The most common applications of MEMS in the aerospace field are various MEMS sensors, which have different characteristics and are suitable for different occasions. MEMS technology was first applied in the field of aerospace technology, because aerospace technology has very high requirements on the functional density ratio of devices. It can also be said that the main demand for MEMS technology is drawn from the aerospace field.
Advantages of MEMS technology in aerospace applications:
Small mass and volume, low emission mass.
Low power consumption - most devices are electrically static.
Small thermal constant - lower power can be used to maintain temperature.
Vibration-, shock- and radiation-resistant mechanisms - such as switches can be radiation-hardened, and low inertial mass makes MEMS shock/shock-resistant.
High integration - a variety of functions are integrated on one chip, which greatly simplifies the structure of the system.
Low cost of mass manufacturing - mass production.
The various applications of MEMS technology in the aerospace field are actually mostly based on the shape and position of the sensor. Here we analyze the application of MEMS technology from the sensor point of view.
There are five main uses of MEMS sensors:
① Provide working information about the spacecraft and play the role of fault diagnosis;
② Judging the coordination of work among the sub-systems, and verifying the design scheme;
③ Provide the information required for the system-wide self-inspection and provide the basis for the commander to make decisions;
④ Provide the internal testing parameters of each subsystem and the whole machine to verify the correctness of the design.
⑤ Monitor the internal and external environment of the aircraft, provide necessary living conditions for pilots and astronauts, and ensure normal flight parameters.
Helicopter flight status monitoring
MEMS accelerometers are used in aerospace applications in attitude and heading reference systems, flight control systems, structural testing during flight including flutter testing, health system testing, stability testing, ground vibration testing (wind tunnel testing), modal testing, engine control systems and guidance systems, etc.
Photoelectric pod stabilized platform
MEMS micro-gyroscopes are widely used in UAV optoelectronic pods, infrared stabilization platforms, and position markers. With the improvement of MEMS process technology, high-precision silicon MEMS micro-gyroscopes are gradually replacing low-precision optical fibers and quartz gyroscopes.
Flight test and engine inspection test
MEMS pressure sensors are widely used in flight, flight test, engine inspection test, structural strength test, wind tunnel test, and in the manufacturing process of equipment. The characteristics of pressure measurement are: there are many types of measured pressures, a wide range of involved, and many pressure measuring points, which require high measurement accuracy.
Aerospace integrates contemporary advanced manufacturing technology, information technology and material technology, and the requirements for sensors are getting higher and higher. As a manufacturer of high-performance gyroscopes, ERICCO's development direction of MEMS sensors is multi-functional, miniaturized, intelligent and integrated. With the further improvement of product reliability and price reduction, and the continuous maturity and improvement of production technology development, ERICCO's products have become very mature, especially ER-MG2-100, ER-MG2-300/400 and ER-MG-067 have been obtained widely used. ERICCO believes that the application of MEMS sensors in the aerospace field will replace traditional sensors in a wider range.