One way in which the team at Inertial Sense works to keep costs low is by using off-the-shelf parts for our IMX-5 sensor module. These parts, however, can often show high degrees of variance from the expected specifications. Expert calibration and an extensive validation process is essential to ensure that our inertial measurement units (IMUs) function properly in real-world applications. Here are some basics of our quality control process for the IMX-5 sensor module.

 

 

Our Screening and Testing Process

As part of the manufacturing workflow for our inertial measurement units, we perform a testing process that includes the following activities:

  • Power testing
  • Functionality testing
  • Testing for GPS receivers
  • IMU evaluation and quality control checks

We check the barometer, IMU, GPS, processors and other components of each inertial system we produce. These checks occur before calibration and again after the IMU is ready for shipping. Our painstaking validation process ensures that our IMX-5 and other IMU products are ready to perform as required in the real world.

 

Calibration for All Components

Making sure that off-the-shelf parts perform properly requires precise calibration. Applying biases and offsets to these parts can ensure that they will function properly when integrated into our inertial systems. By calibrating these components before integrating them into the IMX-5, Inertial Sense can ensure that they function within specific tolerances and are stable in commercial applications.

 

Final Validation Testing for Sensors

Before we ship the IMX-5 or other IMU systems to our customers, these devices undergo a final check to ensure that they are calibrated properly and that they perform as expected. Any issues that were not addressed during the initial testing process or during calibration will be spotted here. This ensures that our IMU sensors, including the IMX-5, deliver real functionality and value for our customers.

To learn more about Inertial Sense and our extensive lineup of inertial measurement units and systems, visit our website or drop us a line at sales@inertialsense.com. We are here to help you achieve affordable autonomy for a world in motion.

 

Learn More:

IMX-5 Tactical Grade IMU Benefits – The Main Reason You Should Use IMX-5

IMX-5 Tactical Grade IMU Applications & Use Cases

Introducing The IMX-5, A Low-Cost, Tactical Grade IMU

 

Video Transcription

0:00 Intro
0:07 Off-the-shelf Products
0:25 Screenings of Parts

 

One of the strengths of our products is that we use off-the-shelf parts.

 

0:07 Off-the-shelf Products

But one of the inherent weaknesses of those parts is that they have variance in them, and so as part of our process and our manufacturing, is we actually go through calibration to put in biases and offsets to make them more stable in commercial applications. 

 

0:25 Screenings of Parts

As part of our manufacturing process, we do screening of all the hardware that we receive from our contract manufacturers, and that includes power testing, functioning, GPS receivers, IMUs, they all get checked before they go out the door and before we even start the calibration process. So, at the beginning and at the end, before it’s sent to our end user. 

The amount of care that we take into our products is evident in the time that we also take in the calibration and vetting process of each one of our sensors. We check every single one of them for the barometer, the IMUs, the GPS, the processors, making sure that every function and serial port actually behaves as we would expect throughout the calibration process. 

And so you can rest assured that we are sending out the very highest quality that we are capable of.