User Manual
Slam Stick User Manual
Version No. 2.0
37
Double Sided Tape
Midé provides a roll of double-sided tape with each Slam Stick and recommends this mounting
option above other mounting configurations. The double-sided tape was supportive enough to
meet the Navy’s standards and has been chosen as the primary mounting method because of its
durability, usability for most systems, and negligible damping of vibrations. The double-sided
tape Midé recommends has also been tested to ensure that the device remains mounted and
secure for these large shock events. The tape has also been demonstrated to survive severe
vibrational environments of over 75 g, vibrating at 1,000 Hz. Midé recommends mounting the
device with screws if the environment has more severe shock and vibration levels.
NOTE:
When mounting with double sided tape, it’s important to adequately compress
the tape. “Gently” placing the Slam Stick to the mounting tape and surface will result in
erroneous data.
Bolted
The aluminum Slam Stick X and S can be screwed down with metal 4-40 bolts. The recommended
torque is 100 in-oz. For better alignment, use shoulder bolts like the
. Note that it is always use good practice to use a washer.
If you have a plastic Slam Stick X or Slam Stick C, the use of a washer is very important, especially
if you are using metal bolts. The recommended mounting torque is 70 in-oz for plastic cases.
NOTE:
Over torqueing the bolts (in excess of 70 in-oz) can result in damage to the wall
of the plastic Slam Stick enclosure.
Magnetic Mounting
Magnets are another acceptable method for mounting a Slam Stick and can be used when it is
determined that a taped or bolting configuration is not suitable for the application. Midé
recommends using mounting magnets from
Alternate Mounting Methods
Wax or duct seal putty are other popular adhesives that aren’t as effective as Loctite or epoxy
but still offer surprisingly good frequency response. The major benefit of using this type of
adhesive is that removal of the accelerometer is much easier. Hi-Test, who does much of the
shock and vibration testing for large military systems, recommends using duct seal putty for
shock testing because it can mechanically filter out high frequency (and thus low energy)
vibration content that could risk exciting an accelerometer’s internal resonance.
Petroleum wax would have similar benefits; but note that this can have adverse effects for an
application that is interested in higher frequency vibrations. Blanchard wax is a much stiffer
adhesive and may be preferred for these applications.