
Implementation of automatic measurement systems using local networks. Laboratory experiences for the development of automatic measurement stations using instruments such as power supplies, multimeters, function generators, and oscilloscopes. [3 cfu]
Expected Learning outcomes:
The course aims to provide a methodological approach to the critical use of measurement instrumentation. The main objective consists in enabling students to design an automatic measurement and/or data acquisition system. Through practical laboratory experiences, students will become familiar with both the main measurement instruments available in the laboratory (waveform generators, multimeters, power supplies, oscilloscopes) and the most commonly used software development packages and hardware in the field of electrical/electronic measurements.
Knowledge and Understanding: Upon passing the exam, the student will have knowledge of and understand the main architectures of an ATE, from simple modular measurement systems to complex automatic remote measurement systems. They will be able to develop automatic measurement stations through the remote control of key benchtop instruments, designing virtual instruments in the LabVIEW environment.
Making judgements: Upon passing the exam, the student will be able to assess different alternatives in the design phase of an automatic measurement system, evaluating both hardware specifications and data acquisition software.
Communication Skills: During the design phase of an automatic measurement system, the student must be able to determine the hardware and software requirements to meet the specifications of the acquisition task. This includes interacting with the persons in charge with the task and identifying potential implementation challenges.
Learning Skills: Throughout the course, students will learn step by step how to design an automatic measurement system. They will develop the ability to select appropriate instrumentation, analyse technical specifications from documentation, use equipment manuals to implement remote control, and solve programming challenges. The acquired methodology can also be applied to other areas of system design.
TEAMS: ixmdt6s
