The development and application of power ultrasonic transducers implies a proper characterization of their behaviour under power operation. As well known, problems such as heating, nonlinear interactions of vibrating modes, fatigue, etc., are specifically produced at high excitation levels. To study the different transducer behaviour at low and highpower conditions a specific system has been developed and tested. Such a system is based on a combination of the electrical excitation withelectrical, vibrational and acoustical measurements. Special hardware and software has been developed for the excitation, control and signal recording and processing in real time.
The characterization system allows the control and monitoring of the main parameters of the transducer: a) voltage and current sampled on the out-port-side of the impedance matching unit; b) vibration amplitude and phase sampled by a laser scanning vibrometer; c) temperature sampled by thermocouple and infrared probe and, d) acoustic pressure sampled by microphone or hydrophone.
Results clearly show the benefits of the developed tool in the re-design and optimization of power ultrasonic transducers for industrial processing.
