Most sensors fail in hot, shaky, deep drilling. This sensor keeps measurements accurate, tools working longer, and helps engineers handle tough downhole conditions.
Downhole navigation in oil and gas drilling requires sensors that can withstand extreme heat, vibration, and long-term operation. Conventional accelerometers often fail above +150 °C, are sensitive to vibration, and tend to be bulky or expensive. Engineers designing measurement-while-drilling (MWD), logging-while-drilling (LWD), and directional drilling tools need sensors that deliver precise, reliable measurements while maintaining low size, weight, and power (SWaP).
The Tronics AXO315T1 addresses these challenges. It is a high-temperature MEMS accelerometer with a ±14 g input range and a digital interface, capable of operating up to +175 °C. Powered by the company’s closed-loop architecture, already proven in other Tronics sensors, it reduces vibration rectification error by 10× compared to traditional open-loop MEMS accelerometers. This ensures accurate inclination measurements in harsh temperature and vibration conditions.
The AXO315T1 builds on the earlier AXO315T0, which was qualified up to +150 °C, taking temperature robustness further while remaining a cost-effective, digital, and low-SWaP alternative to quartz accelerometers. With a lifetime exceeding 1000 hours at +175 °C, it enables longer drilling runs and more reliable data collection for complex and unconventional drilling operations.
Its main applications include MWD, LWD, directional drilling, and wireline operations. The sensor’s precision, digital interface, and ability to operate under extreme temperature and vibration conditions make it suitable for accurate downhole navigation. Engineers can use AXO315T1 sensors and evaluation boards for sampling and testing in real-world environments before full deployment.
By combining high-temperature tolerance, long-term reliability, vibration immunity, digital output, and compact design, the AXO315T1 helps engineers build drilling tools that maintain precision, improve productivity, and meet the demands of challenging oil and gas exploration operations.
