Piezoelectric Signal Conditioning with MTI Charge Amplifiers: From Portable 55CA/41CA to Rack-Mount CA1800 Solutions
Piezoelectric sensors deliver critical data for turbine balancing, structural health monitoring, and vibration analysis, only when paired with proper signal conditioning. Extracting clean, phase-accurate signals in environments with electromagnetic interference, temperature shifts, and cable effects remains a persistent challenge. Signal conditioning bridges the gap between the sensor and the measurement system. MTI Instruments offers a comprehensive portfolio of charge amplifiers designed to address the challenges of piezoelectric signal conditioning challenges across diverse applications. From the portable 55CA and 41CA units engineered for field turbine balancing to the multi-channel CA1800 rack-mount system for laboratory testing, MTI's line-up provides scalable solutions for [...]
Accelerometer Signal Conditioning: From Charge to Voltage Conversion Explained
A piezoelectric accelerometer generates a tiny electrical charge when it vibrates. That charge, measured in picocoulombs, contains valuable information about machinery health, structural integrity, or performance characteristics. But here’s the problem: you can’t measure it reliably without proper signal conditioning. One of the fundamental challenges lies in the nature of the signal itself: high-impedance charge outputs generated by piezoelectric sensors versus the low-impedance voltage signals required by data acquisition systems and analyzers. Without proper signal conditioning, even the most accurate accelerometer can produce distorted, noisy, or unstable results. This creates a challenge for engineers working with vibration measurement systems. In [...]
Standard Capacitance Probes
P/N Model Measurement Range Min. Range Stand-Off Resolution Spot Size Interface Type Request Info 8100-0001-000 Capacitance Probe: ASP-25M-CTA 25µm (1mil/s) 1.27µm (0.05mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 10x @50Hz: 0.2nm (0.008µin) – @5kHz: 1.5nm (0.06µin) 1.09mm (0.043in) SMA connector CTA Request Info 8100-0002-000 Capacitance Probe: ASP-50M-CTA 50µm (2mil/s) 2.54µm (0.1mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 9x @50Hz: 0.3nm (0.012µin) – @5kHz: 3nm(0.119µin) 1.55mm (0.061in) SMA connector CTA Request Info 8100-0003-000 Capacitance Probe: ASP-125M-CTA 125µm (5mil/s) 6.35µm (0.25mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 10x @50Hz: 0.8nm (0.032µin) – @5kHz: 7.5nm (0.296µin) 2.49mm (0.098in) SMA connector CTA Request Info 8100-0004-000 Capacitance Probe: ASP-250M-CTA 250µm (10mil/s) 12.7µm (0.5mil/s) [...]
Accumeasure Probes
High resolution, low cost sensors to measure gap and displacement in industries such as semiconductor, electronics, R&D applications and many more. For grounded targets MTI offers standard capacitance probes. For ungrounded or poorly grounded targets MTI offers push/pull dual sensor probes. Both types of probes are available in stainless steel construction or flat and flexible polyimide construction. Polyimide flat probes are perfect for gap applications or confined spaces. How Probe Sensors Work Standard capacitive sensors require the target to be electrically grounded (for position, gap and vibration measurement applications). Current flows from the probe face to the target and back [...]
Push/Pull capacitance probes
Model Specifications: Push/Pull Capacitance Probes P/N Model Measurement Range Linearity Min. Range Stand-Off Spot Size Interface Type Request Info 8200-2104-420 PP Probe: ASP-250MD-ILA/PP 250µm (10mil/s) 0.02% FSR 25µm (1mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 7x 9.45 mm SMA connectors ILA Request Info 8200-2114-420 PP Probe: ASP-250MD-ILA/PP Ext 250µm (10mil/s) 0.02% FSR 25µm (1mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 8x 11.58 mm SMA connectors ILA Request Info 8200-3104-420 PP Probe: ASP-250MD-ILR/PP 250µm (10mil/s) 0.02% FSR 25µm (1mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 7x 7.11 mm SMA connectors ILR Request Info 8200-2109-420 PP Probe: ASP-350MD-ILA/PP 350µm (14mil/s) 0.02% FSR 35µm (1.4mil/s) Max. Range Extension: 7x 11.58 mm [...]
Brake Rotors
Industry Automotive Applications Brake Rotors Measurement Type Surface Description Under normal operating conditions brake rotors are subjected to extreme temperatures and forces, which can cause rotor distortion and potential failure. To make certain it can withstand these conditions; extensive laboratory testing is performed to optimize design for longevity, short stopping distance, and vibration free operation. Extensive on-vehicle testing is done under real life conditions to test prototype units and engineering designs. Test vehicles are driven for long periods of time while brake performance is monitored by a variety of sensors [...]
GLASS THICKNESS
Industry Consumer Electronics Applications Glass Thickness Measurement Type Thickness Description Did you know that glass thickness can be measured with a capacitance probe? You will need some equipment: Digital Accumeasure D200 ASP-2500-CTA Dielectric probe (The capacitance probe has a sensing area of 11.25 mm) Range extension = 3X, 10Hz filter Introduction: An industrial glass fabricator needed a way to determine the thickness of glass, before cutting it to shape and coating it. The glass sample was marked with indices to find the measuring points. The sample center point -5- thickness was checked [...]
HEIGHT GAP OF INKJET PRINTERS
Industry Consumer Electronics Applications Height Gap Of Inkjet Printers Measurement Type Positioning Description Introduction: Inkjet printers require a certain distance between the inkjet print head and the paper. If the distance is set incorrectly, the printed images get blurry. Current state of the art printers have the print head nozzles built right into the bottom of the ink reservoir (B) as shown below. When the ink cartridge is installed in the printer, the inkjet nozzles (made out of silicon) essentially become a grounded target through the connections shown at [...]
NUCLEAR HEAT EXCHANGER VIBRATION
Power plants, particularly nuclear power plants, require heat exchangers to cool down the primary working fluid for the power plant. Excessive vibration can lead to cracking and premature failure of the heat exchanger. Problem: A major power plant company approached MTI looking for a sensor that could measure vibration of a heat exchanger assembly that was immersed under water. Additionally, the water could reach 250 F and up to 220 PSI; the probe had to be sealed with a gland at a bulkhead feed through area. Solution: MTI developed a special fiber optic probe based on the MTI-2125H probe configuration. The [...]