New Tools for Structural Testing: Piezoelectric Impact Hammers and Acceleration Rate Sensors

Small-sizeultra-high-precision mechanical systems demand special testing methodologies, such as a betterhighfrequency response, a precise impact position, an extremely high repeatability, etc. Utilizing the fact that signals obtained from piezoelectric sensing elements are strongly ine uenced by the interfacing circuitry, piezoelectric sensors that can be used to measure acceleration rate were developed. Both analytical and experimental results indicatethataccelerationratesensorscandetectthearrivalofrealisticshock earlierthanconventionalaccelerometerscan.An ultra-high-precisionhigh-speedpiezoelectricimpactsystemwithanon-lineloadcellwasalsomodeled, designed, and built. The sensitivity ofthison-lineload cell wascalibrated by using a standard quartzload cell. This innovative high-speed impact hammer system was found to have a timing accuracy in the range of microseconds and a positioning accuracy in the range of micrometers.