Course · sensors and signals

Instrumentation course

Understand the sensors and signals in every plant, then wire them, calibrate them and troubleshoot them like a field technician.

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The first two lessons and lesson 5 are free, no account needed

The lessons are in Arabic for now; the English version is on the way. Device screens and codes are the same as on the real hardware.

The instrumentation course page with a pressure transmitter, an encoder, a thermocouple, a load cell and a scale display
Course devices: transmitter, encoder, temperature sensor, load cell and scale indicator.

The course in numbers

10lessons, from the loop to calibration
4–20mA: the signal you'll meet everywhere
1final exam and a completion certificate
30+experiments, exercises and self-checking questions
Instrumentation

What you'll learn

  • Read loops and tags: TT, PT and FT, PV, SP and range
  • Convert 4–20 mA to a real value, and know why it starts at 4
  • Wire 2-, 3- and 4-wire transmitters correctly
  • Tell PNP from NPN and wire them to a PLC input card
  • Understand incremental and absolute encoders and their faults
  • Choose and wire thermocouples and PT100, and spot wiring errors
  • Calibrate a scale and diagnose a load cell with a multimeter
  • Do a loop check and an as-found / as-left sheet
Contents

The lessons

In order. Every lesson has a short explanation, hands-on experiments and questions.

  1. What is instrumentation?Free
    The loop: sensor, transmitter, controller and valve. PV, SP and range, and reading tags like TT-101
  2. Analog signals: 4–20 mA and 0–10 VFree
    Why 4 and not zero, 2-, 3- and 4-wire transmitters, scaling to a value, and measuring loop current
  3. Digital sensors
    Proximity, photocell and limit switches, NO/NC, and PNP and NPN with a PLC input card
  4. Encoders 1: incremental
    The disc and channels A, B and Z, direction, PPR, x1/x2/x4 counting, speed and output types
  5. Encoders 2: absolute, mounting and faultsFree
    Gray code, single and multi-turn, SSI and PROFINET, mounting and shielding, and the fault game
  6. Temperature 1: thermocouples
    Types K, J, T and S, cold-junction compensation, extension cable, colours and faults
  7. Temperature 2: PT100, RTD and NTC
    100 Ω at 0 °C, 2-, 3- and 4-wire and lead error, transmitters, NTC and PTC
  8. Load cells and scales
    Strain gauges and the bridge, mV/V, 4- and 6-wire, scale calibration, and diagnosing a load cell with a multimeter
  9. Pressure, level and flow
    Pressure and DP transmitters, level by pressure and radar, and magnetic, vortex and Coriolis flowmeters
  10. Calibration and troubleshooting + final exam
    Loop check, as-found / as-left, the calibrator, the field fault game, and the final exam
Who it's for

Who this course is for

  • Maintenance and instrument technicians in plants
  • Electrical, mechatronics and control engineering students
  • Electricians moving into instrumentation
  • You work with PLCs and need to understand the signals coming in
FAQ

Before you ask

Do I need a background first?
You should understand voltage, current and resistance and be able to use a multimeter. If not, start with the electrical basics course.
Is it about a specific brand?
No. The course explains the ideas that are the same across brands, with examples from devices common on the market.
Is there a certificate?
Yes. When you finish every lesson and the final exam while signed in, you can get a Course Completion Certificate with a verification code and QR code. It confirms you completed the course; it is not an accredited qualification.
Is the course free?
The first two lessons and lesson 5 are open to everyone, no account needed. The other lessons need a free account you can create in seconds with your email.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Every bench and experiment works on phones, tablets and computers.

Ready to start instrumentation?

The first two lessons and lesson 5 are free, no account needed. Start now and continue at your own pace; your progress is saved.

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