VIBROMETERS &

ACCELEROMETERS

PA RT H K E L K A R – S 6 4
KUNDAN KHADE – S 65
P R AV I N K H A N D A R E – S 6 8
G AU R I S H KO K AT E – S 7 4
VIBRATION VS SHOCK
• A continuous, repetitive displacement-time • A single-event form, a transient with the
graph indicates a vibration. motion decaying out before further
dynamic action is a shock.

While the instrumentation used to measure vibrations and shocks are similar, their
testing procedures and methods are different
VIBROMETERS
• Currently, nomenclature applies term vibration pickup or
vibrometer to detector-transducers yielding an output,
usually a voltage that is proportional to either
displacement or velocity.

• An average person can detect, by means of touch,

sinusoidal vibrations having amplitudes as low as 0.3
μm.

• Greatest sensitivity occurs at frequencies of 300 Hz.

• For amplitudes of motion greater than 1mm, a vibrating Vibrating Wedge

amplitude indicator
edge is used.
 Use of the instrument must be
restricted to input forcing
frequencies above it’s own
undamped natural frequency.
Hence, Lower the instruments
undamped natural frequency,
greater is it’s range.

Laser Doppler Vibrometer

Variable-reluctance transducers
are used as seismic instruments:
Permanent magnet forms a part
of the seismic mass which moves
relative to pick-up coils.
ACCELEROMETERS
• Vibrometers and accelerometers are generally of the
seismic mass form.

• The term accelerometer is applied to those pick ups

whose outputs are functions of acceleration.

• Preliminary acceleration-level indicators are of the yes-

or-no variety.

• In a one-shot accelerometer, acceleration is determined

by whether or not a tension member fractures.

Pre-loaded spring
type
accelerometer
 Strictly brittle materials should be
used to tension members, otherwise
cold-working caused by previous
acceleration history will change
physical properties and hence the
calibration.

Polycrystalline Piezo-electric
ceramics such as lead
zirconate, lead titanate are
used extensively in
accelerometers.
CALIBRATION
• It is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration

standard of known accuracy.

• Calibrated by determining the units of output signal (usually voltage) per unit of input (displacement,

velocity or acceleration).

• Two approaches are:

1) By Absolute methods -

2) By comparative techniques – Uses a standard against which subject transducer is compared.

2.1) Impressed motions must be identical

2.2) Standard must have long-term reliability

CALIBRATION OF VIBROMETERS
• Subjected to steady state
harmonic motion of known
amplitude and frequency.

• Output of the pickup is a

sinusoidal voltage that is
measured by a voltmeter or
cathode-ray oscilloscope.

• Electromechanical exciters are

used to produce usable
amplitudes of several thousand
amplitudes per second.
CALIBRATION OF ACCELEROMETERS
• Static Methods
1) Plus of Minus 1 g turnover method – given a
2g step calibration by rotating the sensitive axis
from one vertical position 1800 through to the
other.
2) Centrifuge Method – Assuming the axis of
rotation to be vertical, normal component of
acceleration toward center of rotation is
calculated.
• Back-to-Back Accelerometer - Steady
State Periodic Calibration – Test
accelerometer is directly coupled to a NIST
traceable double-ended calibration standard
accelerometer and driving the pair at various
g levels
APPLICATIONS
• Accelerometers are used to measure the efficiency of
the braking systems on road and rail vehicles; those
used in aircraft and spacecraft can determine
accelerations in several directions simultaneously.
• There are also accelerometers for detecting vibrations
in machinery.
• Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) has been widely used
in engineering applications involving non-contact
vibration and sound measurements.
• This technique has also been used in some biomedical
applications including hearing research. The detectable
frequencies are in the range of near-DC to 1 GHz or
higher.