Mechanical Engineering Systems Laboratory: Group 02

MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING SYSTEMS
LABORATORY
Group 02
Asst. Prof. Dr. E. İlhan KONUKSEVEN

APPROACH
TO
EXPERIMENTATION
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS IN MEASUREMENT & EXPERIMENTATION
2/85
THEORY & EXPERIMENTATION in
ENGINEERING
PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACHES

There are 2 fundamental approaches for
problem solving in engineering
1. Theoretical
2. Experimental
3/85
1. Theoretical : Physical / Mathematical
Modeling
2. Experimental : Measurement
4/85
Regardless of the Discipline

( ME, EEE, ChE, CE,.....)
or the Engineering Function
( Design, Development, Research, Manufacturing,
Maintenance, etc.,..)
While some problems can adequately be treated by
using only theory, or only experimentation, most require
a well balanced and complementing mix of these two
techniques.
5/85
Some general characteristics of these

methods which will be helpful in deciding
on the proper blend when choice is
necessary are identified below.
This also helps to organize your thinking

about the whole process.
6/85
Whenever some device or process is

described with mathematical equations
based on physical principles, the real
world is left behind to a greater or lesser
degree.
i.e. all physical principles and their

mathematical expression when applied to
the real world situations are
approximations of the real behavior.
7/85
These approximations may be good, fair

or poor, but some discrepancy between
modeled and real behavior always exists.
Although the quality of these

approximations are improved as time goes
by, perfection is an unreachable goal.
8/85
We also need to remember that

practical engineering, in contrast to pure
science labors under constraints,
sometimes overriding constraints of
Time
&
Money
9/85
i.e. an engineer may be well aware of a
nearly perfect theoretical approach to a
problem but will consciously choose
instead a simpler and less accurate
method, which is judged
“good enough”
in terms of overall project objectives.
10/85
Thus our first comparison of theory and

experiment centers on the fact that
Theories are always approximations

involving simplifying assumptions
where as
Experiments are run on the actual
system
and when properly designed and executed
reveal the true behavior.
11/85
Features of alternative methods
of problem solving
Theoretical Experimental
methods methods
Study Study the real world,

mathematical no simplifying
models of the real assumptions are
world which always required.
require simplifying
assumptions.
12/85
Features of alternative methods of
problem solving
Theoretical methods Experimental methods
Study mathematical Study the real world, no
models of the real world simplifying assumptions
which always require are required.
simplifying assumptions.
Give general results Give results specific

to a wide class of to the apparatus
problems. studied.
13/85
Features of alternative methods of
problem solving
Study mathematical Study the real world, no
models of the real world simplifying assumptions
which always require are required.
simplifying assumptions.
Give results specific to
Give general results to a
the apparatus studied.
wide class of problems.
Relaxation of Higher accuracy
assumptions leads measurements
to more complex require more
mathematical complex
model instrumentation
14/85
Features of alternative methods of problem solving

Study mathematical models
Study the real world, no
of the real world which
always require simplifying simplifying assumptions are
assumptions. required.
Give general results to a Give results specific to the
wide class of problems. apparatus studied.
Relaxation of assumptions Higher accuracy
leads to more complex measurements require more
mathematical model. complex instrumentation.
Facilities needed to Extensive (and
commence study expensive)
can be meager
laboratory facilities
(trained personnel may be needed.
+ paper & pencil)
15/85
Features of alternative methods of problem solving
Study mathematical models Study the real world, no
of the real world which simplifying assumptions are
always require simplifying required.
assumptions. Give results specific to the
Give general results to a apparatus studied.
wide class of problems. Higher accuracy
measurements require more
Relaxation of assumptions complex instrumentation.
leads to more complex
Extensive (and expensive )
mathematical model. laboratory facilities may be
Facilities needed to needed.
commence study can be
meager (trained personnel
Time delays may
+ paper & pencil) occur in apparatus
Study can construction and
debugging
commence
promptly
16/85
Functional types of Engineering
Experiments
1. Determination of material properties and

object dimensions.
17/85
Experiments
1. Determination of material properties and object

dimensions.
2. Determination of component parameters,

variable and performance indices.
18/85
Experiments
1. Determination of material properties and

object dimensions.
3. Determination of system
parameters, variables and
performance indices.
19/85
Experiments

dimensions.
2. Determination of component parameters, variable
and performance indices.
3. Determination of system parameters, variables and
4. Evaluation and improvement of

theoretical models.
20/85
Experiments
dimensions.
4. Evaluation and improvement of theoretical models.
5. Product / process improvement by

testing.
21/85
Experiments
dimensions.
5. Product / process improvement by testing.
6. Exploratory experimentation.
22/85
Experiments
dimensions.
7. Acceptance testing.
23/85
Experiments
dimensions.
8. Use of physical models and analogies.

24/85
Experiments
dimensions.
8. Use of physical models and analogues.
9. Teaching / learning through

experimentation. 25/85
Experiments
dimensions.
3. Determination of system parameters, variables
4. Evaluation and improvement of theoretical
models.
8. Use of physical models and analogues.
9. Teaching / learning through experimentation.
26/85
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
IN
MEASUREMENT
&
EXPERIMENTATION
27/85
WHAT IS “MEASUREMENT” ?
IN GENERAL
IT IS THE ACQUISITION OF INFORMATION
Classification of information leads to two

different types of measurements:
1. STRUCTURAL INFORMATION
2. METRIC INFORMATION
28/85
THIS IS THE INFORMATION ON
STATE OR NATURE
OF A CERTAIN CHARACTERISTIC
29/85
FOR EXAMPLE
YOU WANT TO KNOW IF AN ELECTRIC SHAVER
WILL WORK WHEN YOU PLUG IT IN TO THE
SOCKET
SO YOU ASK YOURSELF
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC
OF THAT SOCKET ?
THE ANSWER IS :
VOLTAGE
30/85
AS A RESULT OF STRUCTURAL
INFORMATION THE INDEPENDENT
VARIABLES THAT SHOULD BE
OBSERVED ARE DETERMINED
THE ACQUISITION OF STRUCTURAL
INFORMATION IS CALLED
QUALITATIVE MEASUREMENT
31/85
2. METRIC INFORMATION
THIS IS THE INFORMATION

ABOUT THE QUANTITY OF AN
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
IT IS OBTAINED AS A RESULT OF
QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT
32/85
IN THE FIELDS OF SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING BOTH STRUCTURAL AND
METRIC INFORMATION IS NECESSARY
A qualitative measurement must be carried out before

proceeding with a quantitative measurement. For
example, if one needs to estimate the rate of loss of
body liquid from a human face on a windy day, a
qualitative measurement is needed first to determine
which physical quantities affect the loss of body fluid
(such as skin permeability, face area, air humidity, air
temperature, air velocity, etc.) before attempting to
determine their values.
BEFORE METRIC INFORMATION IS ACQUIRED

STRUCTURAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED
33/85
QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS
ARE ABOUT :
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
• DENSITY
• THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
• HEATING VALUE
• VISCOSITY
• MELTING POINT
• LATENT HEAT OF EVAPORATION
• ELASTIC MODULUS
• SPECIFIC HEAT
• ETC…...
34/85
ARE ABOUT :
COMPONENT PARAMETERS
• DIAMETER
• MASS
• SPRING CONSTANT
• ELECTRICAL INDUCTANCE
• FLUID CAPACITANCE
• THERMAL RESISTANCE
• ETC…...
35/85
ARE ABOUT :
VARIABLES OF STATE
• POSITION
• FORCE
• VOLTAGE
• PRESSURE
• TEMPERATURE
• DIFFUSION RATE
• ETC…...
36/85
SOME ASPECTS OF A MEASUREMENT
DESCRIPTIVE
SELECTIVE
OBJECTIVE
37/85
SOME ASPECTS OF A MEASUREMENT
1. A measurement must be “descriptive” with
regard to that state or that phenomenon in the world
around us which we are measuring. There must be a
relationship between this state or phenomenon and
the measurement result.
2. A measurement must be “selective”. It should

only provide information about what we wish to
measure and not about any other of many states or
phenomena around us.
3. A measurement must be “objective”. The

outcome of the measurement must be independent of
an arbitrary observer.
38/85
REASONS FOR
PERFORMING MEASUREMENTS
1. TO PROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE
QUANTITATIVE ANSWER TO A
SPECIFIC PROBLEM
• properties of a specific material
• parameters of a specific object or a

component
• the state or performance of a specific

system including system identification
39/85
REASONS FOR
SPECIFIC PROBLEM
systematic experimental tests to

design and to develop new products
40/85
REASONS FOR
SPECIFIC PROBLEM
monitor and control engineering

systems for their proper operation and
maintenance
41/85
REASONS FOR
SPECIFIC PROBLEM
To perform acceptance testing of

components or systems by authorized
agencies to demonstrate their
conformity with preset standards
before their use
42/85
REASONS FOR
2. TO COLLECT EMPIRICAL DATA

WITH THE HOPE OF OBTAINING
AN INSIGHT INTO A
PHENOMENON AND LATER GO
ON TO USE THE DATA TO FORM A
THEORETICAL EXPLANATION OF
IT.
43/85
REASONS FOR
3. TO VERIFY THE EXISTING

THEORY
To collect data for complementing,
verifying, and improving these
theoretical or empirical models,
hypotheses, theorems, and laws by
conducting “controlled experiments”.
44/85
DISCOVERY OF NEPTUNE
AT 1820
FRENCH ASTRONOMER
ALEXIS BOUVARD
OBSERVED A DISCREPANCY
IN URANUS’S PATH
AS PREDICTED BY
NEWTON’S LAW
45/85
THE DEVIATION WAS SMALL
BUT
IT WAS MORE THAN THE

UNCERTAINTY OF THE
MEASUREMENT
46/85
NEWTON’S LAW OF GRAVITY WAS
FORMULATED AS A HYPOTHESIS
FOR EXPLAINING THE
OBSERVATIONS OF
TYCO BRAHE
KEPLER AND GALILEO
47/85
UNTIL THEN THOUSANDS OF
PREDICTIONS HAD BEEN MADE
AND
THE PREDICTIONS HAD BEEN

OBSERVED
NOW THERE WAS A NEW

OBSERVATION WHICH
DID NOT AGREE
48/85
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ?
1. FORMULATE A NEW HYPOTHESIS

WHICH WILL ALSO EXPLAIN THE
NEW OBSERVATION
2. MODIFY THE BASIS OF THE

EXISTING THEORY
(ASSUMPTION OF THE FIXED
NUMBER OF PLANETS)
49/85
A HYPOTHETICAL NEW PLANET WAS
CALCULATED AND LATER
OBSERVED
THUS NEPTUNE WAS DISCOVERED
LATER PLUTO WAS DISCOVERED

IN THE SAME MANNER
50/85
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENTATION
APPROACH
51/85
STEP QUESTION
A.1 WHAT IS THE

OBJECTIVE OF THE
EXPERIMENT ?
52/85
A.1 WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT ?
STEP POSSIBLE ACTION
A.1 a) THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE

BEEN CLEARLY DEFINED FOR
YOU
b) YOUR EXPERIENCE MAY HELP

YOU TO DEFINE AN OBJECT
c) IN AN UNFAMILIAR SITUATION
TRY A FEW TENTATIVE TESTS
FROM WHICH AN OBJECTIVE
MAY SUGGEST ITSELF
53/85
A.1 WHAT IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT ?
STEP CONCLUSION
A.1 OBJECTIVE IS DEFINED

AND NOTED
54/85
STEP QUESTION
B.1 WHAT ARE THE

IMPORTANT VARIABLES
AND
ARE THEY DEFINED ?
55/85
B.1 WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT VARIABLES AND ARE THEY DEFINED ?
B.1 a) THE ANSWER MAY BE SELF

EVIDENT
b) STEP A.1
MAY GIVE YOU A LEAD
c) BEWARE OF INCLUDING
DEPENDENT VARIABLES
56/85
B.1 WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT VARIABLES AND ARE THEY DEFINED ?
STEP CONCLUSION
B.1 THE VARIABLES ARE

SELECTED AND PERHAPS
A HYPOTHESIS IS MADE
57/85
STEP QUESTION
B.2 WILL GROUPING OF

VARIABLES REDUCE THE
AMOUNT OF TESTING ?
58/85
B.2 WILL GROUPING OF VARIABLES REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TESTING ?
B.2 a) GROUPING CAN BE BASED ON

PHYSICAL ARGUMENTS
b) PERFORM A DIMENSIONAL
ANALYSIS
59/85
B.2 WILL GROUPING OF VARIABLES REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TESTING ?
STEP CONCLUSION
B.2 ANY GROUPINGS ARE

DECIDED UPON
60/85
STEP QUESTION
C.1 WHAT APPARATUS IS

REQUIRED ?
61/85
C.1 WHAT APPARATUS IS REQUIRED ?

a) YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK
C.1 WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE
APPARATUS AVAILABLE
( DO YOU NOW HAVE TO

REVISE THE CONCLUSION OF
B.1) ?
CONCLUSION OF B.1 THE VARIABLES ARE SELECTED AND

PERHAPS A HYPOTHESIS IS MADE
b) REQUEST ADDITIONAL
FACILITIES
62/85
C.1 WHAT APPARATUS IS REQUIRED ?
STEP CONCLUSION
C.1 NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

IS NOW AVAILABLE
63/85
STEP QUESTION
C.2 HOW WILL THE TESTS

BE ORGANIZED ?
64/85
C.2 HOW WILL THE TESTS BE ORGANIZED ?
C.2 a) DECIDE WHICH QUANTITIES

YOU WILL VARY AND IN WHAT
ORDER
b) DECIDE WHO IS GOING TO DO

WHAT
65/85
C.2 HOW WILL THE TESTS BE ORGANIZED ?
STEP CONCLUSION
C.2 TEST PLAN IS DRAWN UP

AND JOBS ARE
ALLOCATED
66/85
STEP QUESTION
C.3 HOW WILL THE DATA

APPEAR ON YOUR NOTES ?
67/85
C.3 HOW WILL THE DATA APPEAR ON YOUR NOTES ?
C.3 a) DECIDE ON THE RANGE OVER

WHICH EACH VARIABLE MAY
CHANGE C.1 a) MAY IMPOSE A
LIMITATION
C.1 a) YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK

WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE
APPARATUS AVAILABLE
68/85
a) DECIDE ON THE RANGE OVER
C.3 WHICH EACH VARIABLE MAY
CHANGE C.1 a) MAY IMPOSE A
LIMITATION
b) PREPARE A TABLE INTO
WHICH DATA CAN BE
ENTERED. IS A REFERENCE
TEST NUMBER NEEDED ?
c) DECIDE WHETHER ACCURACY
OF THE MEASUREMENTS WILL
ENSURE A MEANINGFUL
RESULT
d) PREPARE AXIS ON WHICH
CONTROL CURVES CAN BE
PLOTTED
69/85
STEP CONCLUSION
C.3 a) NOTEBOOKS ARE

PREPARED
b) TEST IS PERFORMED
c) DATA IS RECORDED
d) CONTROL CURVES
ARE DRAWN
70/85
STEP QUESTION
D.1 WHAT DO THE CONTROL

CURVES SHOW ?
71/85
D.1 WHAT DO THE CONTROL CURVES SHOW ?
D.1 a) TAKE ADDITIONAL READINGS

WHERE BAD POINTS OCCUR
b) TAKE ADDITIONAL READINGS

IN BADLY DEFINED AREAS
72/85
D.1 WHAT DO THE CONTROL CURVES SHOW ?
STEP CONCLUSION
D.1 DATA IS NOW COMPLETE
73/85
STEP QUESTION
E.1 HOW WILL THE

RESULTS BE
PRESENTED ?
74/85
E.1 HOW WILL THE RESULTS BE PRESENTED ?
E.1 a) DECIDE BETWEEN GRAPHICAL,

TABULAR OR FORMULA
PRESENTATION
b) IF (a) DEMANDS IT PERFORM A

CURVE FITTING EXERCISE
75/85
E.1 HOW WILL THE RESULTS BE PRESENTED ?
STEP CONCLUSION
E.1 RESULTS ARE ANALYSED
76/85
STEP QUESTION
E.2 WHAT DO THE RESULTS

MEAN ?
77/85
E.1 WHAT DO THE RESULTS MEAN ?
E.2 a) ESTABLISH THE VALIDITY OR

OTHERWISE OF THE
HYPOTHESIS MADE IN B.1
b) ESTABLISH THE CONFIDENCE
WHICH CAN BE PLACED IN THE
NUMERICAL RESULTS
c) EXPLAIN THE NATURE OF ANY
TRENDS
d) EXPLAIN DEVIATIONS FROM
ANY THEORETICAL
EXPECTATIONS
78/85
E.1 WHAT DO THE RESULTS MEAN ?
STEP CONCLUSION
E.2 a) RESULTS ARE

ANALYSED
b) EXPERIMENTAL
ERRORS ARE
INVESTIGATED
c) DISCUSSION
SECTION IS
WRITTEN
79/85
STEP QUESTION
F.1 IS THE TEST FINISHED ?
80/85
F.1 a) STATE THE LAWS YOU HAVE

DISCOVERED
b) STATE ANY FURTHER

INVESTIGATION YOU
CONSIDER NECESSARY
81/85
STEP CONCLUSION
F.1 CONCLUSIONS ARE

DRAWN AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
MADE
82/85
STEP QUESTION
F.2 HAVE YOU FINISHED ?
83/85
F.2 a) PROCEED AS DICTATED BY

F.1(b)
F.1 b) STATE ANY FURTHER

INVESTIGATION YOU
CONSIDER NECESSARY
84/85
STEP CONCLUSION
F.2 TEST CONTINUES

OR
REPORT IS PREPARED
85/85

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MECHANICAL

Asst. Prof. Dr. E. İlhan KONUKSEVEN

FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS IN MEASUREMENT & EXPERIMENTATION

PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACHES

Regardless of the Discipline

Some general characteristics of these

This also helps to organize your thinking

Whenever some device or process is

i.e. all physical principles and their

These approximations may be good, fair

Although the quality of these

We also need to remember that

Thus our first comparison of theory and

Theories are always approximations

Study Study the real world,

Give general results Give results specific

Theoretical methods Experimental methods

1. Determination of material properties and

1. Determination of material properties and object

2. Determination of component parameters,

1. Determination of material properties and

1. Determination of material properties and object

4. Evaluation and improvement of

5. Product / process improvement by

8. Use of physical models and analogies.

9. Teaching / learning through

Classification of information leads to two

THIS IS THE INFORMATION

A qualitative measurement must be carried out before

BEFORE METRIC INFORMATION IS ACQUIRED

2. A measurement must be “selective”. It should

3. A measurement must be “objective”. The

• properties of a specific material

• parameters of a specific object or a

• the state or performance of a specific

systematic experimental tests to

monitor and control engineering

To perform acceptance testing of

2. TO COLLECT EMPIRICAL DATA

3. TO VERIFY THE EXISTING

IT WAS MORE THAN THE

THE PREDICTIONS HAD BEEN

NOW THERE WAS A NEW

1. FORMULATE A NEW HYPOTHESIS

2. MODIFY THE BASIS OF THE

THUS NEPTUNE WAS DISCOVERED

LATER PLUTO WAS DISCOVERED

A.1 WHAT IS THE

STEP POSSIBLE ACTION

A.1 a) THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE

b) YOUR EXPERIENCE MAY HELP

A.1 OBJECTIVE IS DEFINED

B.1 WHAT ARE THE

STEP POSSIBLE ACTION

B.1 a) THE ANSWER MAY BE SELF

B.1 THE VARIABLES ARE

B.2 WILL GROUPING OF

STEP POSSIBLE ACTION

B.2 a) GROUPING CAN BE BASED ON

B.2 ANY GROUPINGS ARE

C.1 WHAT APPARATUS IS

STEP POSSIBLE ACTION