ISM330DHCX mounting and protection for industrial vibration monitoring

[keerthanaR]

 Hi,

 I have another question regarding the practical installation of the ISM330DHCX for vibration monitoring in industrial machines.
 If the sensor is mounted directly on a machine, there may be exposure to **oil, grease, dust, coolant, and other contaminants**. I would like to know what is the recommended way to protect the sensor while still obtaining accurate vibration measurements.
 * Can the ISM330DHCX sensor/PCB be mounted directly on the machine?

* Is a **protective enclosure or cover** recommended for industrial environments?
 * If an enclosure is used, how should it be designed so that it does not significantly affect the vibration measurement?
 * Is there a recommended **mounting method/material** for vibration monitoring applications?
 * Are there any recommendations regarding protection from **oil, grease, coolant, dust, and moisture**?

 I am interested in using the sensor on different types of industrial machines, so I would like to understand the recommended sensor mounting and protection approach for reliable long-term vibration measurements.

[Federica Bossi]

Hi ​@keerthanaR ,

The main concern is mechanical coupling. The ISM330DHCX should be mounted as rigidly as possible to the machine structure, because any compliant layer, potting compound, or soft interface will modify the vibration transfer function and may distort the measurement. Protective measures should therefore be implemented around the electronics, not between the sensor and the machine. ST does not recommend resin potting or direct exposure to oil.

 

Resin potting may be tested as a potential protection method, but its impact on vibration transfer, damping, resonance, and bandwidth should be carefully evaluated by comparing measurements before and after potting. This is not generally recommended as a standard approach for the sensing path, and long-term sensor behavior in such a configuration cannot be guaranteed by ST.

[keerthanaR]

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

I understand that for vibration measurement, the ISM330DHCX should be mounted as rigidly as possible to the machine structure, and that I should avoid placing any soft or compliant material between the sensor and the machine because it may affect vibration transmission and distort the FFT measurement.

For protection from oil, coolant, and dust, I will use a protective enclosure around the electronics while maintaining a rigid mechanical connection to the machine.

Regarding resin potting, I understand that it should not be used as the standard approach. If I test it, I will compare the vibration/FFT measurements before and after potting to evaluate any changes in damping, resonance, or frequency response.

One more question: Can I use an aluminum box as a protective enclosure for the ISM330DHCX PCB? If so, is it acceptable to mount the aluminum box rigidly to the machine while keeping the sensor PCB mechanically coupled to the machine without any soft layer between them? I would also use a cable gland for the SCL, SDA, 3.3 V, and GND wires to protect the electronics from oil and coolant.

Thank you for clarifying this.