Syllabus for ME 315
Instrumentation and Experimental Design

• Course description
• General information
• Textbook
• Notes
• Schedule
• Assignments
  • Assignment #1
  • Assignment #2
  • Assignment #3
  • Assignment #4
  • Assignment #5
  • Assignment #6
  • Assignment #7
  • Assignment #8
  • Assignment #9
  • Assignment #10
  • Assignment #11
  • Assignment #12
  • Assignment #13
• Resources
• Homework, quiz, & exam policies
  • Homework & homework quiz policies
  • Exam policies
  • Grading policies
  • Academic integrity policy
• Correlation of course & program outcomes
  • Desired course outcomes
  • Desired program outcomes
  • Correlation of outcomes

Course description

This course introduces engineering measurements, placing special emphasis on the fundamental aspects of engineering measurements, experimental techniques, sensors and measurement systems, computer-aided measurement systems, research methods, and the design of experiments and measurement systems. The course includes the study of experimental testing, data analysis, uncertainty analysis and error propagation, and report writing.

General information

Instructor

Rico Picone, PhD

Instructor Email

rpicone (at) stmartin (dot) edu

Location Section A

Cebula 201B

Location Section B

Harned 207

Times Section A

MWF 1:00–1:50 pm

Times Section B

MWF 8:00–8:50 am

Office Hours

MWF 9–10 am, Cebula 103C

Office Hours

MW 5–6 pm, Spangler Conference Room

Website

ricopic.one/courses/me315_2014F

Moodle

ME 315 Moodle

secrets

Textbook

Patrick F. Dunn. Measurement and Data Analysis for Engineering and Science, Third Edition. Taylor & Francis, 2014.

Notes

Partial notes will be posted here.

Schedule

The following schedule is tentative. All assignments will be set one week before the due date.

week	topics introduced	reading	assignment due
	introduction, fundamentals of experimentation	Chapters 1 & 2	Assignment #1
	probability	Sections 11.1–11.3	Assignment #2
	probability, statistics	Sections 11.4–11.9, Chapter 12	Assignment #3
	uncertainty analysis	Chapter 13	Assignment #4
	regression and correlation	Chapter 14	Assignment #5
	fundamental electronics	Chapter 3	Assignment #6, Midterm #1 (Oct. 1)
	electronics	Chapter 3	Assignment #7
	electronics	Chapter 3	Assignment #8
	measurement systems: sensors & transducers	Sections 4.1–4.7	Assignment #9
	measurement systems: sensors & transducers	Sections 4.8–4.13	Assignment #10
	measurement systems: other components	Chapter 5	Assignment #11
	measurement systems: calibration & response	Chapter 6	Assignment #12
	measurement systems: design stage uncertainty	Chapter 7	Assignment #13
	signal characteristics	Chapter 8	Assignment #14, Midterm #2
	Fourier transforms	Chapter 9	Assignment #15
	finals week		Final Exam

Assignments

Assignment #1

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #2

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Work Dunn's Chapter 2 homework problems 2, 8, and 9.
3. Read the introduction to this article on probability interpretation. If you have time, peruse the rest of the article.
4. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #3

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Work Dunn's Chapter 11 homework problems 2, 3, 5, and 6.
3. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #4

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Work Dunn's Chapter 11 homework problem 7.
3. Work Dunn's Chapter 12 homework problems 1, 2, 4, and 8.
4. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #5

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Work Dunn's Chapter 12 homework problems 11, 14, and 16.
3. Work Dunn's Chapter 13 homework problems 2, 3, and 4.
4. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #6

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Work Dunn's Chapter 14 homework problems 3 and 5.
3. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #7

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do these "special" problems.
3. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #8

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do Dunn Chapter 3 homework problems 1, 2, 4, and 7.
3. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #9

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do this this "special" problem.
3. Do Dunn Chapter 3 homework problems 5 and 6.
4. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #10

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do Dunn Chapter 4 Review problems 1 and 2.
3. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #11

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do Dunn Chapter 4 Homework problems 2, 4, and 11. Here are a few suppliers for sensors:
   1. McMaster-Carr
   2. Grainger
   3. National Instruments
   4. Amazon Supply
3. Take the weekly homework quiz.

Assignment #12

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do Dunn Chapter 6 Homework problems 2, 3, and 5. Also, do Dunn Chapter 9 Homework problem 2.
3. Do Problem 1 from the second midterm exam with the following variation in the circuit: add a second resistor R₂ in parallel with R (which we can now call R₁).
4. Take the weekly homework quiz (due Wednesday).

Assignment #13

1. Do the assigned reading.
2. Do this this "special" problem. (Credit: Prof. Hardt, MIT)
3. No homework quiz. Life is your quiz. That, and the final exam.

Resources

Class resources will be posted here throughout the semester.

Homework, quiz, & exam policies

Homework & homework quiz policies

Weekly homework will be “due” on Fridays, but it will not be turned in for credit. However — and this is very important — each week a quiz will be given on Friday that will cover that week’s homework.

Quizzes will be available on moodle each Friday, and must be completed by that Saturday. Late quizzes will receive reduced credit.

Working in groups on homework is strongly encouraged, but quizzes must be completed individually.

Exam policies

The midterm and final exams will be in-class. If you require any specific accommodations, please contact me.

Calculators will be allowed. Only ones own notes and the notes provided by the instructor will be allowed. No communication-devices will be allowed.

No exam may be taken early. Makeup exams require a doctor’s note excusing the absence during the exam.

The final exam will be cumulative.

Grading policies

Total grades in the course may be curved, but individual homework quizzes and exams will not be. They will be available on moodle throughout the semester.

Homework quizzes

20%

Midterm Exam #1

25%

Midterm Exam #2

25%

Final Exam

30%

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Academic integrity policy

Cheating or plagiarism of any kind is not tolerated and will result in a failing grade (“F”) in the course. I take this very seriously. Engineering is an academic and professional discipline that requires integrity. I expect students to consider their integrity of conduct to be their highest consideration with regard to the course material.

Correlation of course & program outcomes

In keeping with the standards of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, each course is evaluated in terms of its desired outcomes and how these support the desired program outcomes. The following sections document the evaluation of this course.

Desired course outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the following course outcomes are desired:

1. students will have a clear and thorough understanding of concepts, principles, and methods of measurement, instrumentation, and experimental design;
2. students will be familiar with the operation and uses of a number of measurement systems, including the following:
   • electrical (e.g. thermistor, strain gage, transducer, displacement indicator, tachometer),
   • fluid mechanic (e.g. pitot tube, flowmeter),
   • optic (e.g. anemometer, velocimeter, IR detectors), and
   • thermoelectric (e.g. thermocouple);
3. students will understand basic signal conditioning, processing, and recording;
4. students will understand instrumentation calibration and response;
5. students will be able to analyze design-stage uncertainty;
6. students will understand signal characteristics, the Fourier transform, and digital signal analysis;
7. students will understand the basics of probability, statistics, uncertainty analysis, regression, and correlation;
8. students will be able to write a technical report; and
9. students will understand and be able to communicate the broader context of the course material.

Desired program outcomes

The desired program outcomes are that mechanical engineering graduates have:

1. an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
2. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
3. an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs;
4. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams;
5. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
6. an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
7. an ability to communicate effectively;
8. the broad education necessary to understanding the impact of engineering solutions in a global and social context;
9. a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning;
10. a knowledge of contemporary issues; and
11. an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice

Correlation of outcomes

The following table correlates the desired course outcomes with the desired program outcomes they support.

		desired program outcomes
		A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K
desired course outcomes	1	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	‌	‌	‌	‌	‌	✔
		‌	✔	‌	✔	✔	‌	✔	‌	‌	‌	✔
		‌	‌	‌	✔	‌	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔