Measurement Errors

Dr. N. VENKAIAH
Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
NIT Warangal 506 004
Disclaimer
The content presented here is not entirely my own. Some portions are taken from
different sources with great regard. This content is solely for class room teaching
and not for any commercial use.

"A professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he

doesn't particularly feel like it."
~ Alistair Cooke
 Sources of Measurement Errors
 Errors due to environmental effects

 Alignment errors

 Errors due to elastic deformation

 Measurement Errors …
Environmental Conditions
 For higher measurement accuracy, environmental conditions
(Temperature, Humidity, Atm. Pressure, Stress etc.) must be
stable.

 Under fluctuating operating conditions, the size of a gauge or a

workpiece also varies thereby introducing the measurement errors

 During the measurements, these environmental fluctuations should

be arrested to specified values (like temperature 20±1 0C)

 Instead of arresting the environmental conditions, a compensation

mechanism can also be used.
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 Measurement Errors …
Environmental Conditions …
Direct measurement: A gauge block being measured directly by
interferometry.

 Error = lα(t-ts) where l = nominal length,

α = co-efficient of expansion,
(t-ts) = deviation from std. temp.

Comparative measurement: Two gauges whose expansion

coefficients are α1 and α2

 Error = l(α1- α2) (t-ts)

 As expansion coefficients are small, error will be very small as

long as both parts are at the same temp.

 It is necessary that all the components in the measuring system

are at the same temperature rather than necessarily at
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standard temperature
 Measurement Errors …
Alignment errors
These errors occur due to misalignment of measuring instruments.

Abbe’s Principle
The line of measurement should coincide with the line of the scale.

θ
l cos θ l

Error = l − l cos θ Error due to non-alignment of plunger axis

and line of measurement
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 Measurement Errors …
Alignment errors – Abbe’s Error…

Caliper jaw micrometer

Abbe’s error in a Vernier caliper

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 Measurement Errors …
Errors due to Elastic Deformation
Sir G.B. Airy showed that the positions of the supports can be
arranged to give a minimum error.
Zero slope at ends
Support length = 0.577L
End faces parallel
Minimizes change in over
all length.
Eg. Line standards and
End bars

Deflection at ends equals

deflection at centre
Support length = 0.554L Fig. Support positions for different
Eg. Straight edges conditions of measurements
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 Measurement Errors …
Errors due to Elastic Deformation …
Hertz’s formula
This formula gives the amount of deformation of workpiece
caused by the measuring force.

E.g. Measurement of size of a spherical workpiece using a

micrometer
2
P
Amount of deformation, δ p = 0.82 3
D
Where,
P = Pressure applied
D = Nominal diameter of sphere

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 Classification of Errors
1. Systematic (Fixed) errors
a. Calibration errors
b. Human errors
c. Experimental errors
d. Errors of technique

2. Random (Accidental) errors

a. Errors of judgment
b. Variation of conditions
c. Definition

3. Illegitimate errors
a. Blunders or mistakes
b. Computational errors
c. Chaotic errors
 Systematic Errors
 Caused by improper conditions and procedures, which are consistent in
action

 Magnitude and sign are constant

a. Calibration Errors – Due to built-in errors in the instrument resulting from

 Incorrect scale graduations

 Defective gearing
 Links of wrong proportions

 Because of their consistency, these errors can be eliminated by

calibration
 Systematic Errors
b. Human errors

 Due to limitations of human senses

 Due to human tendency to read always on higher/lower side

 Change the observer to overcome these errors

 Systematic Errors
c. Experimental Errors – Due to limitations of the experiment itself
Thermometer

Heat flow to atm.

Hot bath

 These errors may be corrected using theoretical calculations from the

known properties of hot water bath and the thermometer
 Systematic Errors
d. Errors of Technique – Due to wrong technique employed

Thermometer Thermometer

Wrong Technique Right Technique

 Random Errors
 These errors lack the consistency both magnitude wise and direction wise
 Generally follow some type of statistical distribution but not always

a. Errors of judgment

Due to lack of consistency on the part of the observer

b. Errors due to variation of conditions

Due to external disturbances like fluctuations in line-voltage, temperature

changes, vibrations etc.

c. Definition errors - It is the evaluation of the consistency in the value of a

measured variable

Systematic errors may be reduced or eliminated by careful choice and

calibration of instruments
The random errors cannot be eliminated. They may be characterized by
statistical analysis.
 Illegitimate Errors
 Usually of large magnitude
 These errors are not legitimate and should not find a place in the data.
 Can be identified and eliminated by repeating the experiment

a. Blunders

Outright mistakes in the construction and operation of the instrument

E.g. Wrong scale fitted to the instrument

Operator may set the instrument for a particular range and
uses it for a different range

b. Computational Errors – Errors in arithmetic

 Chaotic Errors

Due to large scale external disturbances which may hide the actual
reading

Remedy: Stop the experiment until these disturbances subside