MEMS sensors are powerful but sensitive devices. Proper integration is essential to get accurate and repeatable measurements. This guide covers some of the most common pitfalls to avoid.
1. Mechanical Stress on the PCB
MEMS sensors are sensitive to physical stress. Bending or twisting the PCB can introduce an offset in the sensor's readings.
- Placement: Place sensors away from high-stress areas, like corners or near large, heavy components. Avoid placing them near mounting holes.
- PCB Thickness: A thicker PCB can help minimize board flex.
2. Vibration and Noise
External vibrations can corrupt the output of accelerometers and gyroscopes. While some vibrations are what you want to measure, unwanted environmental vibration is noise.
- Filtering: Use digital low-pass filters to remove high-frequency vibration noise that is outside your band of interest.
- Mounting: In some cases, mechanical damping materials can be used to isolate the sensor from the vibration source.
3. Temperature Effects
All MEMS sensors have some sensitivity to temperature. This can cause the offset and sensitivity to drift. Silan's sensors are factory-calibrated to minimize these effects, but for high-precision applications, you may need to perform your own temperature compensation in software.