Students gain hands-on experience in conjunction with the engineering concepts learned in lecture. Students learn to implement proper data acquisition and analysis procedures and must follow established guidelines for writing laboratory reports.
Measurements are fundamental to many of the disciplines which make up mechanical engineering.
The engineer must often provide a quantitative characterization of a system or process and must be able to judge the quality of the measurements made. Measurements are vital in the real-time control of processes, and, as a consequence, interest in measurement technology has been stimulated by the use of computers in manufacturing and process control. Seven experiments, one formal report, six informal reports, and a final exam are assigned in each course. The coursework also helps students to develop report writing skills and careful experimental technique. I Students conduct experiments illustrating the principles of specific transducers to measure specific quantities.