The Reasons For Miniature Transducers

20 EE March 1988 THE REASONS FOR MINIATURE TRANSDUCERS by Mike Coope* A statement made by a senior engineer in the aircraft industry recently summed up some of the reasons why many in- dustries have turned towards the use of miniature transducers. "Years ago our aircraft engine control electronics were the size of a small suitcase but today the total package size has been dramatically reduced. This obviously means that when we are testing these components, particularly for important vibration tests, that the additional weight that we add by employing transducers on to the unit can, if the size, and hence weight, are not minimal, completely change the test performance. We must therefore look for transducers, in this particular case accelerometers, with the smallest possible mass". The simple but important rule that ap- plies here is that F=m x a. Hence the additional force that is applied to the item under vibration test is dependent on the mass and the distribution of mass in the ...