Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Course hand-out, MEC3074F, 2024

Course Name: MEC3074F – Measurement and Actuators

SAQA Credits: 8
Pre-requisites: EEE2041F/S, EEE2042F/S
Co-requisites: None

Course convenor Ms Leanne Raw

Email address: leanne.raw@uct.ac.za
Office location: Room 212, EM Building
Consultation hours: Consultation must be arranged via email.
Lecturer: Mr Richard Powrie
Email address: Richard.powrie@uct.ac.za
Consultation hours: Consultation must be arranged via email.

Lecture venue: Snape TS2C

Lecture day and time: Friday from 8h00-10h00
Prac venue: EM101, EM 1st floor
Prac days and times: Tuesday: 16h00-18h00 OR Thursday: 14h00-16h00 OR Thursday: 16h00-18h00

Course Objectives:
This course introduces the measurement of various physical phenomena, and an introduction to the use of
different types of actuators in control operations. Topics include measurement parameters and their
associated considerations; electrical measurement techniques; signal conditioning and processing; digital
sampling; measurement protocols for a range of phenomena such as displacement, temperature, pressure,
flow, force, strain, voltage and current; non-contact sensing; rotational actuators including brushed and
brushless DC motors, AC motors, servo and stepper motors; linear actuators including solenoids, hy draulic
systems, and pneumatic systems.

Learning outcomes:
A student who has satisfactorily completed this
GA 10

GA 11
GA 1

GA 2

GA 3

GA 4

GA 5

GA 6

GA 7

GA 8

GA 9

course will know:

A. Knowledge (Information plus Understanding)

1. The difference between analogue and
digital systems and the considerations A
required when working with either.
2. The definition of accuracy, precision,
A
resolution and error.
3. The primary measurement types and the A A
key methods for obtaining these.
4. How various measurement devices
transduce information into the primary
types for a range of physical phenomena A A
such as displacement, temperature,
pressure, flow, force, strain, voltage and
current.
5. How to use measure secondary or tertiary
information, e.g. designing digital A A
encoders.
 6. How analogue data is digitised using an
analogue-to-digital convertor for both
intransient and transient systems. This
A A
includes issues such as sampling and
sampling rate, resolution, and digital
representation of information.
7. Considerations in capturing transient
information such as sample size and A A
sampling rate.
8. Important considerations when working
with signals such as noise, shielding, A A
grounding, filtering, and other processing.
9. Various types of linear and rotary A
actuators.
B. Skills (Application of Knowledge)
At the end of the course all students will be able to:
1. Identify and graphically represent the
transduction chain in a measurement A
system.
2. Take both analogue and digital A A A
measurements.
3. Read a specification sheet for a
measurement device and determine its A A A A
basic operational principle and determine
if it is suitable for a specific use case.
4. Digitise analogue data, record and A A A
manipulate that data on a computer.
5. Select and use appropriate sensing and
actuation components to achieve a desired A A A A
control operation.
6. Record sensor data and perform basic A A A
actuator controls using LabVIEW.
7. Identify common issues such as A A A
interference in recorded data.

Detailed course content:

• Introduction:
o measurement and control
o the whole chain
• Fundamentals:
o measurement techniques
o signal conditioning
o digital sampling
• Characteristics:
o considerations and selection criteria,
o performance specification and analysis.
• Sensors:
o classification
o calibration
o errors and uncertainties
o linear and rotational sensors
o inertial measurement (acceleration and vibration sensors)
o force measurement and tactile sensors
o torque and power measurement
o pressure and flow measurement
o temperature measurements
 o distance measuring and proximity sensors
o light detection, image, and vision systems
o remote sensing
• Actuators:
o DC motors
o AC motors
o VSD’s
o stepper motors
o servo motors
o linear actuators:
▪ solenoids
▪ pneumatic actuators
▪ hydraulic
o piezoelectric actuators
Total: ±24 Lectures

Knowledge areas
Engineering Design and Complementary
Mathematics Basic Sciences Sciences Synthesis Studies
90% 10%

Learning environment
Notionally: 24 lecture slots and 8 tutorial slots
The course will be delivered largely through formal lectures on the topic. This will prepare the students for
the tutorials where they will face examples and questions on the relevant section(s).
Students must complete four practical sessions each of which will be linked to f our practical
assignments/projects.
There will be one test and a final exam at the end of the semester which will further assess the theory.

Course resources, announcements and scheduling are made available on a Vula site devoted to the course.

Suggested time allocation

Learning Activity Time (hours)
Lectures 36
Tutorials 8
Laboratory Work 16
Projects 4
Class Tests 6
Examination 8
Total learning time 78

General assessment strategy:

The course is assessed as follows: The following DP rules apply:
Class mark 60%
• Four projects 40% (10% each) • Submission of each practical assignment
• One two-hour class test 20% • Completion of class test
One two-hour examination 40% • Submission of all tutorials and practicals

Students must obtain a combined subminimum of Concessions will only be made with a valid
40% for the class test and exam to pass the accompanying doctors note or on compassionate
course. grounds with an appropriate letter
Recommended Reading:
• De Silva, Clarence W. Sensors and actuators: Engineering system instrumentation . CRC Press, 2015.
• Bishop, Robert H., ed. Mechatronic systems, sensors, and actuators. Boca Raton, FL: CRC press, 2008.
• Figliola, R. S., & Beasley, D. E. Theory and design for mechanical measurements. 2001.
• Holman JP. Experimental methods for engineers. 2001.

Graduate Attributes (GA’s):

1: Problem solving
2: Application of scientific and engineering knowledge
3: Engineering Design
4: Investigations, experiments, and data analysis
5: Engineering methods, skills, and tools, including Information Technology
6: Professional and technical communication
7: Sustainability and Impact of Engineering Activity
8: Individual, team and multidisciplinary working
9: Independent learning ability
10: Engineering Professionalism
11: Engineering Management