MAE 334: Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Lab I University at Buffalo Department of

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Spring 2015

Lab 2: Data Acquisition and Signal Sampling

Lab Overview
In this lab you will sample a number of signals that are generated by the computer. These
signals will be captured using a basic Labview program (Labview is a commonly used program
in industry). You will explore the effect sampling rate has on your ability to capture a signal and
its corresponding fidelity. The impact of the data acquisition hardware is also explored.

Lab Purpose and Outcomes

The purpose for this lab is to familiarize students with the process of data acquisition and signal
evaluation. When assessing scientific data, it is necessary to determine what aspects of the
signal belong to the system response and what aspects of the signal belong to the data
acquisition process. These concepts will be critical to evaluating the data collected during future
labs, internships, and careers. In completing the lab, you should be able to achieve the following
outcomes:
Outcome 1: Develop a general understanding of what goes into data acquisition.
Understand the parameters common to any data acquisition process
Understand how to determine the appropriate data acquisition settings
Outcome 2: Be able to analyze collected data to determine its quality
Understand what calculations exist to assess the quality of collected data
Understand what the results of a given calculation indicate about your data

Experimental Setup
The simple experimental setup used in this lab allows a number of core concepts to be taught. A
signal is generated by the computer, and fed back in to the data acquisition board to be
sampled.

Lab Procedure
Step 1 Familiarize Yourself with the Labview Program
In this step of the lab, you will familiarize yourself with the Labview program. Please pay
attention to the following:

 There are two virtual buttons to run and stop the program.

You must stop the program to change the sampling rate.

You must create a file name in a folder where you have write access. You will be prompted to
create a file name when you click on the button.

You must add the *.txt extension to your file name for the program to recognize it.
Once you are comfortable with the Labview program, please continue on to the following
sections of the lab.
Step 2 Analyzing Card Resolution and Noise
In this step you will take data that will allow you to investigate the card resolution and the card
noise. To obtain this data, do the following:
1. Set the output amplitude to zero.
2. Create an appropriately named file by clicking on the Write button.

3. Record data at 10 kHz for 5 seconds.

4. Click the Write button again to stop recording data.
Data Analysis
2.1 Calculate the card resolution from the measured data, (which is equal to the least
significant bit (LSB) voltage). What is the full scale voltage set at for the DAQ card? (The

card's resolution in bits is 16 , m = 16)

2.2 Calculate the standard deviation of the noise. Discuss how this compares to the noise
specifications in the cards datasheet.
Step 3 Signal Aliasing
You will now sample two waveforms to study the effects of an inappropriate sampling rate.
You are encouraged to determine the apparent frequency prior to sampling the signal. Once
you sample the data, you should quickly check your results before leaving the lab.
Test 1: Output 80 Hz sine wave.
Sample at 100 Hz.
Test 2: Output 350 Hz sine wave.
Sample at 200 Hz.
Record the data for a few seconds, saving it to an appropriately named text file.
Data Analysis
3.1 Determine the theoretical alias frequency that should result from your sampling rate, given
the frequency of the outputted waveform (see the lecture notes for help).
3.2 Plot the data you have obtained (signal amplitude versus time) for 5 cycles. The Labview
program only records the voltages, so you will need to create a time column. Discuss how your
sampled data compares to the theoretical value.
Step 4 Waveform Fidelity
You will investigate how the sampling rate impacts waveform fidelity. To obtain this data, do
the following:
1. Set the output amplitude to 2 V, the waveform to sine, and the frequency to 10 Hz.
2. Stop the program and change the sampling frequency. You will need to sample at the
following frequencies:
a. 10 Hz (for 10 sec)
b. 100 Hz (for 5 sec)
c. 1 kHz (for 2 sec)

d. 10 kHz (for 2 sec)

e. 100 kHz (for 2 sec)
3. Choose an appropriate filename and record data for the specified amount of time.
Data Analysis
4.1 Plot the results you have obtained on a properly formatted plot. Which sampling rate best
represents a 10 Hz sine wave.
4.2 Discuss the problems that arise when sampling at the other rates.

Lab Report Discussion

Present your results in a technical lab report. Lab report requirements for the course are
outlined in the syllabus. Be sure to include the required data analysis tasks.

Data Processing
Data may be processed in MATLAB or Excel. It is recommended that you process your data in MATLAB,
as other labs will require this program.