What Factors Should I Consider when Building an Accelerometer Vibration Circuit?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility and requirements for building a vibration sensing circuit using an accelerometer for a university dissertation project. The focus includes theoretical considerations, practical applications, and component selection for prototype development.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the feasibility of building a circuit that uses an accelerometer to sense vibrations from a helicopter gearbox and transmit data via Bluetooth.
  • Another participant questions the initial research efforts of the first poster, suggesting a lack of foundational knowledge for a dissertation project.
  • A participant asserts that the use of accelerometers for vibration sensing is feasible, referencing existing applications in aircraft, and seeks advice on integrating this technology into a smaller-scale prototype.
  • Further elaboration includes a list of critical factors to consider before selecting components, such as frequency range, amplitude of vibration, temperature ranges, intended use of readings, power supply specifications, and necessary signal processing.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of confidence regarding the feasibility of the project, with some questioning the preparatory research while others affirm the potential for success. The discussion remains unresolved regarding specific methodologies and component choices.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the need for detailed specifications and understanding of the accelerometer's data sheet before proceeding with component selection, indicating potential limitations in the initial proposal.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students or hobbyists interested in building sensor-based circuits, particularly in the context of vibration analysis and data transmission technologies.

Shaggy1505
Good afternoon. I am currently attempting to build a circuit for my university dissertation. I am looking to build a cct that would use an accelerometer to sense vibration from say a gearbox of a helicopter to a storage device before being transferred via Bluetooth to a laptop. My questions are. 1) would this be feasible 2) how and what materials would I require in order to build a prototype? Thank you very much in advance for your time over this
 
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Uh ... you've chosen this for a dissertation and you have no idea where to start or if it's even possible? Sounds weird. What research HAVE you done? What have you found so far?
 
I know it’s possible as it is already in use to some capacity on different aircraft. Obviously I need to build a prototype and can’t exactly purchase a Wildcat aircraft so I am asking for ideas as to how I would produce a example on a smaller scale. I have carried out in depth research into areas of the Wildcat HMA aircraft that would benefit from upgrade or new design. I understand the use of accelerometers for sensing vibration but I am unsure how I would integrate this into a cct board and what components I would need to build a cct board and storage option before transferring it via Bluetooth to a laptop for the purpose of producing a prototype
 
Expanding what phinds said. Before you even start looking for a sensor or components for a board, you need to know:

Frequencies of interest - minimum to maximum.
Approximate amplitude of vibration - minimum to maximum.
Temperature range of surface to which the accelerometer will be attached.
Ambient temperature range for electronics.
What you will do with the readings - alarm, record, display, etc.
Electrical power supply - voltage range, spikes.
What signal processing will be needed.
What is minimum MTBF?

In order to pick board components, you need to study the sensor data sheet. Which will trigger another list of questions to answer...
 
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