TECHNIQUES FOR THE RAPID ESTIMATION OF ACCELEROMETER NATURAL FREQUENCIES

IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE USABLE FREQUENCY RANGE OF AN ACCELEROMETER, IT IS NECESSARY THAT ITS NATURAL FREQUENCY BE KNOWN. There are four simple methods for making an approximate determination of accelerometer natural frequency. In two of these methods, the accelerometer is excited by either electrical or mechanical pulse inputs, and the ringing frequency is measured. In the other two methods, either the impedance or the capacitance of the accelerometer is measured as a function of frequency. While subsidiary to more refined calibration techniques, these methods are useful because of their speed and simplicity and because they may be utilized with the accelerometer in place. Results have been obtained for several piezoelectric accelerometers. Author