{"id":20615,"date":"2025-10-31T00:25:51","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T00:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vibromera.eu\/glossary\/accelerometer\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T22:30:49","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T22:30:49","slug":"accelerometer","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/vibromera.eu\/pa\/glossary\/accelerometer\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an Accelerometer? Types, Working Principle, and Uses"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is an Accelerometer? A Guide for Vibration Analysis<\/h1>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPortable balancer & Vibration analyzer Balanset-1A<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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€<\/span>1,975.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVibration sensor<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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€<\/span>90.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>Add to cart<\/a>\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOptical Sensor (Laser Tachometer)<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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€<\/span>124.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>Add to cart<\/a>\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Vibromera\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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€<\/span>6,803.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>Add to cart<\/a>\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>
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€<\/span>46.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>Add to cart<\/a>\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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€<\/span>10.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>Add to cart<\/a>\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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€<\/span>1,735.00<\/span> + VAT (if applicable)<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>Add to cart<\/a>\t\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n

An accelerometer<\/strong> is a transducer<\/a> (or sensor) that converts mechanical motion \u2014 specifically the acceleration<\/a> produced by vibration or shock \u2014 into a proportional electrical signal. It is by far the most widely used sensor in predictive maintenance<\/a> and condition monitoring<\/a>. By measuring how quickly a point on a machine is changing velocity, an accelerometer supplies the raw data that lets an analyst diagnose a wide range of mechanical and electrical faults \u2014 from bearing defects<\/a> to unbalance<\/a> and misalignment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. Definition: The Core of Vibration Measurement<\/h2>\n

Acceleration is the natural quantity to measure on rotating machinery because the dynamic forces that damage a machine \u2014 centrifugal force from a heavy spot, impact from a spalled bearing race \u2014 scale with acceleration. An accelerometer responds directly to those forces, which is why it sits at the heart of nearly every modern vibration analyzer<\/a> and data collector<\/a>.<\/p>\n

One of the practical strengths of the accelerometer is that its acceleration signal can be electronically integrated<\/a> once to give velocity<\/a> (mm\/s), and twice to give displacement<\/a> (\u00b5m). A single, well-mounted sensor therefore covers all three classic vibration units, letting the analyst pick whichever best reveals a given fault.<\/p>\n

2. How Do Accelerometers Work? The Piezoelectric Principle<\/h2>\n

Although several physical principles exist, the overwhelming majority of accelerometers used for industrial machinery are based on the piezoelectric effect<\/strong>. The working sequence is straightforward:<\/p>\n

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  1. Piezoelectric crystal:<\/strong> Inside the sensor a small seismic mass is attached to a piezoelectric<\/a> element \u2014 typically a ceramic such as PZT, or in premium sensors a precision-cut quartz crystal.<\/li>\n
  2. Applying force:<\/strong> When the machine vibrates, the housing moves with it. By inertia, the internal mass resists that motion and exerts a force on the crystal \u2014 equal, by Newton’s second law, to mass times acceleration.<\/li>\n
  3. Generating a signal:<\/strong> A stressed piezoelectric crystal produces a tiny electrical charge directly proportional to the applied force, and therefore to the acceleration.<\/li>\n
  4. Output:<\/strong> Internal electronics condition this charge and pass it down a cable to a data collector or monitoring system as an analog representation of the acceleration at that point.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How that charge is conditioned defines two common families. A charge-output<\/a> sensor delivers the raw charge to an external charge amplifier<\/a> and tolerates very high temperatures. Far more common in industry is the IEPE<\/a> (or voltage-mode<\/a>) type, which builds the amplifier into the sensor and outputs a low-impedance voltage that travels well down ordinary two-wire cable. The most robust designs use a shear<\/a> construction, which isolates the crystal from base bending and thermal transients.<\/p>\n

    3. Types of Accelerometers<\/h2>\n

    Different applications call for different sensors, each with its own strengths.<\/p>\n

    General-Purpose Accelerometers<\/h3>\n

    These are the workhorses of industrial monitoring. They typically offer a sensitivity<\/a> of 100 mV\/g and a frequency range suited to most common machinery such as pumps, motors and fans \u2014 roughly 2 Hz to 10 kHz.<\/p>\n

    MEMS Accelerometers<\/h3>\n

    Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometers are silicon-based, very small, low-power and cost-effective. Historically less sensitive than piezoelectric types, modern MEMS devices are improving rapidly and are common in portable electronics, automotive systems, wireless monitoring<\/a> nodes and lower-cost condition-monitoring installations.<\/p>\n

    Piezoresistive Accelerometers<\/h3>\n

    Used for shock testing and low-frequency motion, these sensors respond all the way down to 0 Hz (DC acceleration), which makes them useful for measuring the steady acceleration in a centrifuge or the slow ride motion of a vehicle.<\/p>\n

    High-Frequency Accelerometers<\/h3>\n

    Designed to catch high-frequency events such as early-stage gear and bearing damage, these sensors use a smaller seismic mass and a higher resonant frequency, allowing accurate measurement to 20 kHz or beyond \u2014 the range where techniques like envelope analysis<\/a> and the shock pulse method<\/a> live.<\/p>\n

    4. Key Specifications and Selection<\/h2>\n

    When choosing an accelerometer, engineers weigh several parameters:<\/p>\n