NAME ______________________ LAB SECTION __________ DATE __________

ME 4751 - DEADWEIGHT TESTER

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this laboratory is to calibrate a Bourdon tube pressure gauge using a
deadweight tester; refer to Figure 1. An additional goal is to estimate the measurement
uncertainty of the gauge sensitivity.

APPARATUS
1. Ashcroft 1305D deadweight tester
2. Calibration weights
3. Bourdon tube pressure gauge to be calibrated

THEORY
The deadweight tester consists of a two stage oil-filled hydraulic pump containing a
manifold, which is pressurized by hand using a lever. One connection to the manifold
includes a cylinder and a free floating precision machined piston with a platform for
holding calibrated weights. A second connection to the manifold accommodates a gauge
or other pressure measuring device to be calibrated. A hand operated displacement valve
is incorporated into the manifold to allow small adjustments in fluid volume to be made
without operation of the pump handle. Pressure produced by the pump is distributed by the
manifold to the base of the piston as well as to the device being calibrated. Pre-selected
weights loaded onto the piston platform are acted upon by gravity and develop a force that
is equally opposed by the fluid pressure from the pump. When equilibrium is achieved the
pressure value is known, since it is the direct result of the sum of forces from the weights,
piston platform, and piston divided by the effective area of the piston and cylinder
assembly, i.e.,

W
p (1)
A

where: W = total weight of piston assembly and standard weights

A = cross section of the piston

Two piston and cylinder assemblies are provided with the deadweight tester, one having
an area that is 1/5th of the other. When using the smaller piston five times more pressure is
required to oppose the force of a constant mass acted upon by gravity. For this reason the
masses supplied with the deadweight tester are stamped with two pressure values, the value
being contingent on the effective area of the piston and cylinder assembly. Pressure
calibration points produced by the deadweight tester are accurate to within ±0.1% of the
reading certified traceable to NIST.

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

DATA REDUCTION
If the measured gauge pressure (y-data) is plotted as a function of the input pressure
supplied by the deadweight tester (x-data), the slope is referred to as the sensitivity S.
Assume the resulting calibration curve is forced through the zero intercept. It is desired to
estimate the uncertainty of the resulting sensitivity S. Define the standard error of the y-
data about the fit as:

1
Sy/x = √N-2 ∑Ni=1[yi -y(xi )]2 (2)

where: N = number of data points

yi = measured y data (dependent variable)
y(xi ) = y values determined from curve fit

Likewise define the deviation of xi about the mean x̅ as follows:

Sxx = √∑Ni=1(xi -x̅)2 (3)

where: xi = known calibration values of the independent variable

1
and: x̅= ∑Ni=1 xi (4)
N

In that case the true slope uncertainty lies within the c% confidence interval given by:

Sy/x
δS = t α⁄2,ν=N−2 (5)
Sxx

where: t α⁄2,ν=N−2 = student’s t-statistic at ν = N − 2 degrees of freedom

PROCEDURE
1. Referring to Figure 1, bleed any air trapped in the unit by loosening the bleed valve
(30) a half turn counterclockwise. Operate the pump handle several times using full
strokes. After several strokes positive pressure will develop and the pump handle will
begin to resist the pumping action. Raise the pump handle to its uppermost travel
position, and then slowly operate the pump handle through a downward stroke until
fluid flows steadily from the bleed valve. Close the bleed valve just prior to completion
of the downward handle motion.
2. Add selected weights to the piston assembly to achieve the desired pressure with the
chosen piston and cylinder assembly. Each weight is stamped with two pressure values.
When applied to the high pressure piston and cylinder assembly the equivalent pressure
value is indicated next to the letter ‘H’. Conversely, when applied to the low pressure
piston and cylinder assembly the equivalent pressure is indicated next to the letter ‘L’.
The piston and piston platform also contribute to the total mass. Their equivalent
pressure is also stamped on top of the platform.

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

3. Close the pressure release valve (37) by turning clockwise. Operate the pump handle
until the fluid pressure forces the piston to raise the weights. Maintain a lift of
approximately 3/8 in. (1 cm). Minor adjustments to the pressure can be made by turning
the displacement valve (41) in the desired direction. When taking a reading the weights
should be rotated slowly by hand to decrease cylinder wall friction.
4. Relieve the pressure by slowly turning the release valve (37) counterclockwise.

RESULTS
1. Complete Table 1 using the calibration data obtained in the laboratory.
2. Plot the calibration data on Figure 2. Carefully label and scale the resulting graph. Fit
a straight line curve to the data by eye (and using a straight-edge) with the intercept
forced through zero. Determine the sensitivity S (psi/psi) of the pressure gauge; show
your calculations and this result on the graph.
3. Calculate the mean value of the xi data; show this calculation underneath Table 2.
4. Using the calibration data and the results from parts 2 and 3, complete Table 2.
5. Consider a 90% confidence interval (refer to the Table 3). Determine the values of Sy/x,
Sxx , and δS; clearly show these calculations on the last page of this report.

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

 Table 1. Deadweight tester calibration data

Deadweight tester Bourdon tube gauge

pressure (psi) pressure (psi)

25

65

105

145

Table 2. Values for sensitivity uncertainty calculation

xi (xi -x̅)2 yi y(xi ) [yi -y(xi )]2

(psi) (psi2) (psi) (psi) (psi2)

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

 Table 3. Student’s t-Distribution as a Function of /2 and 

t0.10 t0.05 t0.025 t0.01 t0.005


(c = 0.80) (c = 0.90) (c = 0.95) (c = 0.98) (c = 0.99)
1 3.078 6.314 12.706 31.821 63.657
2 1.886 2.920 4.303 6.965 9.925
3 1.638 2.353 3.182 4.541 5.841
4 1.533 2.132 2.776 3.747 4.604
5 1.476 2.015 2.571 3.365 4.032
6 1.440 1.943 2.447 3.143 3.707
7 1.415 1.895 2.365 2.998 3.499
8 1.397 1.860 2.306 2.896 3.355
9 1.383 1.833 2.262 2.821 3.250
10 1.372 1.812 2.228 2.764 3.169
11 1.363 1.796 2.201 2.718 3.106
12 1.356 1.782 2.179 2.681 3.055
13 1.350 1.771 2.160 2.650 3.012
14 1.345 1.761 2.145 2.624 2.977
15 1.341 1.753 2.131 2.602 2.947
16 1.337 1.746 2.120 2.583 2.921
17 1.333 1.740 2.110 2.567 2.898
18 1.330 1.734 2.101 2.552 2.878
19 1.328 1.729 2.093 2.539 2.861
20 1.325 1.725 2.086 2.528 2.845
21 1.323 1.721 2.080 2.518 2.831
22 1.321 1.717 2.074 2.508 2.819
23 1.319 1.714 2.069 2.500 2.807
24 1.318 1.711 2.064 2.492 2.797
25 1.316 1.798 2.060 2.485 2.787
26 1.315 1.706 2.056 2.479 2.779
27 1.314 1.703 2.052 2.473 2.771
28 1.313 1.701 2.048 2.467 2.763
29 1.311 1.699 2.045 2.462 2.756
 1.282 1.645 1.960 2.326 2.576

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

Figure 1. Deadweight tester schematic diagram

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

 160
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
yi (psi)

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160
xi (psi)

Figure 2. Calibration data and sensitivity calculation

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem

CALCULATIONS

ME 4751 – Fall 2018 S. Idem