TON DUC THANG UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL AND
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
COURSE CODE: 404022
MECHATRONICS
PROGRAMMING & PRACTICE
CHAPTER 2: MEASUREMENT OF
DISPLACEMENT, POSITION, SPEED AND
ACCELERATION
Hau H. Vo, PhD.
CHAPTER 2: MEASUREMENT OF
DISPLACEMENT, POSITION,
SPEED AND ACCELERATION
2.1 Working principle
2.1.1 Displacement
2.1.2 Position
2.1.3 Speed
2.1.4 Acceleration
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 2
CHAPTER 2: MEASUREMENT OF
DISPLACEMENT, POSITION,
SPEED AND ACCELERATION
2.2 Classification
2.2.1 Displacement and position sensors
2.2.2 Tachometers and acceleration sensor
2.3 Applications
2.4 Programming
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 3
OBJECTIVES
Differerentiate between controllers and
programming languages, utilize these
controllers and languages for mechatronics
systems.
Describe functions of controllers, identify
suitable functions for specified tasks of
mechatronics systems.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 4
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
[1] Recognize suitable programming languages,
programming steps, programming softwares for
physical tasks of a specified mechatronic system.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 5
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
[2] Write programs on controllers to implement a
physical task for mechatronic systems. Compare
accuracy, computing speed of a physical task
implemented on controllers for mechatronic
systems.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 6
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
[3] Assess stability, reliability of controllers and
programs for mechatronic systems.
Investigate suitable controllers and programs to
implement tasks of mechatronic systems.
Identify a combination of controllers or programs
for mechatronic systems.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 7
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
[4] Illustrate development trends of the report
topic.
[5] Schedule execution to submit the report on
time.
[6] Effectuate safety regulations when working
with mechatronic systems.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 8
content of slide lecture is borrowed from slide
lecture Ch. 3, 5 of the subject Process
Control and Automation
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 9
2.1.1 DISPLACEMENT
Determination of
linear displacement
is one of the most
fundamental of all
measurement.
Micrometer screw gage
Standard unit in SI: meter (m).
Other unit: inch, mile…
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 10
2.1.2 POSITION
Similar to working principle of displacement
measurement.
Require initial position.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 11
2.1.3 SPEED
Speed = distance travelled per unit of time.
𝑣 = 𝑆Τ𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟 , 𝜔 = 𝜑Τ𝑡 (𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙).
𝑣 – linear speed (m/s)
𝜔 – angular speed (rad/s)
𝑆 – distance moved (m)
𝜑 – angle moved (rad)
𝑡 – time for completing movement (s).
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 12
2.1.3 SPEED
Common speed units
Linear
m/s (meter per second)
km/h (kilometer per hour)
Rotational
rad/s (radian per second)
rpm (revolution per minute)
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 13
2.1.4 ACCELERATION
Acceleration = vector quantity that is defined as rate at
which an object changes its velocity.
𝑑𝑣 𝑑𝜔
a= (𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑎𝑟), 𝑎 = (𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙).
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
a – acceleration (m/s2)
𝑑𝑣 – derivative of linear speed (m/s)
𝑑𝜔 – derivative of angular speed (rad/s)
𝑑𝑡 – derivative of time (s).
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 14
2.1.4 ACCELERATION
Common acceleration units
Linear
m/s2 (meter per square second)
Rotational
rad/s2 (radian per square second)
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 15
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Classification based on resolution
Low-resolution devices (0.25 mm)
Plug gages Snap gages
Medium-resolution devices (2.510-3 mm)
Micrometer Vernier calipers
High-resolution devices (2.510-5 mm)
Mechanical comparators Optical flats
Super-resolution devices: Interferometers
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 16
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Classification based on working principle
Linear meter
Approximation sensor
Encoder
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 17
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Vernier calipers (left) and Digital Vernier calipers
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 18
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Vernier calipers
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 19
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Parts of Vernier calipers:
Outside jaws: measure external diameter or width of
an object
Inside jaws: measure internal diameter of an object
Depth probe: measure depths of an object or a hole
Main scale: scale marked every mm
Vernier scale: give interpolated measurements to 0.1
mm or better.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 20
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Vernier calipers
The least count is given by:
𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
Length of the object:
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡
= 𝑀𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 + 𝑉𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑟 × 𝐿𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 21
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Vernier calipers
Ex: The main scale of Vernier calipers is graduated
into 0.5 mm. The main reading is 50 mm. The
Vernier coincidence is 5. Determine the length of the
cylinder.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 22
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
PROXIMITY SENSOR
Inductive sensor
Capacitive sensor
Ultrasonic sensor
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 23
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Inductive sensors: detect only metallic
materials.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 24
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Inductive sensors - working principle
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 25
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
High frequency (radio frequency) oscillator circuit
in front of a coil. If a metallic object moves inside
the field generated by the sensor, an eddy current
is generated in the metallic object, which loads the
oscillator and causes a voltage drop in it.
Inductive sensors - working principle
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 26
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Capacitive proximity sensors can detect both
metallic and non-metallic targets in powder,
granulate, liquid, and solid form.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 27
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 28
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 29
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
When an object nears sensing surface it enters
electrostatic field of electrodes and changes capacitance
in an oscillator circuit.
As a result, oscillator begins oscillating. Trigger circuit
reads oscillator’s amplitude and when it reaches a specific
level the output state of the sensor changes.
As the target moves away from the sensor the oscillator’s
amplitude decreases, switching the sensor output back to
its original state.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 30
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Ultrasonic sensor
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 31
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Ultrasonic sensor
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 32
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Ultrasonic sensors generate high frequency
sound waves and evaluate echo which is
received back by sensor.
Sensor calculate time interval between
sending signal and receiving echo to
determine distance to an object.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 33
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Encoders: mechanical to electrical transducers
whose output is derived by “reading” a coded pattern
on a rotating disk or a moving scale, classified by:
Method for reading coded element: contact or non-
contact.
Type of output: absolute digital word or series of
incremental pulses.
Physical phenomenon produce output: electrical
conduction, magnetic, optical, capacitive.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 34
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Incremental encoder
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 35
2.2.1 DISPLACEMENT AND
POSITION SENSORS
Absolute encoder
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 36
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Mechanical tachometers
Revolution counter
Centrifugal force tachometer
Electrical tachometers
Eddy-current tachometer
DC tachogenerator
AC tachogenerator
Stroboscope tachometer.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 37
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Revolution counter: measure
an average of rational speed
instead of rotational speed.
It consists of: a worm gear that
is usually attached to a spindle,
two dials, an inner one and an
outer one.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 38
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
The inner dials represent one
revolution of the outer dials
and the outer dials represent
on revolution of the spindle.
The tachometer has a
stopwatch attached to the
revolution counter and is used
to indicated time.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 39
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Parts of eddy-current
tachometer:
Steel cup
Magnet
Spring
Drag cup (Al)
Scale
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 40
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Eddy-
current
tachometer
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 41
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Eddy-current tachometer - working principle:
Rotation of the magnet induces voltages into
the cup, which thereby produce circulating
eddy currents in the drag cup material.
These eddy currents interact with the magnetic
field to produce a toque on the cup.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 42
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Eddy-current tachometer - working principle:
The torque have proportion to speed.
The deflection of the drag cup which is rigidly
connected to a pointer, is indicated on a dial
scale.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 43
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
DC tachogenerator
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 44
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
DC tachogenerator - a miniature DC generator.
Generated voltage depends on speed.
Shaft whose speed is to be measured is
coupled to armature.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 45
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
DC tachogenerator - a miniature DC generator.
Moving coil voltmeter is connected across
brushes to measure generated voltage.
Since voltage is proportional to speed,
voltmeter may be calibrated in terms of speed
DC tachogenerator can be used to indicate
direction of rotation.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 46
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
AC tachogenerator – a
squirrel-cage induction motor,
consist:
Stator: two windings (one
winding for excitation, second
winding for generation output
signal)
Rotor – squirrel-cage windings
is arranged in slot .
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 47
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
AC tachogenerator - working principle:
One winding on stator excited at the carrier
frequency.
Magnetic field rotates corresponding to the
carrier frequency.
In second winding the electromotive force
induced.
The voltage is proportional to the speed.
Frequency is the same carrier frequency.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 48
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Classification of measurement accelerations:
Seismic displacement pickups
Seismic velocity pickup
Piezoelectric accelerometer
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 49
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Parts of seismic
displacement
pickup:
Mass M
Case
Rigidly fastened
Displacement
transducer
Spring
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 50
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Working principle:
Mass accelerates, appears force
referenced on mass .
Under this force spring deflects.
Spring deflection is proportional to the
force.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 51
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Piezoelectric accelerometers
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 52
2.2.2 TACHOMETERS AND
ACCELERATION SENSOR
Piezoelectric accelerometers are widely used
for shock and vibration measurements.
High sensitivity, wide bandwidth, and relatively
small size.
Do not produce an output for constant
acceleration.
05/09/2023 404022 – Chapter 2: Measurement of displacement, position, speed and acceleration 53
