TACHOMETER BASED RPM CONTROLLER

(TEC - 365)
A Project Report

Submitted To
Ms. Reeta Verma
Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology
Pantanagar – 263145 , Uttarakhand, India

GROUP MEMBERS
Mayank Trehan – 50574 Vaibhav Pachaulee- 50576
Tanya Arya – 50526
Unnati – 50528
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 Acknowledgement

Apart from the efforts of all the members involved , the success of this project
depends largely on the encouragement and guidelines of many others. We take
this opportunity to express our gratitude to the people who have been
instrumental to the successful completion of this project .

We will like to show our greatest appreciation to Ms. Reeta Verma. We cant say
thank you enough for her tremendous support and help. Without her
encouragement.

We would pay our gratitude to Dr. JP Pandey Dean, College of Technology and Dr.
RPS Gangwar, Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication
Engineering.

Lastly, we would like to thank our parents for moral support and our friends with
whom we shared our day-to-day experience and received lots of suggestions and
improved the quality of work.

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 Contents

S.No. Description Page no.

Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 2

Chapter 2 THEORY & PRINCIPLES 3

Chapter 3 DESIGN & METHODOLOGY 6

Chapter 4 RESULTS & DISCUSSION 15

Chapter 5 CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORK 16

REFERENCES 17

VITA

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 Chapter 1 : INTRODUCTION

A tachometer is a sensor device used to measure the rotation

speed of an object such as the engine shaft in a car, and is
usually restricted to mechanical or electrical instruments. This
device indicates the revolutions per minute (RPM) performed by
the object.

The device comprises of a dial, a needle to indicate the current

reading, and markings to indicate safe and dangerous levels. The
word comes from the Greek ‘tachos’ meaning speed and ‘metron’
meaning measure so tachometer and speedometer have become
interchangeable and essentially both measure speed.

Historically, the first mechanical tachometers were designed

based on measuring centrifugal force: an inertial force directing
away from an axis of rotation that acts on all objects as viewed
from a rotating frame of reference. In 1817, it was adapted to be
used for measuring the speed of machines and since 1840, it has
been predominantly used to measure the speed of vehicles;
specifically locomotives.

Advanced tachometers have novel uses. For example, in the

medical field, a haematachometer placed in an artery or vein can
estimate the rate of blood flow from the speed at which the turbine
spins. The readings can be used to diagnose circulatory problems
like clogged arteries.

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 Chapter 2 : THEORY & PRINCIPLES

Types of Tachometers

The types of tachometers commonly found are:

 Analog tachometers - Comprised of a needle and dial-

type of interface. They do not have provision for
storage of readings and cannot compute details such
as average and deviation. Here, speed is converted to
voltage via use of an external frequency to voltage
converter. This voltage is then displayed by an analog
voltmeter.

 Digital tachometers - Comprised of a LCD or LED

readout and a memory for storage. These can
perform statistical operations, and are suitable for
precision measurement and monitoring of any kind of
time-based quantities. Digital tachometers are more
common these days and they provide numerical
readings instead of using dials and needles.

 Contact and non-contact tachometers – The contact

type is in contact with the rotating shaft and uses an
optical encoder ot magnetic sensor. The non-contact
type is ideal for applications that are mobile, and uses
a laser or optical disk. Both of these types are data
acquisition methods.

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 Time and frequency measuring tachometers – Both
these are based on measurement methods. The time
measurement device calculates speed by measuring
the time interval between the incoming pulses;
whereas, the frequency measurement device
calculates speed by measuring the frequency of the
incoming pulses. Time measuring tachometers are
ideal for low speed measurements and frequency
measuring tachometers are ideal for high speed
measurements.

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 Chapter 3 : Working

The working principle of an electronic tachometer is quite

simple. The ignition system triggers a voltage pulse at the
output of the tachometer electromechanical part whenever
the spark plug fires. The electromechanical part responds
to the average voltage of the series of pulses and it shows
that the average voltage of the pulse train is proportional
to engine speed. The signal from the perception head is
transmitted by standard twin screened cable to the
indicator.

The tachometers are temperature compensated to be able

to handle operations over an ambient temperature range
of – 20 to +70°C (-4 to +158°F).

The tachometer in a vehicle enables the driver to select

suitable throttle and gear settings for the driving conditions
as prolonged use at high speeds can cause insufficient
lubrication which will affect the engine. It enables the
driver to prevent exceeding speed capability of sub-parts
such as spring retracted valves of the engine, and
overheating, thereby causing unnecessary wear or
permanent damage and even failure of engines.

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Chapter 4 : Design & Methodology

The Circuit layout is as follows :

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1. The first switch limits the rpm to 1600 by dropping
the base voltage to 1.2v
2. The second mode regulates the base voltage to
around 2v to get a max rpm of 2000
3. Finally the third mode regulates the base voltage
to provide for a maximum rpm of 2500.
4. The Arduino controls the Output of the motor so
that it does not exceed the limit .

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 Chapter 4 : List Of Components And Cost

S.No. COMPONENTS QUANTITY COST

1. Arduino Uno 1 Rs. 450
2. IR Transmitter 1 Rs. 30
3. IR Photodiode 1 Rs. 30
4. LCD Display 1 Rs. 200
5. DC Motor 1 Rs. 40
6. Jumper Wire 30 Rs. 180
7. Potentiometer 1 Rs. 20
8. 2N2222 Transistor 1 Rs. 10
9. Resistors 5 Rs. 20
10. Battery 2 Rs. 20
11. Switches 3 Rs. 15
12. Plastic Circuit Board 1 Rs. 30
Total Cost = RS. 1045

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Arduino uses the following code:

#include<LiquidCrystal.h>
const int rs = 12, en = 11, d4 = 4, d5 = 5, d6 = 6, d7 = 7;
LiquidCrystal lcd(rs, en, d4, d5, d6, d7);
int sensor = 0;
int count = 0;
int countF = 0;
int black = 0;
int lapse = 0;
int rpm = 0 ;
int vb=0;
int x = 0;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
lcd.begin(16, 2);
lcd.print("VEHICLE SPEED");
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("SYSTEM");
delay(1000);

void loop() {
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0,0);
lcd.print("RPM ");
lcd.setCursor(4,0);
lcd.print(rpm);
lcd.setCursor(0,1);
lcd.print("MAX RPM ");
int q = 0;
int w = 0;

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int e = 0;
int t1 = 0;
int t2 = 0;
int t3 = 0;
int t4 = 0;
int X = 0;
int variable=0;

q = analogRead(A2);
w = analogRead(A3);
e = analogRead(A4);
if((q > 600 && q < 800)&& ( w > 600 && w < 800) && (e>900))
{ count=0;
vb = 50;
x =700;
variable = 1000;
lcd.setCursor(8,1);
lcd.print(x);
}

else if((q>960) && (w>900) && (e>990))

{ count=0;
vb = 100;
x =1100;
variable = 1000;
lcd.setCursor(8,1);
lcd.print(x);
}

else if((q > 900) && (w > 950) && (e>990) )

{
vb = 250;
x =1500;
variable = 1000;
lcd.setCursor(8,1);
lcd.print(x);

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}
else if((q < 700) && (w < 700) && (e<700 ))
{ count=0;
vb = 255;
variable = 1000;
}

analogWrite(3,vb);

for(lapse=0;lapse<=variable;lapse++)

{
sensor = analogRead(A1);
t1 = analogRead(A1);

if((t1 <900)&&(t2>900)&&(t3>900) )
{
count = count+1;
}
else if((t1 > 900)&&(t2>900)&&(t3>900) )
{
X=X+1;
count = count;
}
else if((t1 > 900)&&(t2<900)&&(t3>900) )
{
count = count;
} else if((t1 > 900)&&(t2>900)&&(t3<900) )
{
count = count;
} else if((t1 < 900)&&(t2<900)&&(t3<900) )

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 {
count = count;
X=X+1;
}
else if( X>5 )
{
count = count;
}
else
{
count;
}
t4=t3;
t3=t2;
t2=t1;
delay(1);

rpm = 30*count;

Serial.print("sensor");
Serial.println(sensor);
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0,0);
lcd.print("RPM ");
lcd.setCursor(4,0);
lcd.print(rpm);
lcd.setCursor(0,1);
lcd.print("MAX RPM ");
count=0;
variable = 0;
vb = 250;
delay(1);

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 CHAPTER 5 : RESULTS & DISCUSSION

The tachometer measures revolutions per minute (RPMs)

of engines and is widely used in automobiles, airplanes,
marine engineering field and many others. ... As
aforementioned, the tachometer uses a dial and a needle
to indicate readings, as well as low and high markings
which indicate safe and dangerous levels.

The following are the key application areas of

tachometers:

 Automobiles, airplanes, trucks, tractors, trains and

light rail vehicles

 Laser instruments

 Medical applications

 Analog audio recording

 Numerous types of machinery and prime movers

 To estimate traffic speed and volume.

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CHAPTER 6 : CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORKS

Overall we consider this project to have worked well. The

results were actually more promising than the PIC
tachometer .The system worked as we designed it and
reliable enough that we saw the results , we were hoping
for 1200 RPM fans ran at about 1200 RPM and so on.

In future we would like to combine this whole system with

a wireless module to communicate information between
our smart phones and the vehicles and make a compact
system that is practically more useful with most of the
vehicles.

The overall combined device should be easily attachable

with any kind of vehicle and should be able to control its
output. And maintain a record of all the speed changes.
So , the user can access the database easily and the
device should be password protected.

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 References

[1] ELECTRICAL TACHOMETERS (MMC SERIES)-

INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTS.

[2] Maas.S .Austin-Healey Sprite Electronic Tachometer

Conversion.Nonlintec.2009

[3] How Tachometers Work .ehow

[4] www.wikipedia.org

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