Flextensional Transducer
September 21, 2021
A Flextensional Transducer (FT) consists of an internal element that directly drives the outer shell.
Flextensional Transducers are categorised into classes based on their design pattern. At Neptune Sonar, we have focused on the Class IV design combining a conventional piezoelectric drive stack and a convex metal outer shell.
As the stack expands along the length, the sides are drawn in towards the centre. The ceramic then begins to shrink, pulling the ends of the shell back in with it, forcing the sides out. The shape of the device, coupled with this inverse motion allows for a low frequency response in a much smaller footprint.
Designed to operate between 1 & 2 kHz, the T473 is a class IV Flextensional transducer developed by Neptune Sonar, for shallow depths (up to 50m). It has the capacity to transmit up to 1.5 kVrms, making it a perfect choice for low frequency, high power and long range transmissions. Despite its shape, The T473 has an omni-directional operation, showing little change around the axes(2dB horizontally and 3dB vertically).
To find out more about the T473 take a closer look or get in touch.
