A Thick Film Accelerometer for Electronic Suspension Control

An accelerometer, implemented by means of thick film technology, has been developed for a semi-active suspension electronic control system.

Mounted on the car body it measures vertical displacements which vary beteween few and some hundreds mm. These displacements are a part of data supplied to ECU to adapt the suspension stiffness for the most suitable driving conditions. The device is based on piezoresistive effect of some thick film materials. A small mass is located on a ceramic beam where some thick film resistors have been printed. Its movement deflects the beam thus changing resistors values. The beam is a part of a ceramic susbstrate on which a suitable electronics is also provided.