Kistler announced availability of its piezoelectric and variable capacitive sensing technologies for flight test requirements, including in-flight structural analysis; flight test simulator qualification testing; aircraft bay and equipment monitoring; weapons and stores testing; landing gear evaluation and simulated drop testing; and aircraft flutter testing.
For flight test simulator testing, Kistler K-Beam® MEMS variable capacitance accelerometers are mounted under the pilot seat to determine a simulator's vibration power spectrum density, with the goal of precisely matching the actual vibration characteristics of the aircraft to be simulated. After simulator commissioning, the same transducers are used to provide real-time data on the actual g-levels experienced by the pilot. If accelerometer data indicates that training limits are exceeded, the system shuts down automatically, providing an added safeguard.
The Kistler K-Beam® family is offered in ranges from ±2 g to ±200 g and with frequency response from DC to 1000 Hz (5%). These compact, lightweight accelerometers are available in either single axis (Type 8315) or triaxial (Type 8395A) versions. They incorporate a MEMS variable capacitance sensing element, consisting of a small inertial mass and flexure element sandwiched between two electrodes. As the mass deflects under acceleration, the capacitance between the sensing element and electrodes changes, which is then converted to a proportional voltage by its internal analog signal conditioner. All sensors offer excellent thermal stability and reliability over an operating temperature range of -55°C to +125°C, with 6,000 g pk shock survivability. Type 8315 features a 25.4mm footprint and is powered by a single wide range supply between +6 and +50 VDC, with three different housing (AC, TA, TB) options which determine available output signal formats. The AC option features lightweight, hard anodized aluminum housings with environmental sealing, integral ground isolation, epoxy seal and integral PVC cable, with a maximum operating temperature of +85°C. TA and TB options are offered with the same output signal formats as the AC version, yet include a temperature output if external compensation is desired.
