Calibrate Charge Accelerometers for Fleet Readiness
Reduce Mean Time to Repair and Mean Time to Test
Why Calibrate Charge Accelerometers?
Confidence in the accuracy of vibration sensors is key to aircraft fleet readiness, and testing sensors with a Portable Vibration Calibrator (PVC) leads to
Reduce Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and Mean Time to Test (MTTT): Could that vibration alarm be the fault of vibration sensors with amplified output? No need to send sensors off for testing. Bring a PVC right to the location of the
sensors and test in minutes.
Increase aircraft reliability: Much like those used in industrial applications, charge sensors used in aviation must endure challenging conditions.
If the sensor is providing an amplified signal, the aircraft is grounded while technicians replace supposedly faulty components and chase balancing issues.
If the sensor is providing a reduced output, dangerous levels of aircraft vibration can be masked, and flight operation may be unsafe.
Confidence in the accuracy of vibration sensors is key to turbine uptime: Sensor failure/inaccuracy during turbine startups cause costly false trips.
Cost savings: The high cost of charge sensors means annual replacement can be a huge unnecessary expense.
VIDEO: How to Calibrate Charge Accelerometer
Note that the PVC can calibrate both single-ended and differential output charge mode accelerometers.
Charge Mode Accelerometer Applications
Charge mode piezoelectric accelerometers offer high performance for precision vibration measurements in high temperature environments. Charge mode accelerometers are often used to monitor vibration in aircraft and ground-based gas turbines. Applications
include:
Monitoring and minimizing airframe vibration
Propeller balancing
Engine vibration monitoring
Helicopter Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) and helicopter Vibration Health Monitoring Systems (VHM)
HUMS Gearbox vibration monitoring
Engine testing
Gas turbine vibration monitoring
Charge mode sensors are used in conjunction with a charge amplifier and charge converter, which convert the charge signal to a measurable voltage.
Charge output accelerometers can be quite costly, sometimes as much as $3000 to $5000 per sensor. They are often replaced unnecessarily or sent out for recalibration. With a Portable Vibration Calibrator from The Modal Shop, these sensors
can be tested in-house. The PVC can be brought to the site of the sensor itself, saving the time and expense of an outside calibration and possibly saving the expense of a new sensor.
What types of charge sensors can be calibrated with a Portable Vibration Calibrator?
Portable Vibration Calibrators can help you create calibration certificates for a wide variety of charge accelerometers including ARCINC mount sensors and integral hardline cable sensors:
