Silicon Designs announces comprehensive aerospace testing
Rugged commercial- and inertial-grade MEMS capacitive accelerometer chips and modules for zero-to-medium frequency instrumentation applications are available from Silicon Designs.
For inertial guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) applications, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and robotic control systems, as well as photography and weather drones, the low-cost Model 1525 surface mount accelerometer series is claimed to offer best in class, low noise performance. The miniature, nitrogen damped, hermetically sealed accelerometer combines a MEMS capacitive sense element and a custom IC which includes a sense amplifier and ±4.0V differential output stage. According to Silicon Designs, the Model 1525 Series is suitable for GN&C zero-to-medium frequency instrumentation applications requiring high-repeatability, low noise, and maximum stability. Units are available in five full-scale ranges, from ±2 to ±50g, reliably operating over standard temperatures from -40 to +85 degrees C. Series units are relatively insensitive to wide temperature changes and gradients. A calibration test sheet is supplied with each unit, showing measured bias, scale factor, linearity, operating current, and frequency response characteristics.
For aircraft vibration monitoring, flight and flutter testing, and NVH testing, Silicon Designs offers the single axis Model 2220 and 2240 series MEMS capacitive accelerometer modules. They offer measurement stability, AC and DC acceleration response, reliable high and low temperature operation and low power consumption. The low noise accelerometers are 8.0 to 32V DC with either a buffered ±4.0V differential output or 0.5V to 4.5V single ended output, with an internal voltage regulator and reference. The Model 2220 series is housed in an anodised aluminium case, while the 2240 series features a hermetically sealed titanium case with a removable plug and cable.
When ordered off-the-shelf in standard ranges of ±5, ±10 and ±25 g, the modules offer necessary DC response capabilities for low frequency, high precision aircraft flutter testing. The ±50, ±100 and ±200g range modules offer the necessary shock and vibration measurement capabilities for higher impact landing gear monitoring and testing. Units within these specified ranges may be also used to support payload testing, as well as externally mounted accessories such as drop tanks, weapons, and radar antennae system enclosures (radome). They feature a simple four-wire connection and weigh as little as 10g. The low impedance outputs can drive up to 2,000 feet of cable.
All Silicon Designs MEMS capacitive accelerometer modules and JCC/LCC chips are in-house tested, programmed, calibrated, and verified within a climate chamber. Units are also fully calibrated and serialised for traceability prior to shipment. Other aerospace applications supported by Silicon Designs include spacecraft and satellite testing, aircraft seat ejection testing, landing gear testing, helicopter attitude heading and reference systems (AHRS), dynamic platform stabilisation, buffering, health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS), in-flight structural testing, aerospace component durability testing, systems performance testing, modal analysis and global regulatory compliance testing.
