Elements of Metrology

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

This course is primarily based on theoretical-practical classes where the fundamental concepts of metrology and precision measurement in several domains are presented using realistic and practical examples whenever possible.

Complementarily, support tools and application examples related with the presented topics are introduced and explored in the lab exercises.

The final grading comprises a written open-book exam and the exercises of the lab classes.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge of the fundamental concepts and standards of metrology.

Basic Knowledge of the statistical elements of the measurement process.

Ability to calculate the uncertainty associated with a measurement result.

Knowledge of the parameters and methods associated with precision metrology in several domains.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

2. International System of Units (SI).

3. The Measurement Process. Sources of Uncertainty and Error. Characterization of quantities and instruments. Static and Dynamic Characteristics.

4. Significant figures

5. Measurement statistics. Basic parameters: mean, median and deviations of measurements. Normal distribution and t-Student.

6. Metrological specification of measuring instruments. Measurement accuracy and precision. Repeatability and reproducibility. Linearity.

7. Examples of dimensional, mass and time/frequency metrology. Laboratory Metrology Perspectives. 

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Laboratory work or Field work: 30.0%
Exam: 70.0%

Bibliography

1. The Metrology Handbook, Jay Bucher, editor. ASQ Quality Press, 2004.

2. Vocabulário Internacional de Metrologia, IPQ, 2005

3. International vocabulary of metrology – Basic and general concepts and associated terms (VIM), JCGM, 2012

4. ISO 1000:1992 - SI units and recommendations for the use of their multiples and of certain other units

5. ISO 5725-1:1994 - Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results -- Part 1

6. ISO 5725-2:1994 - Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results -- Part 2

7. ISO/TS 21748:2004 - Guidance for the use of repeatability, reproducibility and trueness estimates in measurement uncertainty estimation

8. ISO/TS 21749:2005 - Measurement uncertainty for metrological applications -- Repeated measurements and nested experiments

9. ISO/TR 22971:2005 - Accuracy (trueness and precision) of measurement methods and results 10. ISO Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement, JCGM, 2008