New wireless vibration meter represents explosion of capabilities

When a client seeking vibration meters for a confidential project came to AV-Consulting, a Netherlands-based noise and vibration specialist, the new VSEW mk2 – 8g from Convergence Instruments proved to be an ideal choice.

The client’s goal, to measure the ground shock of buried explosive devices, called for a robust meter that could withstand shock while measuring and recording both velocity and acceleration signals. Also necessary was the meter’s ability to record continuously, or to wake up and record only when a certain vibration threshold was met. Additionally, the scope of the project required a quantity of 10 meters placed at varying distances from the underground explosives; this made affordability — without sacrifices in quality — a prime concern.

The VSEW mk2 – 8g was used to measure velocity and acceleration signals produced by underground explosive devices.

Prior to making actual measurements, it was important to determine whether either of two potential meter mounting methods would result in a significant result offset. The meters were screwed into wooden plates and spiked into the ground, and they were also simply laid down on the ground and covered with soil. Both approaches proved viable for the client’s research, with the latter offering improved efficiency without a loss in accuracy.

While this project represented a temporary deployment of the VSEW mk2, the meter is designed for long-term applications as well. In Toronto, for example, the device is used for structural integrity monitoring of underground pipes; the challenges of an unforgiving wet soil environment are minimized by a long-lasting instrument that does not require periodic unearthing.

Both projects illustrate the way in which equipment from Convergence Instruments is made to be accurate, rugged and affordable: three primary qualities that guide the company’s design philosophy.

Moreover, the VSEW mk2 – 8g is well-suited for monitoring structural integrity in a wide range of construction and demolition environments. Its high sensitivity can monitor very low vibration levels, such as floor vibrations or ground tremors, and alert construction managers to the potential for damage to neighboring buildings. Its small size allows it to be attached to or embedded within equipment being monitored, where it can record signals for months. It also offers Wi-Fi reporting and email alarm capabilities, and an IP57 rating for water and dust protection.

The meter brings several other new features to the Convergence Instruments VSE series of smart vibration data loggers, including an accelerometer with a noise floor that is a twenty-fold improvement over the Vibration Sentry E – 16g.