Injection molded 1{endash}3 piezocomposite velocity sensors
- Materials Systems Inc., Littleton, Massachusetts 01460 (United States)
A cost-effective technology has been developed for producing 1{endash}3 piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composites and transducers for underwater actuators, pressure sensors, and velocity sensors. Applications include active and passive sonar, underwater imaging, and active surface control. The key technology in the manufacturing process in the PZT ceramic injection molding process, in which an entire array of piezoelectric elements is molded to final net shape in one operation. Several designs of low-profile, area-averaging 1{endash}3 piezocomposite accelerometers have been fabricated. The initial breadboard accelerometers were made using a prepoled 50{times}50 mm injection molded 1{endash}3 PZT-5H preforms, containing 361 identical rods on a common baseplate. Additional mass was attached to the baseplate, which was metallized to serve as an electrode, and the free ends of the PZT rods were bonded to a fixed surface, which also functions as the other electrode. Subsequently, a manufacturing process was developed to create accelerometer {open_quote}{open_quote}islands{close_quote}{close_quote} within a 1{endash}3 piezocomposite transducer. The accelerometers can be made in arbitrary areas, shapes, and arrangements within the transducer panel, with the remaining area used either as a hydrophone or an actuator. This integral accelerometer technology is being optimized as part of an ARPA-funded active surface control program. This paper reviews the current state-of-the-art of injection molded piezocomposite transducers and describes some of the velocity sensor configurations made using this technology. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}
- OSTI ID:
- 288394
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9509298--
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 368; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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