Overload protection is incorporated in all designs with the surrounding electrodes limiting displacement of the seismic mass. Also, damping is achieved in some designs resulting from the compressed cavity gas reducing transient stresses. The relatively rugged construction compares well against competitive strain gauge type industrial accelerometers. Power requirements are simple where often a single nine-volt battery connection is all that is required in addition to the output lead. The ease of installation combined with a robust, reliable sensor has guided these accelerometers into many applications formally outfitted with piezoresistive or expensive Servo type accelerometers. Ride quality studies in many areas of transportation such as automobiles, trains, aircraft and marine vehicles have utilized the variable capacitance products where the frequencies of interest and ease of use made their selection obvious. The operation and refinement of wafer fabrication equipment has been extensively investigated using K-Beam accelerometers that are well adapted to measure the low level, low frequency events common to the processes. Dynamic studies on large structures require great accuracy at very low frequencies and again are an ideal fit to the variable capacitance product range. Ground motion effects accurately recorded. Smallest vibrations easily captured. www.kistler.com 9