Best Practice Guide to Measurement of Acoustic Output Power (Radiation Force Balances)
Introduction | Radiation Force Balances | Measurement | Additional Information | Further Reading
Horizontal balance
In this configuration, the target is positioned horizontally with the transducer coupled to a membrane positioned in front of the target. The target is held in place magnetically and is free to move along its travel laterally but starts at a nominal zero position. When the force is applied to the target a change in the coil current occurs proportional to the force.
The main advantages of this balance is its portability and the ability to measure over a wide range of power levels depending on the stability of the environment. However the use of a membrane can be problematic with some transducers as effectively they are not operating into a free-field environment and the loading of the front face by the thin film may alter its output.