A Design and Development of a Pneumatic Shock Calibration Machine

Shock acceleration has been receiving attention to assess the impact resistance of products. Evaluation of the shock characteristics can be seen ranging from small size consumer electronics to large military equipment. The acceleration transducer, an accelerometer, plays an important role in shock measurement, but must be calibrated to maintain the measurement accuracy and ensure its reliability. This work presents the design and development of a shock calibration machine based on ISO 16063–22. The pneumatic shock exciter was used to regulate air pressure to drive a projectile to strike an anvil to which accelerometers were mounted. The machine was applicable for an amplitude range of up to 9600g. To support the calibration functionality, electrical and pneumatic system control, data acquisition, and user interface were also implemented.