Instrument Selection and Specification Analysis

Abstract

The considerations for selecting an instrument may be regarded as falling into two categories: either an engineer is selecting the most suitable instrument from those within a department or establishment to perform a particular measurement, or he is undertaking the purchase of a new instrument to perform a particular measurement and possibly at the same time extend the measurement capabilities of the department or establishment in which he works. Many of the criteria in selecting an instrument are the same, whether the engineer is selecting an instrument off the shelf or purchasing new equipment. In either case a major pitfall is to ‘acquire’ the newest and most sophisticated pieces of equipment in the department, or on the market, simply as a prestige exercise. This is of little value if within a week, justifiable pressure is brought to bear by one’s colleagues and the prestige instrumentation system is reduced to its minimum requirements— which could be two suspect multimeters and the oldest oscilloscope in the department!