Instrumentation involves the design, configuration and optimization of industrial systems. Basically, if you have raw materials and you know the output you want, the instrumentation engineer shows you the way. It has many subjects in common with electronics, electronics and telecommunication, electrical and mechanical engineering and thus a course in instrumentation can be followed by a specialization in certain areas of the above branches, apart from the core instrumentation courses. Figuratively, it makes you a jack of 4 trades by being a master of one.

Description:

The first word that every Instrumentation Engineer would utter is ‘measurement’. Every industry or perhaps every activity in this world needs measurements like temperature, pressure, level, flow rate etc. Instrumentation engineers design, install and maintain measuring elements in a factory or industry. They also study process control in which, as the name suggests, processes are controlled to meet the required set of measurements. Automation, one of the crucial aspect of modern Industry is an Instrumentation engineer’s forte. Instrumentation also involves the study of a few subjects from other branches like mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer engineering.

How the Course Pans Out:

Major Topics of Study	What will you do
Second Year
Transducers Digital and Analog Electronics Electrical Networks Electrical Technology and Instruments Feedback Control Systems
Third Year
Microprocessors & Microcontrollers Power Electronics Control System Components Signal Conditioning and Circuit Design Process Instrumentation Systems
Final Year
Process Automation Industrial Process Control Advanced Control Systems Instrument and System Design Computer Communication Networks

Instrumentation Engineering in a Nutshell:

Job Prospects:

Ideally instrumentation engineers should get jobs in Research & Development departments of public sector companies that have thermal power stations, or steel plants. However, as things stand, most instrumentation engineers have to settle for IT jobs, or mechanical-engineer-type jobs at best. The premium colleges, however, have companies like Ultratech Cement, etc coming in for placements.

Best When Done From:

• Mumbai: 1.VESIT 2.RAIT
• Pune: 1. COEP 2. VIT
• Delhi: 1. NSIT 2. Bharati Vidyapeeth
• Bangalore: 1. RVCE 2. BMSCE