Vibration

Measurement
Sensors

sensors.ppt

Page 1

Who is Wilcoxon Research?

Started in 1960 by engineers from United

States Navy Research Laboratory
Developed Accelerometers, Impedance
Heads, and Reaction Shakers

Primary sales are to industrial customers

sensors.ppt

Pulp & Paper

Machine Tool
Power Generation
Petrochemical
Food Processing
Steel & Aluminum

Page 2

Who is Wilcoxon Research

Early Markets were Naval Engineering and

Test for US, French, and British Navies

Entered Condition Monitoring in the early

1980s with Palomar, Scientific Atlanta,
and CSI

sensors.ppt

Page 3

Wilcoxon Research Today

Worlds largest manufacturer of industrial

accelerometers

Located in Metropolitan Washington DC

along the I 270 Technology Corridor

Approximately 120 employees

sensors.ppt

Page 4

Basic Vibration Sensors

Ele c tro dynamic

Velocity Trans duc e r

Acc e lerome te r

Noncontacting
Displacement
Transducer

sensors.ppt

Page 5

Eddy Current Probe Fabrication

sensors.ppt

Page 6

Eddy Current Probe - How It Works

sensors.ppt

Three matched components - Driver, probe and extension cable

Voltage applied to the Driver causes an RF signal to be generated

Signal is transmitted to the probe by the extension cable

Coil inside probe tip serves as an antenna and radiates high frequency
energy into free space

Any conductive material within the field absorbs energy and causes
output of probe to decrease proportional to gap distance

Page 7

Eddy Current Probe

sensors.ppt

Page 8

sensors.ppt

Page 9

Eddy Current Specifications

Calibrated Range

80 mils beginning at approx. 10 mils

Scale Factor

200mV/mil over a 80 mil range

Linearity

200 mV/mil straight line +/- 0.8 mils

Frequency Response

0 to 600,000 CPM (Theoretical)

Temperature Range

Driver
-60 F to +212 F
Probe and Cable
-30 F to +350 F

Relative Humidity

sensors.ppt

to 95% noncondensing

Page 10

Fabrication of Electrodynamic Velocity Sensor

sensors.ppt

Housing vibrates while the spring-suspended coil remains stationary

Amplitude of the output voltage is proportional to the velocity of the

vibration
Page 11

Types of Accelerometers

Piezoelectric

sensors.ppt

Charge mode
Internally amplified

Strain Gauge

Piezoresistive

Variable Capacitance

Others

Page 12

Piezoelectric Accelerometers

Measures Acceleration

Am plifie r

Mo unting
S c re w

Co nn e c to r
P ie zo c e ram ic

Velocity or Displacement
Output Available

S e is m ic
Mas s

Co nne c to r

Very Sensitive

Contacting

Mo unting Bas e
2339b

S e is m ic Ma s s
Am plifie r

Measures Absolute Casing

Motion

Co nne c to r

P ie zo c e ra m ic s

Mo u nting
B as e
23 3 9a

sensors.ppt

Measures Very Low

Frequency
Measures Very High
Frequency

Am plifie r

P ie zo c e ra m ic s

S e is m ic Ma s s
Mo unting
Ba s e
2208a - R1

Page 13

Piezoelectric Accelerometer - How It Works

sensors.ppt

Piezoelectric material (sensing element) is

placed under load using a mass

Co nne c to r

As stack vibrates, crystal is squeezed or

released
Charge output is proportional to the force
(and acceleration)
Electronics convert charge output into
voltage output

S e is m ic Ma s s
Am plifie r

P ie zo c e ram ic s

Mo unting
Bas e
2339a

Page 14

Operational Range

sensors.ppt

Page 15

Vibration vs. Frequency

1,000
100

Very Little Vibration

Amplitude in terms of
Acceleration is Produced
at Low Frequencies

Much Larger Amplitudes

are produced in terms of
Displacement

Displacement (mils pp)

10
EU
1.0
(mils pp)
(ips)
(g)
0.1

Velocity (ips)

.01
Acceleration (g)

.001
.0001

sensors.ppt

.1
.6

1
60

10
600
FREQUENCY

100
6,000

1,000 Hz
60,000 cpm
1607-R1

Page 16

Eddy Probe
Advantages

Low frequency response

(to 0 Hz)

Can measure relative

displacement

Useful as a key phasor

for dynamic balancing &
analysis

sensors.ppt

Reliable if property
installed and maintained

Disadvantages

Difficult to install

Practical limits of high

frequency displacement
measurement

Calibration dependent
on shaft material

Shaft runout / glitch

produces false signals

Page 17

Electrodynamic Velocity Transducer

Advantages

No external powering

Powerful signal Output

Easy to use (not as

sensitive to mounting
problems as alternative)

Ability to operate at
elevated temperatures

sensors.ppt

Disadvantages

Not useful for very

low frequency

Not useful for very

high frequency

Moving parts wear

Mounting orientation
may be important

Size

Accuracy (resolution /
noise as compared to
alternatives)

Page 18

Internally Amplified Accelerometer

Advantages

Disadvantages

Very wide frequency

Not responsive to 0 Hz

Wide amplitude range

Broad temperature
range

Internal Amplifier
limits temperature

Velocity or
displacement output
available

Rugged, industrial
design

sensors.ppt

Page 19

Low Frequency
Accelerometer Considerations

High Sensitivity

Low Noise

Low Pass Filter

Environmental Protection

sensors.ppt

Overload Protected
Resists Thermal transients
Low Strain Sensitivity

Co nne c to r

Am plifie r

P ie zo c e ram ic s

S e is m ic Mas s
Mo unting
B as e
2208a - R1

Limited Amplitude Range

Page 20

Sensitivity Selection

799M
793, 786A
797, 736

732A, 732AT

sensors.ppt

Page 21

Electronic Sensor Noise

Sets the Absolute

Measurement Floor

Increases as
Frequency Decreases

Dependent on Charge
Sensitivity
PZT Piezoceramics are very sensitive and must be
used for Low Frequency Accelerometers

sensors.ppt

Page 22

500 mV/g

100 mV/g

sensors.ppt

Page 23

Electronic Sensor Noise

Electronic Sensor Noise can be Improved by using

more Lines of Resolution

The Cost is greater Measurement Time

Data Acquisition Time = Lines/Fmax

400

800

1600

3200

Electronic Spectral Noise of

a Low Frequency Sensor
(1 g/
Hz)

0.16 g

0.11 g

0.79 g

0.056 g

Measurement Time
Per Data Set

40 sec

80 sec

160 sec

320 sec

Measurement Time for

Four (4) Averages Without
Overlapping

160 sec

320 sec

640 sec

Measurement Time for

Eight (8) Averages Without
Overlapping

320 sec

640 sec

Lines of Res olution

3200

(5.3 min)

1,280 sec (21.3 min)

1,280 sec 2,560 sec (42.7 min)

2348a - R1

sensors.ppt

Page 24

Summary of Concepts
Reminder - very little motion in terms of acceleration is
produced at low frequencies

sensors.ppt

Page 25

Strain Gage Accelerometers

sensors.ppt

Metal (wire or foil) strain gages on a beam or diaphragm

structure

Measure strain caused by inertial forces on mass

Low sensitivity and/or low natural frequency

Rarely used; being replaced by PR and VC

Page 26

Piezoresistive Accelerometers

sensors.ppt

Page 27

Variable Capacitance

sensors.ppt

Page 28

Servo Force Balance

sensors.ppt

Page 29