16/10-08   -   Press releases

Triaxial accelerometer

PATENT PENDING: Noliac has designed and manufactured a piezoelectric sensor which has the potential for making triaxial accelerometers more cost-effective and lighter while maintaining good performance levels.

The prototype design is based on a stick-shaped ceramic body including 10 sections, some of them connected by pairs to form 6 independent zones. The sensor is fixed in its middle and can include seismic masses at its extremities.

Upon acceleration in the transversal direction of the ceramic part, the body is bending, such that two given sections are stressed with opposite signs and the sensor behaves as a common bender type accelerometer.

Upon acceleration in the length of the ceramic part, one side of the body is in compression and one side is in traction, such that the sensor behaves like a compression type accelerometer.

Homogeneous results for all 3 axes
- Sensitivity 0,6-0,8 pC/m.s-2 for X-Y
- Sensitivity 0,8-1,0 pC/m.s-2 for Z

Stable response over frequency range
- 10 Hz to 2 kHz
- Low resonance (5 kHz) due to the fixture

Summary
+ Compensated for temperature variation
+ High sensitivity
+ Flat and homogeneous response
+ Light weight (0,68g ceramic)
+ Simple construction (low cost)

Further work is required to increase bandwidth

This accelerometer could advantageously be integrated into demanding applications where a high sensitivity is needed in the low to medium frequency range. In particular, aerospace applications would benefit from its low weight.

Noliac offers this technology as a feasibility study or a prototype project.