Optical displacement sensor suitable for vibration monitoring with self-calibration feature

Abstract

Optical sensors represent an accurate and reliable way of measuring displacement. In this paper an integrated optical sensor in the task of vibration measurement is presented. The sensor is supplemented with an automatically controlled mechanical system to adjust the sensor's operating point even during vibration measurement. The system is tested on an experiment platform which generates vibration by rotating an eccentric mass, while it rests on elastic pads which isolate it from the environment. Vibration is measured by measuring displacement between the platform and the ground. Experimental results demonstrating operating point control and vibration measurement are given. The system is also capable of using the operating point control system for self-calibration which is also demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America.