MELVIN H.

DELA SAURA BSMEAE 4- A2

VIBRATION MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

The instruments which are used to measure the displacement, velocity, or acceleration
of a vibrating body are called Vibration Measuring Instruments.

1.Transducer

A transducer is a device for converting the mechanical motion of

vibration into an electrical signal,commonly called pickup. Vibration
transducer measure motion.

There are three kinds of transducers: Displacement,Velocity,Acceleration

Displacement Transducer

The most common type of displacement transducer is proximity probe.

Operates on the eddy current principle.

It sets up a high-frequency electric field in the gap between the end of

the probe and the metal surface that is moving.

Senses the change in the gap.

Measures relative displacement not absolute displacement.

MELVIN H. DELA SAURA BSMEAE 4- A2

Sensitive to shaft surface defects such as scratches,dents and vibrations in conductivity

and permeability.

Senses shaft runout,and it is very difficult to distinguish vibration from runout.

The practical maximum frequency of proximity probes is about 1500 Hz.The minimum
frequency is zero.It can also measure static displacement.

A useful application of proximity probes is to measure very slow relative movement like
thermal expansion.

It is useful in situations where the vibrating part cannot tolerate the mass of the pickup.

Velocity Transducer

Velocity transducer is also called siesmic pickup.

The relative motion between the permanent magnet and the coil generates a voltage
that is proportional to the velocity of the motion.

The velocity transducer has an internal natural frequency of about 8 hz.

The velocity transducer is rather large.On small devices this added mass can significantly
affect the vibration output.

The coil in the velocity pickup is sensitive to external electromagnetic fields.

MELVIN H. DELA SAURA BSMEAE 4- A2

Acceleration Transducers

The most common acceleration transducer is the piezoelectric accelerometer

It consist of quartz crystal with a mass bolted on top and a spring compressing the
quartz.

A property of piezoelectric material is that it generates an electrical charge output when

it is compressed.

The charge output is proportional to force F=ma,force is also proportional to

acceleration.
MELVIN H. DELA SAURA BSMEAE 4- A2

Typically accelerometer has very high natural frequency,typically 25000 Hz.Its response is
linear for about 1/3 of this range. It has a useful frequency range of from about 5 to
approximately 100000 Hz depending on its size.

The primary considerations in selecting an acceleromter are sensitivity and frequency

response.

If high-amplitude motions are to be measured,i.e. greater than 10g,such as in shock

measurement,then a low-sensitivity accelerometer is appropriate 10 mV/g or less.

If the level motion is to to be measured,such as building or structural motions at low

frequencies then a high sensitivity accelerometer should be chosen 1000 mv/g.

For most machinery monitoring,100 mV/g sensitivity accelerometer provide the right balance
of sensitivity and frequency response

Other considerations in accelerometer selection or transducer are

Linearity - It is expressed as the the percent deviation from a constant value of the sensitivity

Transverse Sensitivity is the ability of the transducer to detect motion in directions

perpendicular to its sensitive axis.

Damping is very low in piezoelectric accelerometer but can be significant in other types,such
as piezoresistive accelerometer.