Sensors and Accessories

The Accelerometer Triaxial Mounting Block can be used to install uniaxial 50 g or 500 g high level accelerometers in a triaxial configuration.

The uniaxial accelerometers are mounted on the Triaxial Mounting Block in the transverse, vertical and longitudinal positions. Use an adaptor cable, the three accelerometers can then be connected to the geophone port on the Minimate Pro monitoring unit for synchronized readings of all three directions

The Wire Make/Break Trigger Cable can be used to remotely trigger a Minimate Pro unit or to synchronize the triggering of up to six units. At the end of the Wire Make/Break Trigger Cable there are two leads. A change in the state of these leads will cause the Minimate Pro unit to start monitoring. They can be connected to start and once that connection is broken, the unit will start to record, or they can be separated initially and when they make a connection the Minimate Pro will start to record. The External Trigger Cable connects to the auxiliary port on the Minimate Pro unit and comes complete with a 2 m (6.5 ft) cable.The External Trigger Cable can also be used with Instantel’s 30 m (100 ft) or 75 m (250 ft) extension cables.

Application Examples

• Twist the two leads together and use an energy source, such as a blast, to break the two leads apart, triggering the Minimate Pro unit to start recording. Typically, the two leads are tied together and then wrapped around a detonator or explosive before being lowered into a borehole. When the explosives detonate, the two leads on the external trigger cable will break apart and automatically trigger the unit to start recording. This will give you time 0 or when the blast started. As each hole in the blast design is detonated it will create a peak in the waveform. Using time 0, you can calculate the time between each peak and compare it to the time delays between each hole and row in your blast design. You can then use this data to help you design a more controlled and precise blast.
• Velocity propagation of the rock is a key part of blast design. Using the External Wire Trigger Cable you can measure accurate velocity propagation values from the rock you are blasting. The External Wire Trigger Cable can be used to synchronize event recordings on up to six Minimate Pro monitoring units. After connecting an External Trigger Cable to each unit and tying their leads together, when one Minimate Pro unit is triggered and begins recording, the other connected Minimate PRo units will also begin to record. The time it takes for the vibration to travel from one Minimate Pro unit to the next can be used to get an accurate velocity propagation value.

The Remote Alarm Controller is used to indicate when the Minimate Pro unit has exceeded the trigger levels you’ve configured. When you connect lights or sirens to the Remote Alarm controller, you can receive audible or visual alerts that your activities are near or have exceeded the trigger levels. Trigger levels on the Minimate Pro can be set based on your project’s requirements and can be different for each job. With an early warning system, you can manage vibration or noise inducing activities before concerns develop.

The Remote Alarm Controller connects to the auxiliary port on the Minimate Pro monitoring unit. The Remote Alarm Controller comes complete with a 2 m (6.5 ft) cable but it can also be used with Instantel’s 30 m (100 ft) or 75 m (250 ft) extension cables.

Each Minimate Accelerometer measures vibration in one plane. The Accelerometer can be oriented to measure either transverse, vertical, or longitudinal vibrations. Accelerometers are small and can be used in applications where a geophone cannot be mounted. Instantel Accelerometers have even been mounted on museum exhibits and historical artifacts to ensure that the construction outside the building does not negatively impact the items inside the building. There are three Accelerometers for the Minimate Pro monitoring unit. Each Accelerometer has a unique amplitude range varying from 0.5g to 500g.

The 0.5g Accelerometer measures low frequencies and accelerations for sensitive monitoring applications including computer rooms, integrated circuit manufacturing, optical balances, or electron microscopes. The 50g and 500g high frequency Accelerometers measure acceleration up to 50g or 500g for near field blasting applications.

When you need to record acceleration in three planes, the Accelerometer Mounting Block can be used to connect up to three uniaxial accelerometers in a triaxial configuration. The Accelerometer Mounting Block provides flexibility for installation configurations. With the Accelerometer Mounting Block, you can mount one, two, or three accelerometers depending on what planes you need to monitor. The Accelerometer Mounting Block can be bolted directly to the structure you need to monitor.

THOR’s advanced analysis features are required to program the Minimate Pro monitoring unit for use with Accelerometers.

Product Name	0.5g Accelerometer	50g Accelerometer	500g Accelerometer
Frequency Range	0.5 to 500 Hz	1 to 3000 Hz	t to 300 Hz
Measurement Range	0.5G	50G	500G
Maximum Shock Limit	10g	2000g	2000g

The Hydrophone for the Minimate Pro measures overpressure activity underwater. Overpressure, typically produced by blasting activities, can damage underwater structures and ecosystems. They can also cause behavioural or physiological changes in fish and other marine mammals. Potential effects can negatively impact their health and reproduction. To ensure that you are within environmental regulations the Hydrophone can measure pressure changes up to 47 psi. Four hydrophones can be connected to the Minimate Pro4 and up to six on the Minimate Pro6.

Installation is easy – just connect the Hydrophone to a Minimate Pro monitoring unit and then drop it into the water. Whether you are in calm or turbid water, the Hydrophone will take an ambient pressure reading and then record any changes to that pressure. With sensors encased in a high impact polyurethane, the Hydrophone is designed to handle maximum depths of 250 feet.

Since overpressure can be higher in frequency but short in duration, Instantel recommends the sampling rate for the hydrophone be set to 65,536 Hz on the Minimate Pro unit. THOR’s advanced features are required to program the 65 kHz.

Click here for more information on Instantel’s underwater monitoring solutions.

There are three Minimate microphones designed for the Minimate Pro monitoring unit, so you can synchronize the recording of vibration with air overpressure or sound/noise.

The Linear Minimate Microphone is designed to measure air overpressure typically produced from blasting activities. Air pressure changes produced by blasting or demolition can be damaging to nearby structures. When levels are high enough, air overpressure can break windows, damage electronic equipment and set off car alarms. Understandably, when a home or building owner hears their windows rattle, they believe that their property is being damaged. The Minimate Pro Linear Microphone is designed to monitor these changes on a linear scale so you can be sure you are within industry guidelines. Recording of air overpressure can also be a best practice for construction companies, mines, and quarries to protect against complaints or liability claims.

Similar to the Linear Microphone, the High-Pressure Microphone measures air overpressure levels. Blasting in confined spaces, like mines or tunnels, can amplify the effects of air overpressure. Extreme levels of air overpressure can even blow the doors off shafts. The High-Pressure Microphone can record high air overpressure levels at up to 69 kPa (10 psi) on a frequency range from 5 to 1000 Hz. Recording with the High-Pressure Microphone ensures that you measure all of the required frequencies.

The Sound Level Microphone for the Minimate Pro, also called a noise microphone, can perform unattended monitoring of noise in applications such as construction, traffic, quarries, or open pit mining operations. Safe guidelines have been developed which provide limits on the level of noise that can be induced in urban environments or to protect the safety of nearby workers. The Sound Level Microphone meets the requirements for IEC 61672 Class 1 specifications, which include A and C weighted specifications. When combined with THOR’s advanced analysis tools, the Minimate Pro can be configured to record at sample rates up to 65 kHz. Recording at 65 kHZ, the Minimate Pro can play back sound clips recorded with the Sound Level Microphone.

The microphones for the Micromate connect directly to the color-coded microphone port on the monitoring unit. Each microphone comes with a metal microphone stand for mounting and a 2m or 5m cable. Custom cable lengths of up to 75 m are available upon request.

Product Name	Linear Microphone	Sound Level Microphone	High Pressure Microphone*
Description	Measures air overpressure on a linear scale.	Measures noise or sound levels.	Measures air overpressure from close-in or confined blasting activities.
Compliance Standard	ISEE 2011 Edition	IEC 61672 Class 1	ISEE 2011 Edition
Frquency Range	2 to 250 Hz	10 Hz to 20 kHz	5 to 1000 Hz
Measurement Range	100 to 148 dB (0.00029 to 0.0725 psi)	30 to 140 dB	Up to 69 kPa (10 psi)

The triaxial Minimate Borehole Geophone is lowered into a borehole to measure ground vibration in three planes: vertical, transverse and longitudinal. Vibrations from construction activities, blasting and other applications can travel through the ground and cause damage to underground structures. The Borehole Geophone can be lowered into a hole to monitor the effects of the vibration directly next to the structure without the need for regression analysis. Monitoring vibrations with an Instantel geophone can prevent any damage done to underground sewers, tunnels, gas lines or other structures.

The High Frequency Borehole Geophone for the Minimate Pro monitor is designed to be lowered into a borehole and measure frequency ranges from 30 to 1000 Hz. Vibration levels dissipate as they travel farther away from the blast. As you get closer to the vibration source, the frequencies increase. When monitoring vibrations in a tunnel or mine, blasting, digging and other activities can take place in close proximity to other tunnels. Using a High Frequency Borehole Geophone, you can measure directly beside a tunnel or structure that is close to the vibration source. Recording the vibration with a High Frequency Borehole Geophone ensures that you capture all of the required frequencies.

The Minimate Pro Borehole Geophones are rugged and water resistant. The internal sensors are mounted in an aluminum case which is filled with epoxy to protect against contaminants commonly found in boreholes, like water, dust or dirt. The Micromate Borehole Geophone comes in two standard cable lengths: 100 feet and 250 feet. The Borehole Geophone can also be custom built with up to 1000 meters of cable. It is compatible with any Micromate monitoring unit and can be calibrated to meet industry standards like the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE) and DIN.

The Minimate Pro Borehole Geophones come in two cable lengths, 100 feet and 250 feet.

The Minimate Pro triaxial Geophones measure ground vibration in three planes: vertical, transverse, and longitudinal. There are four geophones compatible with the Minimate Pro monitoring unit. Each geophone measures a unique frequency range conforming to standards such as the ISEE and DIN specifications. For easy identification, the geophone lids are color-coded by the standard.

The ISEE and DIN geophones are used to measure ground vibrations induced by construction, blasting, mining, quarry, and other operations. Since these vibrations can cause damage to property and structures, local, state, and federal regulations governing the levels of vibration these activities can create. Monitoring the vibration levels with an Instantel geophone can help you adjust your vibration-inducing activities before these limits are reached and concerns develop. It can also serve as a record that to protect you against future claims and liability.

The High-Frequency Geophone for the Minimate Pro monitor is designed to measure frequency ranges from 30 to 1000 Hz. Vibration levels dissipate as they travel farther away from the blast. When measuring vibrations for blast design, you need a geophone that can measure closer to the blast. As you get closer to the vibration source, the frequencies increase. Recording the vibration with a High-Frequency Geophone ensures that you capture all of the required frequencies.

The Vibration Dose Value (VDV) Geophone from Instantel measures vibrations between 1 and 80 Hz. It conforms to industry standards for human exposure to vibration. When vibration levels are high enough, they can have adverse health effects on human beings such as chronic fatigue, numbness, or joint pain. Repeated exposure to vibrations can have similar effects. The VDV Geophone provides more resolution in your data and ensures that your VDV calculations are within limits. For construction companies or transit authorities, it can serve as proof that your activities were not adversely impacting neighbor building occupants.

Each Instantel geophone is designed with an aluminum housing that stands up to the toughest conditions, they are designed to withstand long-term installations. The geophone can be bolted directly to hard surfaces or it can be spiked into soft surfaces. The geophone connects directly to the color-coded geophone port on the Micromate monitoring unit and comes in cable lengths of 2m or 5m. While these cable lengths are standard, Instantel also offers custom cable lengths up to 1000 meters.

Product Name	ISEE Geophone	DIN Geophone	Vibration Dose Value Geophone	High Frequency Geophone*
Compliance Standard	ISEE 2011 Edition	DIN 45669-1 Class 1	DIN 45669-1 Class 1	N/A
Frequency Range	2 to 250 Hz	1 to 315 Hz	1 to 80 Hz	30 to 1000 Hz
Measurement Range	Up to 10 in/s	Up to 10 in/s	Up to 10 in/s	Up to 100 in/s

The Micromate External Trigger Cable can be used to remotely trigger a Micromate unit or to synchronize the triggering of up to six units. At the end of the External Trigger Cable there are two leads; a change in the state of these leads will cause the Micromate unit to start monitoring. They can be connected to start and once that connection is broken, the unit will start to record, or they can be separated initially and when they make a connection the Micromate will start to record. The External Trigger Cable connects to the auxiliary port (factory installed option) on the Micromate unit and comes complete with a 2 m (6.5 ft) cable. The External Trigger Cable can also be used with Instantel’s 100 ft or 250 ft extension cables.

Application Examples

• Twist the two leads together and use an energy source, such as a blast, to break the two leads apart, triggering the Micromate unit to start recording. Typically, the two leads are tied together and then wrapped around a detonator or explosive before being lowered into a borehole. When the explosives detonate, the two leads on the external trigger cable will break apart and automatically trigger the unit to start recording. This will give you time 0 or when the blast started. As each hole in the blast design is detonated it will create a peak in the waveform. Using time 0, you can calculate the time between each peak and compare it to the time delays between each hole and row in your blast design. You can then use this data to help you design a more controlled and precise blast.
• Velocity propagation of the rock is a key part of blast design. Using the External Wire Trigger Cable you can measure accurate velocity propagation values from the rock you are blasting. The External Wire Trigger Cable can be used to synchronize event recordings on up to six monitoring units. After connecting an External Trigger Cable to each unit and tying their leads together, when one Micromate unit is triggered and begins recording, the other connected Micromate units will also begin to record. The time it takes for the vibration to travel from one Micromate unit to the next can be used to get an accurate velocity propagation value.

The Remote Alarm Controller is used to indicate when the Micromate unit has exceeded the trigger levels you’ve configured. When you connect lights or sirens to the Remote Alarm controller, you can receive audible or visual alerts that your activities are near or have exceeded the trigger levels. Trigger levels on the Micromate can be set based on your project’s requirements and can be different for each job. With an early warning system, you can manage vibration or noise inducing activities before concerns develop.

The Remote Alarm Controller connects to the auxiliary port on the Micromate monitoring unit, a factory installed option. The auxiliary port can be installed on existing Micromate units when they are returned to Instantel for calibration. The Remote Alarm Controller comes complete with a 2 m (6.5 ft) cable but it can also be used with Instantel’s 30 m (100 ft) or 75 m (250 ft) extension cables.

Some monitoring applications require hard copy reports to be printed in the field. The Micromate provides a USB interface which can be used to connect an external printer for in-field printing. The Portable Printer is battery operated and can easily be transported to the site and connected to the Micromate to print the event reports right in the field.

The micromate protective boot and cover have been specifically designed to protect the Micromate unit and provide flexibility when mounting the unit. The robust protective boot and separate protective cover offer an easy-on, easy-off installation. The Micromate Boot can be mounted to a wall permanently and then when needed, the Micromate can easily be fit into the Boot.

The clear protective cover has been designed to hinge at either end. It protects the Micromate’s screen against damage and the elements while offering the operator easy access to the unit’s touch screen. The cover panel is designed to prevent water from pooling on the unit. Each end of the cover has a curved lip to help prevent drainage directly onto the connectors, while the sides drain to the outside of the boot.

The protective boot is made of a durable silicon based compound. This material has been designed to handle temperature extremes in excess of -50°C and 100°C (-58°F to 212°F) and still remain flexible. Construction sites, mines, quarries and other job sites are constantly changing and can often have adverse weather conditions. The Boot protects the Micromate unit from any accidental dropping, crushing or other impacts. The Micromate Protective Boot and Cover is an inexpensive way to protect your investment in the Micromate monitoring unit.

There are two micromate microphones designed for the Micromate monitoring unit, so you can synchronize the recording of vibration with air overpressure or sound/noise.

The linear microphone is designed to measure air overpressure typically produced from blasting activities. Air pressure changes produced by blasting or demolition can be damaging to nearby structures. When levels are high enough, air overpressure can break windows, damage electronic equipment and set off car alarms. Understandably, when a home or building owner hears their windows rattle, they believe that their property is being damaged. The Micromate air overpressure microphone is designed to monitor these changes on a linear scale so you can be sure you are within industry guidelines. Recording of air overpressure can also be a best practice for construction companies, mines, and quarries to protect against complaints or liability claims.

The Sound Level Microphone for the Micromate, also called a noise microphone, can perform unattended monitoring of noise in applications such as construction, traffic, quarries, or open pit mining operations. Safe guidelines have been developed which provide limits on the level of noise that can be induced in urban environments or to protect the safety of nearby workers. The Sound Level Microphone meets the requirements for IEC 61672 Class 1 specifications, which include A and C weighted specifications.

The microphones for the Micromate connect directly to the color-coded microphone port on the monitoring unit. Each microphone comes with a metal microphone stand for mounting and a 2m or 5m cable. Custom cable lengths of up to 75m are available upon request.

Product Name	Linear Microphone	Sound Level Microphone
Description	Measures air overpressure on a linear scale.	Measures noise or sound levels.
Compliance Standard	ISEE 2011 Edition	IEC 61672 Class 1
Frequency Range	2 to 250 Hz	10 Hz to 20 kHz
Measurement Range	2 to 500 Pa (0.00029 to 0.0725 psi)	30 to 140 dB

The triaxial Borehole Geophone is lowered into a borehole to measure ground vibration in three planes: vertical, transverse and longitudinal. Vibrations from construction activities, blasting and other applications can travel through the ground and cause damage to underground structures. The Borehole Geophone can be lowered into a hole to monitor the effects of the vibration directly next to the structure without the need for regression analysis. Monitoring vibrations with an Instantel geophone can prevent any damage done to underground sewers, tunnels, gas lines or other structures.

The Micromate Borehole Geophone is rugged and water resistant. The internal sensors are mounted in an aluminum case which is filled with epoxy to protect against contaminants commonly found in boreholes, like water, dust or dirt. The Micromate Borehole Geophone comes in two standard cable lengths: 30 meters (100 ft) and 75 meters (250 ft). The Borehole Geophone can also be custom built with up to 1000 meters of cable. It is compatible with any Micromate monitoring unit and can be calibrated to meet industry standards like the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE), DIN, Swedish blasting or Swedish pile driving.

The Micromate triaxial Geophones measure ground vibration in three planes: vertical, transverse and longitudinal. There are four geophones compatible with the Micromate monitoring unit. Each geophone measures a unique frequency range conforming to standards such as the ISEE, DIN, Swedish blasting and Swedish pile driving specifications. For easy identification, the geophone lids are color-coded by standard.

The Micromate geophones measure ground vibrations induced by construction, blasting, mining, quarry and other operations. Since these vibrations can cause damage to property and structures, local, state and federal regulations govern the levels of vibration these activities can create. Monitoring the vibration levels with an Instantel geophone can help you adjust your vibration inducing activities before these limits are reached and concerns develop. It can also serve as a record to protect you against future claims and liability.

Each geophone is designed with an aluminum housing that stands up to the toughest conditions. The geophone can be bolted directly to hard surfaces or it can be spiked into a soft surfaces. The geophone connects directly to the color-coded geophone port on the Micromate monitoring unit and comes in cable lengths of 2m or 5m. While these cable lengths are standard, Instantel also offers custom cable lengths up to 1000 meters.

Product Name	ISEE Geophone	DIN Geophone	Swedish Blasting Geophone	Swedish Pile Driving Geophone
Compliance Standard	ISEE 2011 Edition	DIN 45669-1 Class 1	SS4604866, 2011	SS025211
Frequency Range	2 to 250 Hz	1 to 315 Hz	5 to 300 Hz	2 to 150 Hz
Measurement Range	Up to 10 in/s	Up to 10 in/s	0.039 TO 9.84 in/s	0.0039 TO 0.98 in/s