4/2/2010

Chapter 7
Engineering Measurements
PREP004 Introduction to Applied Engineering
College of Engineering - University of Hail
Fall 2009

Examples of Measurements
You are making a measurement when you

Check your weight

Read your watch
Take your temperature
Read the speed indicator of your car
What kinds of measurements did you make
today ?

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Standards of Measurement
When we measure
measure, we use a measuring
tool to compare some dimension of an
object to a standard.

Who needs good measurements?

Engineers in Industry
Scientists

Doctors

Regulators (trade)

You and me (Every body)

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Measurements for industry and trade

Design and develop new

products
Manufacture of p
products that
meet specifications
Ensure compatibility and
interoperability of products
Improve production processes
Reduce scrap
Improve Product Quality
Ensure
E
ffair
i and
d equitable
it bl ttrade
d
80% of traded goods are based on

standards and regulations where

conformity assessment and hence
measurements are highly required.

Why measurements and metrology

are important
important?
?
Accurate, consistent measurement enables fair

trade.
It
I guarantees manufacturing
f
i quality
li and
d
supports innovation.
It makes an annual contribution of Billions of
Dollars to wealth creation .
It underpins our safety, our health and our
quality
q
y of life.
It facilitates environmental management.
It provides for effective regulations and Laws.

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Wrong measurements can be disastrous

Measurement Errors
Mission specifications called for
using metric units,
units, but the
Lockheed group sent navigation
information in British units.
units. The
mix--up meant that Lockheed
mix
engineers modelled navigation
with pounds force (the English
unit for measuring thruster
impulse)
p
while JPL did its
calculations in newtons (the
metric measurement). One pound
force is equivalent to 4.45
newtons.
newtons
.
(Report on the loss of NASAs Mars Orbiter spacecraft)

Systems of Measurements
British System of Measurements (BS)
Old system based on the inch (length)
and
d still
ill iin use iin some iindustries
d
i
(petrochemicals)

The International System of

Units (SI) is the modern form of
the metric system and is
generally a system devised
around the convenience of the
number 10.
It is the world's most widely used
system of measurement, both in
industry, science and commerce.

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

4/2/2010

International System (SI)

Seven Basic Units of Measurements

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

SI Derived Units

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

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Standard prefixes has been defined in order to

measure very large and very small quantities

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

Examples of use of Prefixes

Example 1: 10-6 kg = 1 mg (one milligram),
microkilogram)
but not 10-6 kg = 1 kg (one microkilogram)
Example 2: Consider the example of the height
of the
o
e Washington
as g o Monument.
o u e We
e may
ay write:
e
hW = 169 000 mm = 16 900 cm
= 169 m = 0.169 km

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Other Units of Measurements

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

What Engineers measure

Engineering is a process that results in useful
products.
During his work, the engineer measures
products specifications (length, height, depth,
weight, etc..) and process characteristics
(Temperature and pressure of fluid flows
flows, speed
of a turbine etc..)

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Why Engineers measure ?

9 To describe the current state of the process.
9 To state requirements quantitatively and
demonstrate compliance.
9 To track process and predict progress of
engineering project
project.
9 To analyze costs and benefits.

How do we measure ?
Using measurement
instruments (such as a caliper
to measure the length of a work
piece or the voltmeter to measure
the voltage of electrical current
for example)
Using a measurement system.

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

4/2/2010

Result of a Measurement

X : Measured Value
T : True Value
E : Error of Measurement

Random Errors : Deal with

them by repeating the
measurements many times
and determine statistically
these errors.

Systematic Errors : Deal with them

by calibration of the measuring
instrument

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

Accuracy and Precision in Measurements

Accuracy refers to how closely the measured value of a quantity corresponds to its
true value.
measurement accuracyy : closeness of agreement
g
between a measured q
quantity
y
value and a true quantity value of the measurand.
Precision expresses the degree of reproducibility, or agreement between repeated
measurements.
Accuracy is telling the truth and Precision is telling the same story again and again.

Low Accuracy

Low Accuracy

High Accuracy

Low Precision

High Precision

High Precision

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

4/2/2010

International and National Organizations for

Standards and Metrology
The International
Th
I t
ti
l Organization
O
i ti for
f
Standardization (ISO)
The International Office of Legal
Metrology (OIML)
Bureau International des Poids et des
Mesures
Saudi Arabian Organization for
Standardization and Quality (SASOQ)
PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

Home Work 4-1

State the tool (s) and the Units you would
use to measure the following:
A. Temperature ____________________
B. Volume
____________________
C. Length
g
____________________
D. Time
____________________
E. Weight
____________________
F. Pressure
____________________

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Home Work 4-2

Use any online converter to make the
following conversions :
A. T= 65 C = . F = . K =
B. V = 10 Gallons = l = . m
m3
3
C. L = 1540 miles = km = .. m = . inch
D. T = 15 h = min = s = .. day
E. use any measurement results and make the
necessary conversions.

Research Question 4-3

What is a vernier caliper and how does it

work?
Give some engineering situations where this
instrument
s u e is
s used .
State some illustrations and examples.

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Additional Readings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units

http://hctmetrology.tripod.com

(Arabic web on dimensional metrology)

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

Thank
a you
Any Questions ?

PREP004
PREP
004 Introduction to Applied Engineering , College of Engineering, UoH

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