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Contents Summary: Accelerometers and How They Work
Contents Summary: Accelerometers and How They Work
Contents summary
Definition of Acceleration
Technologies
Terminology
Effect of Tilt
Typical applications
Summary
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Acceleration Fundamentals
What is Acceleration?
Definition: the time rate of
change of velocity
A.K.A.: the time rate of change
of the time rate of change of
distance
v 2 x
a=
= 2
t t
What is a g?
A g is a unit of acceleration equal to Earths gravity at sea level
32.2 ft/s2 or 9.81 m/s2
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V(t=1.160) = 0 m/s
Distance Traveled (meters)
1.000
0.800
0.600
0.400
V(t=0.640) = 1 m/s
0.200
0.000
0.000
0.200
0.400
0.600
0.800
Time (seconds)
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1.000
1.200
1.400
a(t=0.960) = 0 m/s2
2.000
Velocity (meters/second)
1.000
0.000
0.000
-1.000
-2.000
0.200
0.400
0.600
0.800
1.000
1.200
1.400
V(t=0.640) = 1 m/s
-3.000
-4.000
V(t=1.160) = 0 m/s
-5.000
-6.000
-7.000
Time (seconds)
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Acceleration (meters/sec^2)
5.000
0.000
0.000
-5.000
-10.000
0.200
0.400
0.600
0.800
1.000
1.200
1.400
a(t=0.960) = 0 m/s2
-15.000
-20.000
-25.000
-30.000
-35.000
-40.000
-45.000
Time (seconds)
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g level
1g
2g
2g
3g
5g
7g
10g
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Sensor Category
Capacitive
Piezoelectric
Piezoresistive
Hall Effect
Magnetoresistive
Heat Transfer
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Key Technologies
-Metal beam or micromachined feature
produces capacitance; change in
capacitance related to acceleration
-Piezoelectric crystal mounted to mass
voltage output converted to acceleration
-Beam or micromachined feature whose
resistance changes with acceleration
-Motion converted to electrical signal by
sensing of changing magnetic fields
-Material resistivity changes in presence of
magnetic field
-Location of heated mass tracked during
acceleration by sensing temperature
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CAS
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1
(Vout ,+1g + Vout ,1g )
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2.800
2.600
2.400
2.200
2.000
Theoretical
1.800
Actual
1.600
1.400
1.200
1.000
-1g
0g
g Position
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+1g
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Rigid Mounting
Bees Wax
Double Sided tape
Bolt(s)
No Loose Wires
Loose wires can create false signals
Secure wires firmly to mounting body
Weight of Sensor
Should be approximately an order of magnitude less than object
being measured
Example: CAS = 47g; accelerating object should be more than 470g
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Effect of Tilt
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Gn=G*Cos()
Gn
Gx
Gn
Gn = G*Sin()
+1g Position
(-1g Position uses same equation)
= 1
Gn = 0.9998*G
g level going
0g Orientation
from 0g to some
value
= 1
Gn = 1.7x10-2*G
500mV/g Device
Degrees
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Tilt / Roll
Vibration / Rough-road detection
Can be used to isolate vibration of mechanical system from outside
sources
Impact detection
To determine the severity of impact, or to log when an impact has
occurred
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Summary
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