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Disable OR feature on ADXL100x mems sensors

Thread Summary

The user encountered issues with high-frequency vibrations causing over-range (OR) protection to destroy the sensor signal in ADXL1004 and ADXL1005 MEMS accelerometers. The final answer suggests disabling the OR feature by pulling Pin 21 high (VDD), though this is at the user's risk. The user confirmed this solution works for short-term analysis and inquired about specific damping materials, but no specific recommendations were provided by the engineering team.
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Category: Datasheet/Specs
Product Number: ADXL1005

Dear sir or madame,

we build up some three axis accelerometer based on your ADXL1004 and ADXL1005 mems sensors. In the intended application we now realized that there are high amplitudes at very high frequencies which activate the OR feature of the sensor. Unfortunatelly your implementation of the OR feature destroys the sensor signal instead of just informing with the dedicated OR-pin on the IC and simply clipping the signal at two times the nominal acceleration range.

So I have two questions to make the accelerometers usable in this application:

- Is there a possibility to disable the OR feature? Or at least disable the destruction of the sensor signal in case of OR?

- Do you have any experience in defined decoupling of the body vibrations with any kind of foam, rubber, ... which we can apply between the dut and our accelerometer? Frequencies above 10kHz and accelerations higher than 100g (and 500g) are not relevant for our analysis and could be damped away.

Many thanks and best regards,

Fabian

  • Hi  

    yes, it is possible to disable the over-range protection feature. You need to pull high (VDD) the pin 21. Note that even though you can disable the over range protection feature, doing so it is at your own risk, as the sensor reliability qualification was performed with the over range protection enabled.  The ADI recommended path would be to mechanically damp the vibration signature, as you mentioned with foam or rubber like materials, or plastic washers as well.

    I hope this helps, 

    Pablo.  

  • Hi Pablo,

    thank you very much for the fast and positive reply! Do you recommend any pull up resistor for 5V VDD?

    And yes, of course we have to look for the reliability, but I'm confident that we can solve the problem this way. First and fast step is that we will disable the feature and then have a look to reliability and mechanical damping.

    Does your test and engineering team any recommodations about specific foam or rubber. Or any companys specialized in this kind of decoupling of body vibrations?

    Best regards,

    Fabian

  • Hi Fabian, 

    no need of pull up resistor. 

    I will ask our engineering team, but probably the answer is that we have not done any test on different materials to be able to recommend something in particular. 

    Regards, 

    Pablo 

  • Hi Pablo,

    thanks!

    I just tried your solution with binding Pin 21 to VDD, which seems working for us. Durability testing hasn't done yet, but for short term analysis is this a good solution up to now. First I wondered, as the OR-Pin is still indicating OR, but the signal isn't destroyed by it-> so everything good for us.

    Are there other "hidden gems"  which are not listed in the datasheet? *g*

    Best regards,

    Fabian