ISTANBUL AYDIN UNIVERSITY

MEN413 MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

LABORATORY-I

DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL

MEASUREMENTS
MEN413 DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY-I

DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS

1. OBJECTIVE
 Measuring flow rate and conducting statistical data analysis by repeating these
measurements
 Understanding the concept of uncertainty, and applying a curve-fitting method to
represent the data graphically
2. MATERIALS
 Festo PA Basic flow control flow control experiment system

3. THEORY

The measurement error (𝑥) is defined as the difference between the true value (𝑥 ) of a
physical quantity and its measured values (𝑥 ).

𝑥=𝑥 − 𝑥 (1)

Once data are collected through measurements, it is necessary to obtain error limits at a
certain level of reliability:

−𝑢 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑢 (2)

This margin of error (𝑢) is also defined as the uncertainty in the measurements made.
The first step in calculating uncertainty is to identify the factors that cause the error.
Measurement errors can be grouped into two groups: systematic errors and random
errors (Fig. 1). Systematic errors are fixed errors that occur in the same direction each
time a measurement is repeated. Random errors, on the other hand, are errors that change
with each measurement, but have a mean of zero when a sufficiently large number of
measurements are made.

Systematic errors can be estimated not by statistical methods, but by comparison with a
reference considered to be more accurate. If enough measurements are made, statistical
analysis can be performed to detect uncertainty due to random errors. Systematic and
random errors occur simultaneously during measurement, so the total error in a
measurement is a combination of systematic and random errors.

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MEN413 DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY-I

Figure 1. Classification of experimental measurement errors

Parallax error is the error caused by the non-coincidence of the display and scale planes in
analog measuring devices. When the indicator on the scale is read from different angles,
varying values are obtained (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. Paralax error

Accuracy, Precision, and Trueness in Experimental Measurements

Trueness: It is the closeness of the mean value obtained through a sufficiently repeated
measurement to the true (reference) value.

Precision: It is the closeness of the values obtained through successive measurements

(repeatability).

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MEN413 DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY-I

Accuracy: The closeness of the value, obtained through a measurement, to the true value
(a combination of accuracy and precision).

These terms are shown schematically in Fig. 3 below.

Figure 3. A schematic representation of the concepts of reality, precision, and accuracy

A researcher who carries out an experimental study must determine the uncertainty in the
magnitude he is measuring and specify it together with the measurement results.
Uncertainty is usually set for a 95% confidence level. In this case, the researcher suggests
that when the measurements are repeated, the values to be obtained will be 95% greater or
less than two standard deviations from the mean value. If the measured quantity M is
denoted by the mean of the measurements 𝑀 and the standard deviation 𝜎, then the
mathematical representation of this expression can be written as follows:

𝑃(𝑀 − 2𝜎 < 𝑀 < 𝑀 + 2𝜎) = 0.95 (3)

Error Propagation

If different quantities such as 𝑥 , 𝑥 , … 𝑥 are measured in an experimental measurement

and an R magnitude is calculated as 𝑅 = 𝑅(𝑥 , 𝑥 , … 𝑥 ) using these quantities, the
uncertainty of the R magnitude ∆𝑅 is found as follows:

𝜕𝑅 𝜕𝑅 𝜕𝑅 (4)
∆𝑅 = ∆𝑥 + ∆𝑥 + ⋯+ ∆𝑥
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥

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MEN413 DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY-I

4. PROCEDURE

1- Using the flow meter on the Festo PA flow control test system, observe the scale in the
upper tank for the flow values (𝑉̇ 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 ) given in the table below and measure the
time (∆𝑡) required for the 0.5 – 2.5 liters range in the upper tank to be filled. Calculate
the standard deviation (𝜎) and mean value (𝑉̇ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘_𝑎𝑣𝑔) of these measurements by
repeating these measurements 5 times for each 𝑉̇ 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 value and write them in the
table.

Standard
𝑉̇ (𝑙 ⁄ℎ) ∆𝑡 (𝑠) 𝑉̇ (𝑙 ⁄ℎ) 𝑉̇ _ (𝑙 ⁄ℎ)
deviation, 𝜎

400

380

360

340

320

300

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MEN413 DATA ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY-I

2- Using the above 𝑉̇ 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 and the corresponding 𝑉̇ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘_𝑎𝑣𝑔 values, fit a line with
the equation in the form y=a+bx (using the least squares method). Write down the a,
b coefficients you have obtained and the angle that this line makes with the
horizontal axis (𝛼 = tan−1 𝑏). Note that under ideal conditions the angle 𝛼 would be
45 degrees.

a=

b=

𝛼=

- Using the least squares method, the coefficients a and b are calculated as follows:
Σ 𝑦 ∙Σ 𝑥 −Σ 𝑥 ∙Σ 𝑥𝑦
𝑎=
𝑛Σ 𝑥 − (Σ 𝑥 )

𝑛Σ 𝑥 𝑦 −Σ 𝑥 ∙Σ 𝑦
𝑏=
𝑛Σ 𝑥 − (Σ 𝑥 )

where 𝑥 and 𝑦 denote values of 𝑉̇ 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘_𝑎𝑣𝑔 and 𝑉̇ 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 , respectively.