Standard Acoustic Emission Accessories

Cables

Physical Acoustics offers a variety of cables for connecting hardware. Signal cables are used for connecting sensors to preamplifiers, and are generally supplied in lengths of 1 or 2 meters. These cables are offered with BNC, Microdot, or SMA connectors on the sensor end, and usually use BNC connections on the preamplifier end.

Power cables are used to connect preamplifiers to the AE instrument. Most utilize industry standard BNC connectors but some systems use the smaller SMB connectors. Power cables can run up to 600 feet when using AST (Auto Sensor Test), and up to 1000 feet when AST functionality is not required.

Physical Acoustics offers additional cable types for more specialized tasks, including a cable designed for use as part of an Intrinsically Safe AE system, high temperature or radiation environments.

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Couplants

A couplant is a material used to couple AE sensors to the surface of the part undergoing monitoring or testing. By filling the microscopic voids on the two surfaces, it maximizes signal transfer to the piezoelectric crystal inside the AE sensor. Ideally, the acoustic impedance of the couplant should match the acoustic impedance of both surfaces that are being coupled. Physical Acoustics offers coupling fluids well suited for this task.

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Magnetic Hold Downs

Physical Acoustics’ magnetic hold downs allow an AE sensor to be mounted temporarily for the duration of a test, or monitoring. The design incorporates a sponge like material that is compressed during installation, providing a small amount of spring force against the sensor to hold it securely against any flat ferromagnetic surface.

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Waveguides

When a surface’s temperatures exceed those that an AE sensor can tolerate, Physical Acoustics’ waveguides can be used to provide a thermal buffer. By guiding stress waves down a small diameter rod, a sensor can receive signals while mounted safely away from a high temperature surface. Our waveguides are offered in multiple lengths for varied testing and monitoring environments.