Control Engineering

BDA30703
Lecture 5: Signal conditioning

Prepared by:
Dr Zamri bin Noranai
 Expected Outcomes

At the end of this lecture, students should be able to;

1) Explain basic functions of signal conditioning.
2) Explain basic working principle of an operational amplifier and its
applications in signal conditioning

Topics Learning:
1) Introduction
2) Operational amplifier
(op-amp)

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 2

 1.0 Introduction

A basic measurement system consists of:

Sensors Signal processor Receivers

(Primary transducers) (output device)
► Signal processing is concerned with improving the quality of the
reading or signal at the output of a measurement system.
► One particular aim is to attenuate any noise in the measurement
signal that has not been eliminated by careful design of the
measurement system.
BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 3
 1.0 Introduction (cont.’d)

► Signal processing also performs many other functions apart from

dealing with noise such as signal filtering, signal amplification,
signal attenuation, signal linearization and bias removal.
► Traditionally, signal processing has been carried out by analogue
techniques using various types of electronic circuit.
► In recent years, signal processing has increasingly been carried
out digitally, using software module.
► Digital signal processing is inherently accurate than analogue
technique.
► However, this advantage is greatly reduces in the case of
measurement coming from analogue sensors and transducers,
because an analogue-to-digital conversion (ADC) stage is
necessary before the digital signal processing can be applied,
thereby introducing conversion errors.
BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 4
1.0 Introduction (cont.’d)

Analogue signal processing

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 5

1.0 Introduction (cont.’d)

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 6

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.1 What is an Op-Amp? – The surface

► An Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp) is an integrated circuit that
uses external voltage to amplify the input through a very high
gain.
► We recognize an Op-Amp as a mass-produced component found
in countless electronics

What an Op-Amp What an Op-Amp

looks like to a lay-person looks like to an engineer

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 7

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.1 What is an Op-Amp? – The Layout

► There are 8 pins in a common Op-Amp, like the 741 which is

used in many instructional courses.

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 8

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.1 What is an Op-Amp? – The Inside

► The actual count varies, but an Op-Amp contains several

Transistors, Resistors, a few Capacitors and Diodes.
► For simplicity, an Op-Amp is often depicted as this:

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/electrical-engineering/ee-amplifiers/ee-opamp/v/ee-opamp-intro

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 9

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.2 History of the Op-Amp – The Dawn

► Before the Op-Amp: Harold Stephen Black develops the feedback

amplifier for the Western Electric Company (1920 – 1930)

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 10

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.2 History of the Op-Amp – The Dawn (cont.’d)

► The Vacuum Tube Age

 The first Op-Amp (1930 – 1940) was designed by Karl
Swartzel for the Bell Labs M9 gun director
 Uses 3 vacuum tubes, only one input, and ±350V to attain a
gain of 90dB
 Loebe Julie then develops an Op-Amp with two inputs:
inverting and non-inverting

Schematic diagram and component values for

“Summing Amplifier” (US Patent 2,401,779,
assigned to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc.)

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 11

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.2 History of the Op-Amp – The Shift

► The end of Vacuum Tubes was built up during the 1950’s –

1960’s to the advent of solid-state electronics:

1. The transistor
2. The integrated circuit
3. The planar process

► 1960s: beginning of the solid state op-amp

► Example: GAP/R P45 (1961 – 1971)
- Runs on ±15V, but costs $118 for 1 – 4 (current price: $1.65 for
10 pcs of UA741CP)

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 12

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.2 History of the Op-Amp – The Shift (cont.’d)

► The GAP/R PP65 (1962) makes the op-amp into a circuit

component as a potted module
GAP/R P45 GAP/R PP65

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 13

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.2 History of the Op-Amp – The Evolution

► The solid-state decade saw a proliferation of op-amps
- Model 121, high speed field-effect transistor (FET)
family etc.
► Robert J. Widlar develops μA702 monolithic IC op-
amp (1963) and shortly after the μA709 Robert J. Wildlar
► Fairchild semiconductor vs. National semiconductor
- National: The LM101 (1967) and then the
LM101A (1968) (both by Widlar)
- Fairchild: The “famous” μA741 (by Dave
Fullager 1968) and then the μA748 (1969)

Dave Fullager
BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 14
 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.3 Mathematics of the Op-Amp - Basic

► The gain of the op-amp itself is calculated as:

► The maximum output is the power supply voltage

► When used in a circuit, the gain of the circuit (as opposed to the
op-amp component) is:

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 15

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.3 Mathematics of the Op-Amp – op-amp saturation

► The maximum output value is the

supply voltage, positive and
negative.
► The gain (G) is the slope between
saturation points.

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 16

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.4 Op-amp schematic

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 17

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.5 Op-amp characteristics

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 18

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.6 Ideal Op-amp characteristics

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 19

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.7 Ideal Op-amp analysis

► To analyze an op-amp
feedback circuit:
- assume no current flows
into either input terminal
- Assume no current flows
out of the output terminal

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 20

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.8 Inverting amplifier analysis

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 21

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.9 Non-inverting amplifier analysis

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 22

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.10 Op-amp buffer

Isolates loading effects

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 23

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.11 Op-amp differentiator

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 24

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.12 Op-amp integrator

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 25

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.13 Op-amp summing amplifier

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 26

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.14 Op-amp differential amplifier

If and

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 27

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps Low pass filter

Filters
► Types:
- Low pass filter
- High pass filter
- Band pass filter
- Cascading (2 or more filters
connected together)
Low pass filter transfer
function →
Low pass filter cutoff
frequency →

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 28

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

Electrocardiogram (EKG) amplification
► Need to measure difference in voltage from lead 1 and lead 2
► 60Hz interference from electrical equipment

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 29

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► Simple EKG circuit
- uses differential amplifier to
cancel common mode signal
and amplify differential mode
signal
► Realistic EKG circuit
- uses two non-inverting amplifiers
to first amplify voltage from each
lead, followed by differential
amplifier
- forms an “instrumentation
amplifier”

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 30

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► Strain gauge (Half-bridge arrangement)
- op-amp used to amplify output from strain gauge

- using KCL at the inverting and non-inverting terminals

of the op-amp, we find that →

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 31

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► Piezoelectric transducer
- used to measure force,
pressure, acceleration
- piezoelectric crystal generates
an electric charge in response
to deformation

► Use charge amplifier

- just an integrator op-amp
circuit

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 32

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 33

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► PID controller – system circuit diagram

Source:
http://www.ecircuitcenter.com/Circuits/op_pid/op_pid.htm

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 34

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► PID controller – PID controller circuit diagram

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 35

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► Example of PI: temperature
control

- thermal system we wish to

automatically control the
temperature of :

- block diagram of control

system:

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 36

 2.0 Operational Amplifier (Op-Amp)

2.15 Applications of op-amps (cont.’d)

► Example of PI: temperature
control

- voltage error circuit:

- Proportional-integral control
circuit:

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 37

 References

► Centikunt, Sabri. Mechatronics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons

Inc., 2007.
► Jung, Walter G. Op Amp Applications Handbook. Analog Devices,
2005.
► “Operational Amplifier”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_amplifier.
► “Operational Amplifier Applications”
http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_amplifier_applications.

BDA30703 SEM 2 2016/17 38