New Calibration Accelerometer uses Innovative Shear Design

The new Type 8080 back-to-back vibration calibration standard accelerometer from Kistler Instruments uses an innovative PiezoStar® based sensing element, first of its kind for a back to back sensor, which combines very good transient response with very low case/base strain sensitivity and a 50g range. The accelerometer is designed specifically for use as a transfer standard for calibrating accelerometers and is equally suited to laboratory and field applications.

The new accelerometer is Kistler’s most accurate and repeatable low impedance, back-to-back, vibration calibration standard and features low base strain, long-term and thermal stability and high frequency response. Due to its unique shear design, it offers minimum sensitivity to shaker lateral rotation (rocking motion). A beryllium mounting base, lapped optically flat, provides optimum coupling between Type 8080 and the accelerometer being calibrated. Contained within the housing is a piezoelectric system consisting of a seismic mass preloaded to a PiezoStar element and miniature hybrid electronics. This combination yields a high level, low impedance voltage output signal proportional to the accelerating stimulus.

This PiezoStar® based sensing element offers long-term thermal stability from −65oC to 120oC, and is superior to quartz in terms of voltage gain/noise. The high rigidity provides a frequency response flat to within ±5 % from 1 Hz up to 10 kHz. The shear design, first of its kind for back-to-back sensors, combines an excellent transient response with very low case/base strain sensitivity and a ground isolated interface to shaker. Both signal and DC excitation power are connected through a single coaxial cable.