What Is a Gyroscope?

The orientation of the axis is not affected by the tilted mounting, enabling the gyroscope to provide critical data about the aircraft. To become more familiar with such an instrument, this blog will cover different types of gyroscopes, their applications, and importance.

In their most basic form, gyroscopes are a spinning wheel on an axle. However, more complex configurations are mounted on a metal frame or a set of moveable frames or gimbals that enable the apparatus to function with increased precision. Usually referred to as multi-axis gyroscopes, this type allows for a wide bandwidth in all their axes.

Though gyroscopes seem simple in essence, they have complex uses today. As such, they are used in compasses and autopilot equipment on ships and aircraft, as well as in the steering mechanisms of torpedoes, ballistic missiles, and orbiting satellites. That being said, to understand their importance and how they serve such a perse set of applications, we must look at a brief history of gyroscopes.

As previously discussed, the gyroscopes we may come across today look and function very differently than their predecessors. Gyroscopes consist of a massive rotor that is positioned in light supporting rings called gimbals. The gimbals are equipped with frictionless bearings that isolate the center rotor from the outside torques. The spin axis is determined by the spinning wheel’s axle. As the rotor spins around its axis, it gains speed while maintaining stability. There are various types of gyroscopes, some of which we will cover in the next section.

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMs) Gyroscope

Found in electronic devices, MEMs gyroscopes are recognized for their miniature size.

Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscope (HRG)

Often called a wine-glass gyroscope or mushroom gyro, an HRG is composed of a solid-state hemispherical shell that is held in position by a thick stem. The shell is driven to a flexural resonance by electrostatic forces that are produced by electrodes surrounding the shell. The flexural standing waves have an inertial property that help generate a gyroscopic effect.

Vibrating Structure Gyroscope

Also referred to as a Coriolis Vibratory Gyroscope (CVG), this type uses a vibrating structure to determine the rate of rotation.

Dynamically Tuned Gyroscope (DTG)

DTGs consist of a rotor that is suspended by a universal joint with flexure pivots. The flexure spring maintains balance while the rotor spins. Meanwhile, the gimbal’s dynamic inertia provides a negative spring stiffness that is equal to the square of the spin speed.

Conclusion

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1. alan walker
2. Posted on February 7, 2022
aviation

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