BTEC National Diploma in Engineering
Unit 53
Electronic Measurement and Testing
Unit Name and Number
Student
Assessor
Task book issue date
Completion date (pass outcomes)
Learner Signature
The following grid gives details of the submission and referral deadlines for each of the pass outcomes listed. The deadline for each outcome will
be indicated in the same box as the outcome criteria.
Outcomes included in this task
book
Tasks are ordered in accordance
with the outcomes listed
P1
Describe the function, features
and characteristics of a
measurement instrument
Deadline:
Module Week 4
P2
Describe the function, features
and characteristics of three
different pieces of electronic test
equipment
Deadline:
Module Week 4
P3
Use test equipment and
measuring techniques to take
measurements from three
different pieces of electronic
equipment
Deadline:
Module Week 6
P4
Explain the importance of test
specifications as an aid to
ensuring the validity and
consistency of measurements
Submitted
Achieved?
Referred
Re-submitted
(Date)
(Sign and date)
(Resubmit by?)
(Date)
Deadline:
Module Week 7
P5
Describe the principles and need
for calibration of an item of
electronic test equipment
Deadline:
Module Week 8
P6
Describe the health, safety and
configuration issues that need to
be considered when connecting
test equipment to an item of
electronic equipment that needs
testing
Deadline:
Covered in induction
P7
Use a virtual measurement and
testing system to carry out a test
on a piece of electronic
equipment
Deadline:
Module Week 10
P8
Describe the measurement
techniques, instrument
connection, hardware and
software used.
Deadline:
Module Week 10
M1
Explain the importance of
resolution, accuracy, sensitivity
bandwidth and input impedance
on the performance of a piece of
test equipment
Deadline:
By the end of the module
M2
Use a manufacturer’s
recommended procedure
together with laboratory
instruments and standards to
calibrate and configure an item
of electronic test equipment
Deadline:
By the end of the module
M3
Use appropriate software to
display and analyse voltage/time
date captured from a virtual
oscilloscope
Deadline:
By the end of the module
D1
Evaluate the accuracy of own
test measurements and relate
them to limitations of the test
equipment, test procedures or
possible emerging fault
conditions
Deadline:
By the end of the module
D2
Devise and demonstrate a
calibration procedure for an item
of electronic test equipment
Deadline:
By the end of the module
Learner Declaration
I confirm that the work submitted to complete the given tasks is my own. I have indicated where
research and other resources have been used to confirm the conclusions reached within the submission
and listed those resources in a bibliography
Sign and date for each task
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
P8
P9
P10
P11
M1
M2
M3
D1
D2
Task 1 (P1)
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Have you included documentary evidence such as a drawing,
illustration or photograph which you can label and indicate the
function of the various buttons and dials?
Have you fully described the features of an oscilloscope e.g. its
input and output connectors?
Have you described the importance of the characteristics of an
oscilloscope such as its input and output impedance, bandwidth
and accuracy?
Task
1. Describe the function, features and characteristics of an oscilloscope.
Task 2 (P2)
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Have you included documentary evidence such as a drawing,
illustration or photograph which you can label and indicate the
function of the various buttons and dials?
Have you fully described the features of test equipment such as
function generators e.g. such as its portability or in built
calibration facilities
Have you described the importance of the characteristics of test
equipment such as its input and output impedance, bandwidth
and accuracy?
Tasks
Describe the function, features and characteristics of the following three pieces of electronic test
equipment.
1. A function generator
2. A power supply
3. A logic probe
Task 3 P3
Use test equipment and measuring techniques to take measurements from three different pieces of
electronic equipment.
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Make sure that you make use of the guidance and carry out the
practice tasks in the module task book.
You should make full use of documentary evidence to illustrate
your submission. Use photographs, drawings and schematics
where appropriate.
When finding out the internal impedance of a power supply you
will need to use Ohm’s law at some stage. Make sure you show
all of your calculations neatly with answers double underlined.
Introduce each stage of the given tasks to the reader. This will
both help to inform the reader and give a sense of organization
to the submission.
As always, briefly evaluate your findings.
Select test equipment and use measurement techniques to carry out the following tasks:
1. Investigate the frequency range of the laboratory function generator which is set up to give a
square wave output using appropriate test equipment. Approximately at what frequency does
noticeable distortion of the waveform occur and how does this relate to the bandwidth of the
oscilloscope?
2. Determine the approximate internal resistance of the laboratory power supplies using
appropriate test equipment.
3. Measure the input and output waveforms to the LM386 power amplifier and determine
magnitude and nature (leading or lagging) of the phase shift incurred by the circuit.
4. Measure and record the output of the 4 stages of the 74LS93 counter in the given traffic light
circuit. Find the rise time of the signal and relate this to the bandwidth of the oscilloscope.
Task 4 (P4)
Explain the importance of test specifications as an aid to ensuring the validity and consistency of
measurements.
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Have you defined validity and consistency with respect to test
measurements explaining why both are important parameters
when we are taking measurements?
Have you explained what a test specification is?
For example, if you were going to buy a car that could
accelerate from 0 – 60 mph in 10 seconds. How could you be
sure that the information given on the cars performance is
accurate and reliable?
1. To complete this task you can either give a written or verbal presentation using one of the tasks
carried out for P3. If you choose to give a verbal presentation then you will need to arrange a
suitable time and place with your tutor.
Task 5 (P5)
Describe the principles and need for the calibration of an item of electronic test equipment.
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Have you described the need for and importance of Standards
organizations?
Have you briefly described the various types of standard and
how they are applied (International, National Primary,
Secondary, Working and Time/Frequency standards).
Have you briefly described the principles of measurement and
the need to be able to compare measurements with a
recognized quantity or reference (standard).
Have you explained why it is important to regularly calibrate
electronic test and measurement equipment?
Finally what does the calibration of an electronic measurement
instrument help to ensure?
1. Once again this task could be combined as a written or verbal presentation with P5 using one of
the tasks from P3 as a basis for your presentation.
Task 6 (P6)
Describe the health, safety and configuration issues that need to be considered when connecting test
equipment to an item of electronic equipment that needs testing.
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Have you considered the precautions that need to observed
before measuring mains level voltages (>240 volts)?
What precautions should be observed when working with
batteries (replacing, charging and disposing)?
In the case where you are required to replace items of electrical
equipment which will necessitate handling components:
Have you described the procedures for ensuring the electrical
equipment is isolated before work begins and remains isolated
for the duration of the work?
Have you described the precautions that must be observed
when adjusting ‘live’ equipment?
Have you described the importance of earth bonding of
electrical equipment, and checking the continuity of the earth
bonding of electrical equipment?
Have you briefly described the use and availability of electrical
safety equipment such as safety cut outs, fuses, residual current
devices (RCD) and earth circuit leakage breakers (ELCB)
1. You are required to present a written submission outlining the precautions to be taken when
working with electrical and electronic equipment. Make sure you fully cover all of areas listed in
the table above.
Task 7 (P7 & P8)
P7 Use a virtual measurement and test system to carry out a test on piece of electronic equipment.
P8 Describe the measurement techniques, instrument connection, hardware and software used.
Check the following
Tick to confirm you have fulfilled the
requirements for this outcome
Have you described the type of virtual oscilloscope used to
carry out this task?
Have you listed the system requirements needed to run this
virtual measurement and test system (processor speed,
bandwidth, ram, operating system, bus capability)
Have you provided screen dumps showing how you set up the
virtual scope to capture data from the test?
Have you described or demonstrated how data can be stored
from the test?
1. You can reproduce either task 1, 3 or 4 from P3 to complete this outcome. Make sure you have
covered the points in the table.
Task 8 (M1)
1. Explain the importance of resolution, accuracy, sensitivity bandwidth and input impedance on
the performance of an oscilloscope. You can use any of the tests in the pass section (which
required and oscilloscope) as a basis for your submission, especially the tasks carried out for P3.
Task 9 (M2)
Use a manufacturer’s recommended procedure together with laboratory instruments and standards to
calibrate and configure and item of electronic test equipment.
1. Use the manufacturer’s recommended procedure to calibrate and configure a laboratory
oscilloscope.
2. Use the calibrated scope to check the accuracy of a laboratory function generator with respect
to frequency and amplitude.
3. Check the accuracy of your measurements against that given by the manufacturer of the
function generator.
4. Based on your findings, would you recommend that the function generator needs to be sent
back to the manufacturer for calibration? You need to justify this recommendation.
Task 10 (M3)
Use appropriate software to display and analyse voltage/time data captured from a virtual oscilloscope.
1. This is a natural extension of the task given for P7. In this case you are required to analyse a
waveform. The best way to accomplish this given the limitations of the software is to show the
frequency spectrum of a square waveform and note the harmonics present.
2. Compare the frequency spectrum of the square waveform with that of a ‘pure’ sine wave.
Evaluate your findings.
Task 11 (D1)
Evaluate the accuracy of your own test measurements and relate them to limitations of the test
equipment, test procedures or possible emergent fault conditions.
1. You can use any of the tests carried out in the various exercises or practical projects as a basis
for this evaluation. The submission needs to be an ‘in-depth’ investigation of the effects of
connecting test/measurement equipment to a circuit under test and how the results are limited
by the characteristics of the test equipment and procedures.
2. As an example an oscilloscope is incapable of accurately displaying a transient pulse due to its
finite bandwidth. This could be the basis of an investigation carried out by you to explain why?
Task 12 (D1)
1. Devise and demonstrate a calibration procedure for a x10 oscilloscope probe to be used with
the laboratory oscilloscopes. Explain why the probe needs to be calibrated and under what
circumstances such a probe might be required in preference to a standard x1 probe.