Precision

Sensing

Inertial Sensors
Applications
and Integration

Volume 1

Meeting the demand

for precise and
accurate sensing
technology

The defense procurement landscape has evolved, no longer

does the military drive technology development. They are now
a consumer of technology and subject to the whims of commercial markets such as component obsolescence. However,
military mission requirements have only gotten tougher.
Precision and accuracy are paramount whether the applications are unmanned systems, laser targeting, or navigation.
The challenge for industry then is to provide capability that
leverages commercial technology in packages that meet stringent mission requirements and meet the ever-growing demand
for reduced size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) in every
application. They also must accomplish this within the current
budget constraints of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
Companies that answer this challenge, such as Sparton
Navigation and Exploration (NavEx), not only have a legacy
with the DOD of providing that capability, but they also have
the manufacturing infrastructure to manage the total lifecycle
cost of a product, which is crucial within todays defense procurement environment.
In the following pages you will learn
how Sparton delivers cost-effective
capability to its customers through
product lifecycle management. This
is a huge issue in the defense world
where platforms last decades but
electronics technology can go obsolete in as quickly as six months.
Also read how Sparton is not only
enabling high performance in small
packages with its MEMS technology,
but also how the company helps
educate government and industry
users alike on whether to outsource
a product or make it themselves.
We encourage you to dive into our
content, learn about our inertial systems, advanced acoustic sensors,
and laser targeting technology. We
continue to add capabilities and
technology that allow us to offer
more solutions than ever for your
challenges. Our knowledgeable
and highly experienced engineering
team is always available to help you
integrate our sensor solutions into
your applications.

Airman 1st Class Mikal Mincer, a Radio Operator Maintenance and Driver (ROMAD),
5th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Lewis, Wash., uses a Special Operations
Forces Laser Acquisition and Marker (SOFLAM) while supporting close-air-support
missions in support of Pacific Thunder, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., July 27, 2010.
The SOFLAM is used by ROMADS and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) for laser
target acquisition and range finding. (U. S. Air Force Photo/Master Sgt. Greg Steele)

Learn More

Precision
Sensing

Leveraging optimized SWaP-C navigation

components for military applications

p.4

p.6

C ON TE N T S
Volume 1

4 SWaP-C and why your component

partner matters
6 Integration and operational
guidelines for MEMS-based inertial
systems
11 Solving the make vs. buy decision
in defense electronics procurement
13 Due diligence: questions
to ask a potential CM partner
14 Suffering from obsolescence
headaches in defense
procurement?
16 Whos doing product
lifecycle management?
17 Videos
18 Common issues with
magnetic compasses
By Richard Wheatley, Sparton Engineer

20 What is an Attitude Heading

and Reference System?
22 Design considerations in the
presence of magnetic fields
24 Solutions
26 Products
p.18
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

SWAP-C

SWaP-C and why your

component partner matters
For many years, the U.S. Department of
Defense (DOD) has had strict requirements
about the size, weight and power (SWaP)
of components and systems developed for
military applications. A challenging budget
environment led to a new acronym including
c for cost, or SWaP-C. In 2012, the DOD
presented a budget that was designed to
conform to the 2011 Budget Control Acts
requirement to reduce Defense Department
future expenditures[even though] we still
have significant gaps in modernization that will
need to be filled in coming years.
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY OF THE SMALL
The 21st century military is operating on a new battlefield, one on which soldiers are working with both legacy
vehicles and aircraft and new devices with advanced
capabilities. Keeping soldiers connected to real-time
logistical information and keeping devices powered up
is critical, yet the need to provide device and system
portability is greater than ever.
Recent advances in micro-electromechanical systems
(MEMS) are delivering critical performance capabilities
with significant reductions in size, weight, power, and
cost helping manufacturers meet the SWaP-C challenge.
Now, its possible for up to two or three power-hungry
components to be replaced by a single component that
is smaller and lighter and provides the same functionality.
By working with a component partner that keeps their
eyes on the big picture with out-of-the-box thinking, combining functions and sharing components, manufacturers
and their military customers can reduce the number of
sensors needed in a communications system.
SWaP-C challenges
Many of todays military applications require significantly advanced functionality and greater processing
4 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

performance. Smaller, less costly navigation systems arent

always as accurate as legacy systems and compromises
and tradeoffs may be required along the way. As technology
advances, soldiers carry more batteries to keep devices powered, creating a need to keep the devices themselves as small
as possible. Because legacy vehicles and systems are limited as
to how much power they can provide, there is a need to integrate
new technology into these systems for more power and performance with the additional challenge of limiting added weight.

MILITARY KNOW-HOW
New components or designs for aerospace and defense
must undergo a rigorous qualification process and require
a significant amount of internal testing and review. A
partner that has an understanding about how the military works
can provide technical support and adjustments quickly at critical
points in the process. As a result, it is important to work with a
company that has a history of working with the military and is
familiar with how the military does business.

All of these demands pose a challenge when the goal is to provide

the smallest and lightest device possible with the longest possible
field life. As a result, product designers must often choose between
power and performance at critical points in their design process.
With the many challenges involved in meeting DOD demands for
reductions in size, weight, power and cost, a high level of collaboration with manufacturing partners is needed.

Choosing the right partner

Following are some important characteristics to
seek out when evaluating a potential component
manufacturing partner.

FLEXIBILITY
Your partner should work with you to develop a truly
collaborative relationship and be willing to go beyond
simply delivering the device; they should also collaborate
every step of the way to help reduce the SWaP-C of the finished
product. A good partner understands the criticality of each component of SWaP-C reduction guidelines and will work diligently
to help make adjustments in the overall device or system. Even
if the partner cannot make direct reductions in the size or weight
of the specific component, their software engineers may be able
to make firmware adjustments or make tradeoffs between components that will result in significant cost savings down the line.

OUT-OF-THE BOX THINKING

The ideal partner will bring a combination of engineering
experience and innovative thinking to the end product.
It will be important to seek out a partner that sees the
big picture to find creative solutions that can not only reduce
the size and weight of the finished product, but also incorporate
technologies that can actually multitask and replace more than
one component.
It is also important to keep an eye out for innovations that the
partner is developing that may benefit future designs. Many component manufacturers are working on new technologies that are
potential game changers. Watch and listen for hints at designs in
development that could make a difference in the future.

ONGOING SUPPORT
It is important to work with a partner that plays a consultative role throughout the design and development process.
By engaging a partner early in the process, they are better
able to collaborate on adjustments that can be made to the device
when needed and help get the end product back on course.

Technologies in embedded systems, RF, lasers,

optics, sensors, and robotics

FORWARD THINKING
Chances are, when the time comes for the next generation of a device, the military will set new requirements for
lighter weight, better performance and more capabilities
at the same cost or less. That is why a partner should always be
looking for ways to decrease the weight and cost and increase
the performance of the component so that the next product
upgrade can quickly meet new requirements.

CONCLUSION
While recent technological advances are helping the military and
their manufacturing partners meet the demand for reductions in
size, weight, power, and cost will continue to be a daunting challenge, and it will continue to be important to work with a partner
that goes beyond the product to provide a complete package of
solutions, service, and support.
Rugged, mission-critical military and aerospace applications
need the design and manufacturing sophistication of a partner
such as Sparton. As both a defense contractor and a supplier
to recognized leaders in the market, we have expertise in your
demanding and highly regulated environment.
We create devices that include a variety of highly specialized technologies such as embedded systems, RF, lasers, optics, sensors
and robotics for uses as varied as undersea warfare to cockpit
controls and satellite communications. Every project we take on
benefits from the Sparton Production System, as well as our experience and commitment to building strong partnerships.

Learn More
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

MEMS-BASED INERTIAL SYSTEMS

Integration and operational guidelines

for MEMS-based inertial systems
A high performance inertial system that includes magnetometers can provide accurate platform heading
information in a variety of applications and operational aaaenvironments. The key components of these
systems include: magnetometers to measure the Earths local magnetic field, accelerometers to determine
tilt, and gyroscopes to determine rotation of the system. Together, these sensors provide data that can be
processed to accurately calculate platform attitude and heading. However, magnetometers are susceptible to
measurement distortion in the presence of any magnetic material. There are techniques available to mitigate
distortion the following will describe the product integration guidelines and the operational considerations
and available on-board calibration procedures that will optimize the overall product performance.

A hard magnetic distortion

is easier to compensate for,
but is usually a much larger
contributor to the overall
magnitude of distortion than the
soft magnetic components

6 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Integration guidelines for

inertial systems
Magnetic field distortions
Since magnetic material close to the system could distort the
intensity or direction of the measured Earths magnetic field,
performance depends greatly on where the inertial system is
installed within the application. Onboard calibration procedures
can correct for magnetic disturbances, however the larger the
disturbance, the harder it is to compensate accurately. To maximize system performance, great care must be taken in the placement and orientation of the inertial system. There are two types
of magnetic distortion: hard and soft.
Soft magnetic materials can easily become magnetized and
demagnetized when exposed to even weak magnetic fields.
They will attract and distort the local field and will vary with orientation. Since they cause a non-uniform distortion, it is harder
to compensate. Examples of soft magnetic materials would be
iron, steel, nickel, or other ferrous materials.
When identifying the ferrous material that may affect your system,
be sure to consider mounting brackets, mounting hardware, wires,
printed circuit boards, as well as your application specific components. On printed circuit boards, watch out for nickel-plating leads
and iron or other steel on nearby components.

Hard magnetic materials are those that retain their magnetism

and are difficult to demagnetize even after the removal of the
magnetic field, such as a permanent magnet or magnetized iron
or steel. Since the distortion remains constant and in a fixed
location, hard magnetic distortions are easier to compensate for
but larger contributors to overall distortion than the soft magnetic
components. The most common sources of hard magnetic distortion in a system include permanent magnets and batteries.
Permanent magnets are often found in speakers, generators,
electrical motors, microphones, engines, fan motors, electrical
currents carried in wires, and batteries. Also, electrical currents passing through wires will create magnetic fields even
if the wire is non-magnetic (e.g., copper), and if the current
is not consistent, the magnetic field strength will have a timevarying effect.
Since batteries are magnetic they must be kept as far away from
the inertial system as possible. Batteries are of particular concern because their magnetic fields distortion may vary over their
life and can even vary from battery to battery. Lithium batteries
typically have the least magnetic distortion, followed by Alkaline
and Nickel-Cadmium.
When integrating the inertial system into any application, the soft
and hard magnetic materials should be identified, evaluated, and
placed as far away from the inertial system as possible.
Inertial systems can also be affected by time-varying magnetic
fields generated by the motion of magnetic materials or unpredictable electrical currents. Examples would include magnetic
distortion due to motion of magnetic materials (i.e., magnetic
switches, Hall Effect sensors, etc.), and time-varying electrical
currents. Special care should be taken to ensure any timevarying magnetic disturbances are placed far away from the
inertial system.
Inertial system mounting hardware
It is critical to follow mounting guidelines for the inertial system,
and mount it permanently so compensation procedures can
be effective. The mounting hardware bracket and screws must
be non-magnetic material, and only austenitic (non-magnetic)
stainless steel can be used closer than 25mm to the inertial
system. Austenitic stainless steel includes type 302, 303, 304,
316 and 316L. There also may be variations in the magnetic
properties of each batch of hardware. Depending on accuracy
requirements of the system and the proximity of the stainless
steel, sampling may be required. Sweeping a moderately strong
magnet over the parts can easily test stainless steel components; any hardware attracted to the magnet is not suitable for
use near the inertial system.
Avoid shielding the inertial system
Never enclose the inertial system in a magnetically shielded
housing that will further distort the Earths magnetic field.
Adding shielding to hard and soft magnetic disturbances in the
system is also not recommended, because that will just add to
the overall magnetic distortion and make the system more susceptible to fluctuations if exposed to strong external magnetic
fields or environmental changes.
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

MEMS-BASED INERTIAL SYSTEMS

Judicial use of shielding could be considered if there is a strong

time-varying magnetic disturbance that could not be calibrated
out, but should be the last resort. The best way to mitigate the
distortion of time-varying effects is distance from the inertial
system and operational timing.
Platform considerations
When integrating the inertial system within the larger application platform, consider the external magnetic influences of the
platform since the inertial system cannot compensate for timevarying magnetic field distortions or magnetic material that is not
fixed relative to the inertial system.
There are also several design considerations for integrating into
an aircraft or UAV application, including acceleration, which can
affect the accurate determination of the attitude of the inertial
system. Some vendors will provide adaptive sensor fusion algorithms to correlate the accelerometers and gyroscopes.
EVALUATION OF MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES
Performance optimization
Integration guidelines are unique for each application, as it is
difficult to calculate or predict the magnetic profile of each. Also,
application packaging and weight constraints make it impossible
to create an ideal magnetic environment for the inertial system.
To optimize performance, there must be trade-offs between the
system requirements, packaging limitations, and the application
components. The performance of the inertial system should be
evaluated as well in the presence of the known magnetic material at the component and system level.

8 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Inertial system performance evaluation

Most inertial systems suppliers have a development kit that can
be used to evaluate performance at the application level. When
using the development kit, it is important to consider how the test
environment will contribute to the magnetic environment. Operate
the inertial system away from equipment that may have a timevarying magnetic effect and keep it in a fixed location. Magnetic
field strength drops off over distance, but distance is not the only
contribution to magnetic disturbance. The amount, shape and uniformity of the material as well as the location and orientation to the
inertial system will impact overall magnetic distortion.
System performance evaluation
Depending on the packaging constraints and tolerance of inertial
system accuracy, a system breadboard can be used to evaluate
the inertial system operation in the application configuration
prior to testing the final assembly. A system breadboard will allow
designers to evaluate component locations and orientations relative to the inertial system in various modes of operations. This
breadboard can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of
the inertial system onboard compensation in the presence of the
systems fixed and time-varying magnetic disturbances.
COMPENSATION FOR MAGNETIC DISTURBANCES
Compensation procedures
While magnetic interferences can be minimized by careful material selection and component placement, platform size and weight
limitations will limit how magnetically quiet the device can be.
On-board calibration and adaptive compensation can be used to
minimize the impact of magnetic disturbances, and operational

scenarios will allow optimization of the inertial system performance through monitoring, timing, and operational guidelines.
If the magnetic characteristics of the platform are spatially fixed
and relatively permanent, then local magnetic distortions can
be corrected through compensation. Distortions that move relative to the inertial system cannot be completely compensated for
using traditional inertial system compensation procedures.

To evaluate inertial
system performance
in the vicinity of other
system components
the relative change
in the inertial system
readings can then be
used as opposed to
absolute accuracy.
All high accuracy inertial systems
will have an onboard magnetic compensation procedure to correct for
hard and soft magnetic disturbances,
usually device-specific 2-D and 3-D
calibration involving azimuth and elevation measurement sampling. This
generates compensation coefficients
that are electronically stored and
applied to the device. Some systems
store multiple compensation coefficients to support multiple system
operating configurations.
Calibration schemes for a device
usually involve system factory calibration, in-field calibration, and
periodic recalibration as defined
by the applications operational
requirements. Recalibration is recommended after changing sensor
modules, battery packs, or other
platform accessories.

Factory calibration
Factory calibration compensates for magnetic disturbances due
to the inertial system itself, and adjusts offsets and axial misalignments in the full 3-dimensions. These coefficients are electronically stored as the default values.
Then once the inertial system is integrated into the product,
application factory calibration compensates for magnetic distortions specifically inherit to the product configuration.
To be accurate, the calibration must be performed after final
assembly in an environment free from magnetic disturbances. The
coefficients can then be electronically stored in the inertial system.
Finally, the inertial system needs to be calibrated in use. The
end-use application must provide techniques to rotate the overall
platform in order to support inertial system calibration at the
application level or limit calibration to two dimensions if 3-dimensional calibration is impractical.
Operational compensation considerations
Operational environments present a wide variety of natural and
manmade magnetic anomalies for which traditional compensation procedures cannot predict or correct. Natural magnetic disturbances include celestial events and ore deposits. Manmade
interferences include power lines, buildings, bridges, passing
vehicles, underground power lines, pipes, tanks, or equipment
carried by the user such as a watch, weapon, or other nearby
equipment. If the inertial system is integrated into a larger system
such as a naval vessel or a UAV, the entire environment will have
a unique magnetic profile.
Some of these local environmental distortions can be identified
and mitigated by user equipment restrictions. In other cases,
such as in an urban environment, the effects are unpredictable
and the inertial system alone cannot identify and compensate
for these. To optimize performance in a magnetically dynamic
and unpredictable environment, the following items must be
considered:

In-field calibration requirements

True north accuracy/World Magnetic updates
IS measurements time-varying magnetic disturbances
Adaptive compensation with integrated gyroscopes

In-Field Calibration is needed if the magnetic environment

changes or the calibration was performed in a poor magnetic
environment. It involves orienting the system in various positions
over 360 degrees of heading, making magnetic field measurements at each of up to 12 positions. The inertial system will calculate and save the compensation coefficients that will correct
for changes in applications magnetic distortions. The inertial
system should be recalibrated if the following occurs:

Device relocation
Changes to user equipment
Changes position of equipment relative to device
Large change in operational temperature
Battery pack replacement
Addition/removal of ancillary equipment on/near device
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

MEMS-BASED INERTIAL SYSTEMS

World Magnetic Models (WMM) are included in many inertial systems to provide accurate true north heading anywhere.
The inertial system determines the magnetic heading, while the
WMM provides the magnetic declination or difference between
the magnetic north and true north. The heading is then adjusted
to report the true north heading. To maintain true north heading
accuracy the sensor systems should include an in-field method
to upgrade the WMM when updates are released.
System Time-Varying Magnetic Disturbances are found in
most sophisticated systems, despite the best efforts to eliminate
them. Each application must have a defined operational profile
to minimize any effect, such as system warm-up to ensure the
magnetic distortion has reached steady state. Also, electrical
current surges or use of mechanical or magnetic switches during
operation should be considered, and prevented if possible. An
example includes electrical current surge due to the firing of a
laser range finder (LRF).

stable heading, pitch, and roll output. These adaptive sensor fusion
algorithms can outperform the traditional and extended Kalman
Filtering approaches by providing real-time environmental noise
characterization used to optimize the inertial system performance
in dynamic environments. The traditional and extended Kalman
Filter approach uses fixed, hard coded parameters or requires the
user to accurately predict and input the operational environment
of the application. These traditional approaches work best when
the error sources are easily modeled and predictable.
In dynamic environments, it is best to use an inertial system with
an adaptive sensor fusion algorithm that can provide real time
characterization and compensation to heading, pitch, and roll as it
operates in the varying magnetic and mechanically noisy environments. The adaptive algorithms can compensate for the presence
of hard and short iron magnetic effects in the application platform
with their innovative in-field calibration that optimizes the magnetometer sensitivity and offset in the full three-dimensions.
CONCLUSION
Inertial systems performance can be greatly
enhanced through careful design and operational considerations designed to limit
distortion from challenging magnetic environments. Material selection and placement
guidelines can minimize soft and hard magnetic disturbances, while system measurement timing and operational guidelines can
address most residual platform time-varying
magnetic distortion.

Inertial systems can perform in a wide rage

of applications and dynamic operational environments

Gyroscope-Enhanced Adaptive Compensation maximizes

system performance in dynamic environments, such as handheld
applications in urban environments or unmanned vehicles that
encounter unpredictable magnetic material or large magnetic fields.
The gyroscopes measure angular rotation rates around three
orthogonal axes to provide information about movement of the
inertial system. The inertial systems with adaptive sensor fusion
algorithms will monitor the magnetometers, accelerometers, and
gyroscopes to weigh the measurements in order to provide a more
10 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Packaging constrains often make it impossible to eliminate all internal magnetic

distortions from the system, though onboard calibration can compensate for any
remaining internal magnetic distortions.
Using these product integration guidelines,
operational considerations, and available
onboard calibration procedures, the inertial
system can operate at its specified performance in a wide range of applications and
dynamic operational environments.
To enhance performance further, use of inertial systems with
adaptive sensor fusion algorithms, such as those produced by
Sparton Navigation & Exploration, make it now possible to operate
an inertial system in the most challenging of magnetic environments. These systems provide a fusion of accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes, along with the adaptive algorithms
that outperform traditional and extended Kalman Filter based
approaches by providing real-time optimization of the sensor performance resulting in exceptional heading accuracy in a variety of
magnetically dynamic applications and environments.

MAKE VS. BUY

Solving the make vs. buy decision in defense

electronics procurement
The decision about whether to manufacture your product in-house or to outsource it to a contract manufacturer
(CM) is one that will have short and long-term strategic implications for your company. While there are a
number of factors that go into that decision, some are more easily quantified than others like projected
time to market, production capacity, and the overhead costs for capital equipment and personnel. Other
factors are more difficult to quantify with a high degree of confidence, especially for those businesses that
traditionally focus on design instead of manufacturing.
In todays complex, highly competitive marketplace, businesses face new pressures. They must contain
costs with leaner manufacturing processes and improved asset utilization, maintain high levels of customer
service, and keep pace with rapid technological developments. As a result, many businesses for which
manufacturing is not a core competency are looking to develop strong partnerships with CMs who can
help them contend with todays new challenges.
Heres the good news: The world of CMs has evolved to such an extent that there is a viable CM option for
nearly every product in nearly every industry including aerospace, defense, energy, medical, automation,
and precision motion control.
SIX FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE
MAKE OR BUY DECISION
No two make or buy decisions are alike.
Some companies may choose to outsource the entire manufacturing process for a product, while others may
outsource only some subassemblies
that are not core components of the
manufacturing process. In any case,
the decision should not be made lightly.
Many factors should be taken into consideration when weighing the relative
merits of each strategy.
The decision should be considered at
both the strategic and operational level.
At the strategic level, factors that will
impact the decision include government
regulations, market trends and competitive activity. Factors at the operational
level include cost considerations, plant
capacity and control. Here we explore
some key factors that may make or
break your make or buy decision.
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

11

MAKE VS. BUY

CORE COMPETENCY
If the manufacturing process that you are considering
is a critical component of your companys business or
dependent on highly valuable intellectual property, it is
probably not a candidate for outsourcing. After all, if the manufacturing process itself is your key differentiator, youll want to
maintain control of that proprietary information.
On the other hand, if the manufacturing process is not a significant component of your business model today, there is probably
no benefit to keeping manufacturing in-house. If your strengths
are product marketing and commercialization, for example,
youll want to find a CM that can take over the manufacturing
so that you can focus on what you do best ideally, helping
you save production time and costs in the process.

SKILL SETS
When youre ready to consider the make vs. buy decision,
it will be important for you to anticipate the skills that will
be needed and to assess whether your internal capabilities include those skills. If not, it will be costly and difficult to
add those capabilities and manage them effectively. If the manufacturing process demands specialized expertise or a new technology that does not currently exist within your organization, you
may want to seek out an outside resource that has the skills and
experience needed to make your product successful.

If yours is a medical device, for example, youll want to look for

a source with experience in developing products that meet FDA
regulations and standards. It will be important for you to visit their
facilities in order to get a better understanding about whether
their techniques would be transferable to your project.

CAPACITY
Often, the lack of sufficient production capacity is the
single driver of the decision to outsource manufacturing.
In those cases, making the move to contract with a partner
that has the needed physical space is a no-brainer.
If you are considering making the capital investment in space and
equipment to perform manufacturing at your own facility, however,
it will be important to look beyond the initial phases of the project
and forecast what your future needs will be. Start with an assumption about the capacity demands and impact on your facility at
the outset and, when the space is no longer needed, think about
what you might use that space for in the future. Will there be something else in the future that you could use that space for? Or will it
become a financial burden?

RAMPING UP
There is a potentially dramatic difference between inhouse manufacturing and outsourcing when it comes to
ramping up people and processes. If your staff does not
currently possess the capabilities needed to manufacture the
component or product, youll need to consider the cost and time
involved in integrating a new team into your organization. Some
12 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

estimate that interviewing, training, and incorporating new skillsets and processes into your organization plus getting it all up
and running can take up to a year.
By contrast, when you make the decision to work with a CM with the
relevant capacity and skills in place to manufacture your product,
you can potentially be up and running in a much shorter time.

HIDDEN COSTS
In the midst of a make vs. buy decision, there can
be many so-called hidden costs that businesses tend
to ignore.

These include:
Certifications that are required for personnel that will
perform certain processes
Retraining that may be needed in the event of changes in
technology
Administrative costs including process setup and
inventory management
Software costs the majority of which are incurred after
product launch and the potentially significant cost of
ongoing maintenance by developers
Shipping costs of materials for production
Material management
Working capital management
There are many startup costs that businesses dont consider
upfront when making the make or buy decision. These include
setting up databases for document and revision control, setting
up the line and establishing the manufacturing footprint, optimizing line flow with lean/Six Sigma processes, getting up to
speed with ISO certifications, purchasing new software (from
database storage to MRP and ERP), and much more.

CHANGES
When inevitable technology advances happen, a part
becomes obsolete or feedback from the field necessitates
a change in a product or component, the company that
developed the original design will be able to turn around changes
more quickly. In this case, working with a CM with design and
manufacturing capabilities offers real benefits. It reduces risks
when you transfer from design to manufacturing, and the time and
costs involved when the need for updates arises. A CM will also
be well equipped to advise about aftermarket issues, including
how parts obsolescence will impact the serviceability and repair
of products into the future.

THE DECISION
When you have completed the complex make vs. buy evaluation
process and youve concluded that youll need to outsource your
manufacturing function, it will be important to carefully evaluate
potential CM partners. At Sparton, we encourage potential manufacturing partners to evaluate our production methodology, tour our
facilities, and talk with our key personnel.
Learn More
Ask us anything were an open book.

MAKE VS. BUY: QUESTIONS TO ASK

Due diligence: questions to ask

a potential CM partner
When you outsource the production of your product or component to a CM, you can focus on your core capabilities. Thats the idea,
but not all CMs are alike. Here are a few questions that may help you determine whether the potential partner is right for you.
QUESTIONS TO ASK AND WHY ITS IMPORTANT

Q:

Do you have best-in-class

production systems in place?

Q:

Do you have quality management

systems in place?

A simple yes is not a sufficient answer. You want assurances that the CM will deliver the quality you expect, so make sure the
CM has adopted quality standards and can provide documentation and test data.
Best-in-class is not simply that you ARE measuring, but HOW you are measuring yourself to a high standard.

There is a wide range of quality management systems that demonstrate how a CM stacks up, including:
ISO 9001 certification requires a CM to focus on continuous improvement in customer service and satisfaction
SO 13485 is a specific quality management system for the design and manufacture of medical devices
AS 9100 is a specific quality management system for the aerospace industry
Simply having these certifications is not enough. The CM must have a strong record with no certification disruptions or black
marks for performance.

Q:

Can you help with

compliance issues?

Q:

Do you operate with

an open book?

Q:

Whats your inventory

management process?

The CM should not only understand the regulations and standards that your product needs to meet, but also be willing to
provide labeling guidance and manage regulatory filings that may be necessary.

The CM should provide information about their production processes and costs (material, labor, and overhead) so there are no
surprises later.

You want to be sure that the CM can ensure that components are available when needed and that they are willing to inventory
parts that may not be needed immediately.

Q:
Q:

How will you protect my

intellectual property?

Your CM should have the systems in place that can ensure that your sensitive proprietary information is 100 percent secure.

Can you demonstrate expertise in manufacturing

specifically to the technology in my device?

You should understand the specifics about the experience the CM has in working with various technologies, applications, and
platforms. This means getting out on the production floor in addition to case study demonstrations and examples.
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

13

PRODUCT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT

Suffering from obsolescence headaches

in defense procurement?
The one constant in defense procurement is that platforms last decades while commercial electronic
components will often go obsolete in six months, causing major headaches for suppliers all along the
defense electronics supply chain. Combine this with increasing global competition and the need for greater
efficiencies and speed to market and these headaches become migraines.
However, businesses of all sizes have found a way to alleviate much of that pain by using product lifecycle
management (PLM) as a way to boost productivity. Now widely used in the aerospace and automotive
industries, PLM can provide a holistic view of product management for highly complex manufactured
products and can deliver significant productivity benefits.
Providing your contract manufacturing (CM) partner with well-defined lifecycle requirements that include
information about your product and your processes is a first step toward streamlining and improving all
stages of product development and manufacturing. In this way, you provide your CM with a roadmap of your
expectations at every stage of your products lifecycle, which arms them with the tools they need to work
closely with you every step of the way.
As a business strategy, PLM enables you and your CM partner to work in unison as you collaborate at every
phase of the product lifecycle as you innovate, design and develop, support and retire your products.
Following are some of the benefits
of and best practices for
collaborating with your CM at
every stage.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR PRODUCT
LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT
A product lifecycle encompasses a series
of stages through which a product progresses a process that usually proceeds from concept and design through
end of life (EOL) or discontinuation and
unavailability. However, the speed at
which a product progresses through each
stage can vary widely, depending on the
industry.

Proactive CM partner looking ahead to your products future

14 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Some trajectories are more compressed

than others because of frequent shifts in
consumer requirements or other developments. Others may be more extended

because the product is mature and customers do not require

many changes. For example, defense contractors work with
much longer product lifecycles because their customers, after
making significant capital investments in their products, tend to
resist any updates or introductions of new products.

The supply chain should continue to be a priority at this stage.

An effective CM partner will be proactive, looking ahead to
determine whether there are potential pitfalls in your products
future and researching the availability of components to ensure
that they are available from a reliable source. They will also
consider the risk of a part becoming obsolete during the manufacturing phase.

Lets take a look at what happens at each stage of a typical product lifecycle and how
a partnership with a CM can
streamline the process.

Sales and Profit

Industries also vary widely in the types and degrees of external

forces with which they need
to contend along the way.
Medical device manufacturers, for example, must deal
with an alphabet soup of FDA
requirements that include
Contract Manufacturer Engagement
premarket approval (PMA),
investigational device exemption (IDE), and good manufacGrowth
Maturity
turing practice (GMP).

Product launch
Concept
development
& design

Concept
development
& design

CONCEPT
DEVELOPMENT AND
DESIGN
This is the very earliest
stage in a products lifecycle,
when critical decisions are
made that will have a significant impact on the supply
chain. This is when the bill of materials (BOM) is built and components are identified. It is also the ideal time in which manufacturing processes should be developed rather than at a later
stage in the process as can frequently be the case. In todays
extremely competitive marketplace, design and process must
be coordinated carefully to produce a best first-time solution.
Ideally, you will engage a CM partner you can trust with your
design concepts and intellectual property early in the process. The
CM should also practice the art of design for manufacturability
(DFM), design for test (DFT) and design for service (DFS) early in
the process at the concept development and design stage to
provide you with valuable information about ways in which you can
facilitate the manufacturing process and reduce costs.
An effective CM partner will have a high level of expertise and
experience working with organizations like yours, enabling them
to provide valuable insights at the design stage about materials,
component availability and obsolescence potential, and manufacturing practices that can save you time and money down the line.

End-of-life

PRODUCT LAUNCH
Once your product is introduced to the marketplace, it will
be met with consumer acceptance at varying levels
sometimes with little competition at the outset, and with
greater competition at the growth stage.

Life (time)

Product
launch

= Generation 1
= Generation 2

GROWTH
The growth stage is the point at which a product expands
market share and experiences a period of increased
sales and profitability, so it will be important to be able
to meet growing consumer demand. By having engaged the
supply chain early in the product lifecycle, you will be better able
to meet customer demands for on-time delivery and to provide
high levels of customer service. Careful planning will help you
keep pace with rising costs and take actions to prevent excessive
shipping and inventory costs.

MATURITY
At the maturity stage, competition for your product is on
the rise while profit growth may be on the decline. This
is often the stage at which your focus shifts to improvements in design or the addition of features and benefits that
can help expand your market share and your products lifecycle.
Your CM partner can help you develop change processes and
supply chain recommendations that will enable the most costeffective redesign.

When your product reaches the stage at which the need for customer support decreases dramatically, you may also continue to
need to provide services to existing customers. A proactive CM
partner will have planned early in the process for maintaining the
right levels of inventory for specific components and the level of
support you will need at that stage.
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

15

PRODUCT LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT

The CM can also help you prepare for your products end of life by closely monitoring reductions
in consumer demand in order to prevent having
excess inventory on hand.

END OF LIFE
Inevitably, a product reaches the decline
stage the point at which demand
erodes and ends completely often
due to replacement by a new version or introduction of a new and improved product. At this
point, the remaining inventory of component
parts must be managed carefully, with an adequate amount kept in reserve for sales support.
The CM can work with you to make sure that
all supply chain partners are informed about the
products status in order to prevent unnecessary
costs and waste.
CONCLUSION
One of the best ways to ensure that you
have done the best possible job of defining
your product lifecycle requirements is to work
closely with your CM partner at the outset of
your product design through its entire lifecycle.
An experienced CM will have knowledge about
your industry that can help refine your product
design and requirements, and they may even
be in touch with trends and changes in other
industries that could have an impact on your
product and processes.

Whos doing product

lifecycle management?
The list of industries that are adding value to their manufacturing
processes by leveraging the benefits of product lifecycle
management is growing:

Aerospace & Defense

Automotive
Consumer Goods
Education
Energy
Financial
Food & Beverage

In addition, an effective CM partner will be

an invaluable source of knowledge about the
components and materials called for in your
design and your supply chain. By working
together from an early point in the design
stage, you and your CM partner can develop
requirements that will best support your products and your customers.

Government

At Sparton Corp., we provide end-to-end services for every stage of your products lifecycle
from inspiration to implementation. We offer
holistic and flexible product design and development for breakthrough solutions, the Sparton
Production System, logistics services from the
production floor to the end customer and support for aftermarket needs from repair and
spare parts to managed obsolescence.

Industrial

Learn More
16 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Healthcare
High Tech Electronics

Medical Devices
Pharmaceutical

VIDEOS

SPARTON NAVEX PRODUCT OVERVIEW

This short introduction video to see the precision inertial
sensors offered by Sparton NavEx and some of their many
potential applications.

AHRS-8 QUADCOPTER DEMONSTRATION

The Sparton AHRS-8 inertial sensor system compensates
for magnetic interference in a magnetically challenged
environment.

IMU-10 INERTIAL MEASUREMENT UNIT

In this video we discuss our Inertial Measurement Unit,
the Sparton IMU-10. The IMU-10 is our ultimate sensing
system, featuring 10 Degrees of Freedom and High Speed
Synchronous sampling. For more information visit us at
www.SpartonNavEx.com. Music by Mike Bagley & Harry
Newhook, Avarice

GEDC-6E ROVER DEMONSTRATION

The Sparton GEDC-6E inertial sensor system compensates for magnetic interference in a magnetically challenged
environment.

Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

17

COMMON ISSUES/PROBLEMS

Common issues with

magnetic compasses
By Richard Wheatley, Sparton Engineer

18 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

MOST COMMON ISSUES WHEN USING A MAGNETIC

COMPASS
Calibration has long been a source of error in the eventual
heading readings of a magnetic compass. With many systems, the calibration is tedious and is often referred to as the
Chicken Dance due to its complexity requiring the user to
rotate to multiple positions while tilting the device upsidedown. Most of the difficulty of these procedures lies in the
fact that the user does not know which points are needed and
which are not. In this case, there is the belief that a true and
perfect calibration that will work best with all points if only
these procedures are followed exactly. This is definitely not
the case.
During the in-field calibration process, typically a system is
required to rotate 360 in each of the three perpendicular
planes: X/Y, Y/Z, and Z/X. A large number of devices will
not actually be used in these specific pitch and roll orientations, but they are required to reach the best solution for the
spherical accuracy of the system. Some host devices can only
move in limited pitch and roll ranges and therefore cannot
afford a compass calibration that requires flipping the device
upside down. Some devices are too heavy to be moved a
great deal only to have the system remain relatively stationary
during usage.
Sparton systems have been reliably tested to be accurate at
>45 pitch and roll after only being calibrated at +/- 15 during
the in-field calibration process. This limited pitch and roll scenario means that the user only has to calibrate our system in
an environment that matches their system as close as possible.
INTEGRATION AND ALIGNMENT
When integrating a magnetic compass into a product it can be
difficult to find the correct spot to minimize the magnetic distortions that can impact the sensors. There are many passive and
active electronic components in most systems these days. Even
in the systems where only passive components are used, not
all of them will be utilized or turned on during the usage of the
device. It is these time-varying fields that cause the most issues
when the system is integrated.
Once the least magnetically disturbing location has been found,
it can still be difficult to place the compass in an orientation that
aligns with the host devices X-Y-Z axes. If the system is not
aligned properly, the heading/pitch/roll during static and dynamic
situations will be compromised.
Sparton currently has three methods to align the systems: a
simple boresight matrix, InvokeTare, and the azimuth/pitch/roll
(APR) tare procedure.
The boresight matrix is a simple rotation matrix held inside
the compass that is only used on heading, pitch, and roll.
This can be figured out mechanically ahead of time by the
systems integrator.
The InvokeTare procedure has the user align the system
with a known magnetic North and has the end device
placed flat and level. It is important to realize not to use
the compass data to measure north and level during this

procedure since this procedure is used to align the compass

with the host device.
The APR tare procedure allows a user to point to any known
heading, pitch, and roll with the host device to calibrate t
he alignment.
These last two are typically used only when the true mechanical
alignment may be too difficult to figure out.
KNOWING WHEN THINGS ARE OFF
During and after in-field calibration
Selecting the magnetic calibration points is usually left to the
compass manufacturer and requires a 4 to12-point calibration
that includes flipping the device in odd orientations (the Chicken
Dance) and usually gives a calibration score that is not readable
by an end user. A typical calibration point selection procedure
has the user point at 0, 90, 180, 270 heading and -45, 0,
45 pitch during these procedures all while giving the unit from
-30 to 30 of roll. Sometimes users are required to do three
rotations implying the order of points taken matters in the data
collection process.
Sparton systems outline a near-infinite number of calibrations:
the standard 4-point North, South, East, West calibration, the
6-point maximum magnetic field on each axis calibration using
the possible magnetic point quality factor, the icosahedron
12-point calibration, and the ability to perform limited pitch and
roll calibrations and still achieve the desired accuracy.
After calibration and alignment
Once the compass is aligned and calibrated inside the host
device, everything is perfect right? Not really! Once the system
is fielded, there will still be chances for external magnetic influences to affect and distort heading. If there isnt any information
that the system is off, then the user has no idea that the heading
will be incorrect.
Sparton sensors have the ability to tell the user when the
system sees a magnetic anomaly and also when that environment returns to normal. One can also use this data with external
procedures to allow the user to find whether or not the compass needs to be recalibrated or when the device is near to an
external magnetic anomaly that needs to be avoided.
CONCLUSION
Magnetic compasses provide accurate platform heading and
attitude information in a variety of applications and in many
operational environments. However, these devices are susceptible to distortion with the presence of magnetic material.
There are, however, techniques and best practices to minimize
this risk to performance. The proper calibration of a device is
critical in its performance capability. Where a device is implemented and how it is aligned into a system can further impact
its performance. Continued monitoring of the environment and
performance once in operation ensures the magnetic compass
provides the best results possible. Manufacturers and users
who adhere to these practices can better expect their magnetic
compass to perform in otherwise challenging magnetic environments and applications.

Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

19

ATTITUDE HEADING AND REFERENCE SYSTEM

What is an
Attitude Heading
and Reference
System?

An Attitude Heading and Reference System,

better known as an AHRS, is a 3-axis sensor
system that provides real-time 3-D attitude
position pitch, roll, and heading. The primary
function then of an AHRS is to provide orientation
data. AHRS are designed to replace traditional
gyro-based instruments and to provide superior
reliability and accuracy.
20 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Some of the many applications for AHRS include control and

stabilization, measurement and correction, and navigation. An
example of control and stabilization could be where a camera or
antenna mounted on a system such as a plane or ship needs to
be stable. Measurement and correction best applies to imaging
systems where an AHRS is used to ensure the direction the
imager is pointed. And in navigation, an AHRS can be used to
provide orientation and direction.
AHRS consist of magnetometers, micro-electromechanical
systems (MEMS) accelerometers, and MEMS gyroscopes on
all three axes. In other words, a MEMS-based AHRS includes

of these modified algorithms is that they can outperform traditional Kalman filter-based sensors by providing real-time
optimization of performance for varying magnetic or dynamic
operating environments.
Magnetometers are used in AHRS to measure the direction of
the magnetic field at a point in space. A more traditional magnetometer would be a fluxgate system. Though this technology
provides good accuracy and reliability, it is not conducive to
a MEMS-based AHRS due to its larger form size and greater
power requirements. An alternative to fluxgate technology is
a magneto-inductive (MI) sensing technology. Not only does
this technology provide the desired smaller form factor and
low power requirement, MI also provides very high resolution
higher than what competing technologies such as anisotropic
magneto resistive (AMR) sensors can provide at similar cost.
Accelerometers measure proper acceleration the rate at which
the velocity of an object is changing. They measure the static
(gravity) or dynamic (motion or vibration) acceleration forces of
a given object. The ideal accelerometer in an AHRS provides
long-term stability, low vibration error, and reliability.
AHRS demand very precise gyroscopes as the quality of these
devices greatly impacts the overall performance of the inertial
sensor system. An example of a very high-end gyroscope is a
fiber optic gyroscope, commonly known as a FOG. FOGs provide extremely precise rotational rate information due to their
lack of moving parts. However, FOGs have a great deal of
inherent development and manufacture costs as well as a larger
form factor and higher power demands. As technology improves,
MEMS-based gyroscopes have closed the performance gap on
some FOGs. When factoring in lower cost and power requirements, MEMS-based devices provide an excellent answer for
the need of precision in a gyroscope.
MEMS-based Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS)
continue to develop and improve in both technology and application. As the requirements of both military and commercial systems
evolve, there is increasing demand for continuous improvement.
Both existing systems and those in development must incorporate size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) standards. Simply
put, demand will increasingly require systems and their components to be smaller, lighter, use less power, and all at a lower
cost. AHRS are no different in this initiative. Manufacturers must
adhere to these principles, all while improving the performance
of AHRS. Manufacturers who fail to adjust to these demands will
find themselves left behind.
sensors for 3-axis magnetic, 3-axis acceleration, and 3-axis
gyro. These sensors, combined with a built-in processor, create
an inertial sensor system fully capable of measuring the attitude of objects in 3-D space.
The sensors in AHRS use algorithms to estimate this attitude
in 3-D space. Some AHRS units will use traditional Kalman
filter algorithms that use magnetic and acceleration measurements to estimate the time-varying gyro bias in real-time. Other
AHRS systems utilize modified non-Kalman filters that compute
an estimation of orientation in real-time. A potential advantage

THE SPARTON NAVEX AHRS-8

Sparton Navigation and Exploration (Sparton NavEx) offers
the AHRS-8 as a fully temperature compensated Attitude
Heading and Reference System (AHRS), individually calibrated over the -40 C to +70 C operating range. It delivers
heading accuracy in a broad range of challenging dynamic and
magnetic environments.

Learn More
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

21

MAGNETIC FIELDS

Design considerations in the

presence of magnetic fields
Greater processing power and the demand for
operator safety has driven a dramatic increase in
unmanned vehicle use.
Unmanned vehicles generally require some form of navigation system that provides a heading reference. Traditional
navigation heading solutions included magnetic compasses
with mechanical gyroscopes, Global Positioning Systems
(GPS), and inertial navigation systems. With the advent of
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor technology,
the digital compass emerged as a leader in price-performance,
offering a number of advantages to the designer as a method
of providing and maintaining accurate heading. The benefits of
a digital compass to a designer are many:
Low cost depending upon the application and heading
accuracy required, digital compasses start as low as a few
hundred dollars
Small form factor and low mass odays digital
compasses can be well under two square inches and weigh
as little as 25 grams.
Low power requirement depending on the application
and heading accuracy requirements, digital compasses can
operate at less than 50 mw of power
Highly accurate todays digital compasses can provide
heading accuracy in a static application environment after
calibration to as low as 0.3 degrees RMS error
No reliance on GPS to maintain heading a digital
compass relies on magnetometers to passively detect the
Earths magnetic field to derive heading and does not rely
on the presence of an active
GPS signal adaptable calibration for a variety of
applications and environments. The digital compass is very
versatile in that it can provide accurate heading in a large
number of applications and environments.
Todays digital compasses provide a practical solution to the challenging needs of many unmanned applications. Digital compasses
utilize magnetometers to measure the Earths magnetic field to provide heading reference relative to magnetic north. As such, their
accuracy is subject to degradation in the presence of magnetic
interference. Therefore, magnetic materials should be kept away
from a digital compass for best performance. In practice this may
not always be possible, particularly if the unmanned vehicle passes
through stray magnetic fields as part of its course of navigation.
22 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

UNMANNED VEHICLE DIGITAL COMPASS DESIGN

CONSIDERATIONS
Digital compasses should be mounted away from strong magnetic fields or highly magnetic material. This includes close proximity to batteries, electric motors, and electric currents. Batteries
typically contain a magnetic signature and electric motors generate magnetic fields that will affect compass performance. It is
recommended that these items be placed as far away as practical from the digital compass.
Digital compasses should be calibrated in-house by the supplier
to remove any magnetic anomalies associated with the compass
itself and to ensure the products accuracy. Typically, the magnetometers are calibrated at the factory in a Dycome and the
gyroscopes are calibrated via a Rate Table.
The computer-controlled precision factory calibration corrects:
Sensor offset and sensitivity
Sensor linearity
Axial misalignment in 3-Dimensions
The digital compass should also be calibrated in its environment
of end use in the unmanned vehicle itself. Optimally, digital compasses should come equipped with in-field calibration functions
to help compensate for nearby magnetic material.
Digital compasses should compensate for both soft and hard
iron interference. Hard iron anomalies are generated by ferrous
(magnetized) materials and soft iron anomalies are produced by
materials that while not magnetized, could still affect the magnetometers ability to obtain an accurate heading reference by
measurement of the Earths magnetic fields.
MAGNETIC INTERFERENCE COMPENSATION IN THE FIELD
Correcting the impact of magnetic field distortions on heading in
unmanned vehicles in service is more challenging. The nature and
strength of the magnetic anomalies that may be experienced as
an unmanned vehicle passes in close proximity to magnetic material is unpredictable. These magnetic effects may momentarily
degrade heading accuracy. The degree of degradation will vary
depending on the distance to and quantity of the ferrous material:

Amount and shape of the magnetic material

Location and orientation relative to compass
The degree of magnetization (which can change over time)
Uniformity of the magnetization across the material

Digital compass designs must compensate for these magnetic

disturbances. This is accomplished by in-field calibration and the
utilization of gyroscopes to augment the traditional digital compass design.
IN-FIELD CALIBRATION
In-field calibration algorithms enable unmanned vehicles to
maintain heading accuracy. When the compass is mounted in
the users application, any magnetic material (screws, brackets,
components, etc) will affect the compass accuracy if not compensated. In-field calibration is required to remove many of these
interferences. The digital compass should provide calibration
capability in full 3-dimensions.
Ideally, digital compasses should constantly monitor the magnetic field conditions and automatically calibrate for hard and soft
magnetic distortions as the product is used. Since the magnetic
environment in which the compass is used is typically unpredictable in many situations, it can make continuous calibrations
unreliable. It is therefore more desirable to have the end-user
control the calibration process to insure that the environment has
minimal impact to the calibration process. During a typical in-field
calibration, the end-user will orient their product, which contains
a digital compass, in different positions and then command the
compass to sample the magnetic field conditions at each orientation. Up to twelve magnetic measurements are taken to allow
the compass to learn the distortions within the product and compensate for them. The in-field calibration algorithm will adjust the
magnetic offsets and scaling so that all of the magnetic measurements are spherical under all rotations. These offsets and
scaling parameters are saved and used in normal operation.
Any significant modifications to the vehicle after the compass
has been calibrated like installation of new hardware, batteries
changed, etc., may require the compass to be recalibrated.
GYROSCOPE DIGITAL COMPASS ENHANCEMENT
The magnetometers utilized in the digital compass design are
prone to error when exposed to magnetic interference. Forms
of magnetic interference include stray magnetic fields in the
path of the unmanned vehicle or from internal transient magnetic effects from power cables or electric motors under varying
operating conditions.
Errors from the presence of these stray magnetic fields experienced during the operation of unmanned vehicles can be
improved by adding gyroscopes to the digital compass design.
Typical gyroscopes used in this application are MEMS devices.
Tri-axial angular rate sensors measure rotation rates around
three orthogonal axes (X, Y, and Z). These gyroscopes give
more information about how the compass is moving so it can
properly compensate and provide a more stable heading, pitch,
and roll in the presence of spurious magnetic interference. A
smart sensor fusion algorithm is typically used to combine the
magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyro measurements into an
accurate orientation output. Disturbances in the magnetometer
measurements are not typically reflected in the accelerometer
and gyro measurements. The sensor fusion algorithm looks for
these differences and weights the sensors accordingly to ensure
that the compass, and vehicle, stays on course.

The Dycome

The Rate Rable

Accelerometers used as tilt sensors are included in digital compass designs to compensate for the relative orientation of the
magnetometers that measure the Earths magnetic fields to provide heading. The accelerometers are affected by acceleration
due to motion, especially linear motion. An added benefit of the
gyroscopes is that since they measure angular rates in X, Y, and Z,
they can also be used to overcome the disturbances of motion in
the accelerometers. Gyroscopes only provide a relative measurement in that if the compass is not rotating, the gyroscopes outputs are zero. Therefore, the compass relies more heavily on the
gyroscopes and magnetometers during periods of motion and the
accelerometers and magnetometers during periods of rest. Similar
to magnetic disturbances, disturbances in linear acceleration are
not typically reflected in the magnetometer and gyro measurements. The sensor fusion algorithm can therefore detect these
disturbances and adapt to them to keep the compass orientation
output from being affected.
CONCLUSION
In summary, operating environments can adversely affect
magnetic compasses. Time- varying magnetic fields may degrade
compass performance. Integration of a digital compass requires
a degree of application specific engineering to ensure the best
possible accuracy is gained from the digital compass.
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

23

SOLUTIONS

Applications requiring the highest degree of precision trust Sparton as their go-to solution for inertial
sensor systems. The entire product family, from inertial measurement units (IMU) to attitude heading
reference systems (AHRS), performs to task for the toughest, most ruggedized solutions. Stemming from
our roots in government contracting, the Sparton suite of products are unmatched for critical solutions
such as laser targeting, satellite communications, unmanned vehicles, and oil and gas exploration.

Laser Targeting

Unmanned Systems

In situations where precision is an absolute must, Sparton

delivers the inertial sensor systems that can be trusted time
and time again. Our products have been built to improve on
todays product standards with even greater performance than
is required for tomorrows laser targeting systems.

Unmanned vehicles continue to impress with rapid advances

in technology that make these vehicles suitable for military and
commercial use. The inertial sensor is a critical component for
unmanned operation success and Sparton is lock step in the
rapid development of sensor systems technologies for air, sea,
and ground.

Targeting systems require maximum accuracy at all times and

under all conditions. Whether hand-held or mounted on tri-pods,
vehicles, or weapons the system must perform reliably and consistently to meet the needs of todays warfighter.
Heading and azimuth angle are vital components for accurate
targeting. The complex nature of targeting systems presents
significant challenges to obtaining maximum accuracy reliably,
quickly, and repeatedly. Magnetic disturbances, whether produced by external sources or internal components of the system,
cause errors in the output of conventional digital magnetic compasses (DMCs).
A complete system integrating MEMS inertial sensors, magnetometers, and algorithms to process and manage sensor data is
required to overcome the difficulties of this complex application.
All this must be accomplished in a small, lightweight package
with minimum power consumption.

Learn More
24 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

Whether it swims, crawls, or flies navigation systems are critical

for performance of unmanned vehicles. These systems support complex functions such as surveillance, reconnaissance,
vehicle tracking, hazardous material disposal, and many military/
defense applications. In harsh environments or when GPS is not
available (denied or comprised) it is vital to maintain accurate
heading and orientation of the unmanned vehicle.
Conventional navigation solutions take up large amounts of
space, are costly, heavy, and have high power consumption.
Transient magnetic disturbances can induce heading errors
compromising performance.

Learn More

Communications Positioning

Exploration and Surveying

Panning the sky in search for satellite signals takes on a whole

new meaning in urgent conditions when time is of the essence.
Getting your connections established in short order requires
absolute accuracy accuracy that can only be delivered by
Spartons inertial sensor systems.

Exploring the vast ocean floor for oil and gas opportunities is a
daunting task. Spartons inertial sensor product offerings help
produce the critical accuracy needed to survey, collect, and analyze the sea floor to mine these natural resources.

Whether your product is intended to be used in defense or

civilian applications, the performance of todays leading edge
communication systems are demanding efficient, reliable and
accurate antenna positioning. In either portable or permanent
system installations, RF and SATCOM systems require high
antenna pointing accuracy at all times and under extreme environmental conditions.
Azimuth and elevation angles are vital components for accurate antenna positioning and optimum system performance. The
complex nature of communication systems presents significant
challenges to obtaining maximum accuracy- reliably, quickly, and
repeatedly. Manual antenna pointing and alignment can be cumbersome and time consuming for your customer. Since most systems measure the Earths horizontal magnetic field to determine
heading, unwanted magnetic disturbances, whether intrinsically
produced by hard and soft iron components on the antenna platform, or from transient external sources cause errors in the heading
output of conventional analog or digital magnetic compasses.
A complete system integrating MEMS inertial sensors, magnetometers, and algorithms to process and manage sensor
data is required to overcome the difficulties of this challenging
application. For many applications this must be accomplished
cost effectively within a small, lightweight package with minimal
power demands on the system.

Learn More

The performance of todays leading edge towed seismic

streamer systems and bottom mounted arrays are demanding
more efficient, reliable, and accurate cable navigation and positioning. In seismic system installations, these systems require
high heading and attitude accuracy real-time and under extreme
ocean conditions.
Precise and real-time measurements of heading, pitch, and
roll angles along the array cables are valuable output data for
accurate seismic streamer navigation, positioning and survey
performance. The complex nature of dynamic seismic subbottom profiling and imaging systems presents significant
technical challenges, requiring maximum sensor accuracy
- reliably, quickly, and repeatedly. Seismic data collection is
costly and time consuming. Oil and gas geophysical exploration customers are increasing demands for better survey
data quality.
A complete system integrating MEMS inertial sensors, magnetometers, and algorithms to process and manage sensor
data is required to overcome this challenging application.
More accurate streamer positioning and navigation results in
enhanced, higher resolution image processing from the ships
survey. For seismic streamers and in-water ancillary equipment this must be accomplished cost effectively within a small,
lightweight package with minimal power demands on the data
acquisition system.

Learn More
Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

25

PRODUCTS

AHRS-8

IMU-10

Fully temperature compensated, the AHRS-8 is individually

calibrated for industry-leading heading accuracy. Our AdaptNav
II algorithm provides accurate in-field calibration, while the
NorthTek Development System makes it the worlds only fully
programmable inertial system.

Harsh environmental conditions, extreme magnetic interference,

mechanical shock and transient platform vibrations all contribute
to the challenge of high accuracy inertial sensing and platform
attitude reporting. Spartons IMU-10 inertial sensing system
thrives in such environments and provides end-users with a reliable high-performance, high-accuracy 10DOF inertial sensing
package in a ruggedized enclosure.

Integrated AdaptNav II provides real-time noise

characterization and active gyro drift compensation for
superior heading, pitch and roll performance in electrically
and mechanically noisy environments
Fully temperature compensated over the entire operating
range, individually calibrated from -40 to +70 C
Powerful user programmable sensor customization apps via
NorthTek Forth interpreter
2-D and 3-D adaptive in-field cal providing hard and soft
magnetic interference compensation
Advanced sensing technology (3-axis magnetic, 3-axis
MEMS acceleration, and 3-axis MEMS gyro)
Selectable 4g or 8g accelerometer ranges, suitable for
highly dynamic application environments
Magnetic and True North heading (yaw), pitch, and roll
measurement
Full 360 rollover capability
Low power consumption and power management (Sleep
Mode) functionality
Supports multiple communication protocols
In-field calibration point selection and distribution indicator
Quality of in-field calibration indicator
Centripetal acceleration correction
26 | Volume 1 | spar tonnavex.com

10DOF High Performance Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

Advanced Micro Electro-Mechanical (MEMS) sensing
technology (3-axis magnetic, 3-axis acceleration, 3-axis
gyro and Barometer)
40 kHz accel/gyro (all simultaneous) data sampling filtered
to 2 kHz
Coning/sculling compensation of 2 kHz data down to
customer defined rate
Customizable on-board high speed digital filtering
High Speed UART interface (user selectable up to 1MBaud)
High speed data logging capability to off-board SD card
Ruggedized, shockproof design with proprietary seals that
allow barometric pressure sensing combined with IP67
performance
Low latency and consistent latency between data collection
and data output
Powerful user programmable customizations via NorthTek
Forth interpreter
Supports multiple communication protocols
Full 360 rollover capability

GEDC-6E

DC-4E

By eliminating nearly all external magnetic disturbances that

affect heading accuracy, the Sparton GEDC-6E AHRS provides
highly dynamic response features combined with long-term stability and accuracy. An enhanced version of our GEDC-6, it has
a faster start-up time and in-field calibration convergence.

Incorporating next generation software to enable optimized

performance, the DC-4E with 6 DOF offers improved in-field
calibration and reduced start-up time. Its best-in-class reliability
and accuracy provides 3-D absolute magnetic field measurement and full 360 tilt-compensated heading, pitch, and roll
data.10DOF High Performance Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

Integrated AdaptNav II adaptive algorithms provide

realtime optimization of sensor performance when used
in environments prone to mechanical vibrations and gyro
saturation
2-D and 3-D adaptive in-field cal providing hard and soft
magnetic interference compensation
High dynamic heading accuracy enhanced by use of
gyroscopes and fast sampling rate
Simple 2-wire serial (UART) interface (3.3V logic level) with
user-selectable baud rate
Advanced sensing technology (3-axis magnetic, 3-axis
MEMS acceleration, and 3-axis MEMS gyro)
Built-in World Magnetic Model for accurate True North
Rugged (epoxy encapsulated) construction and small
physical size
Magnetic and True North heading (yaw), pitch, and roll
measurement
Low power consumption and power management (Sleep
mode) functionality
NorthTek enabled
Full 360 rollover capability
In-field calibration point selection and distribution indicator
Quality of in-field calibration indicator

2-D and 3-D adaptive in-field calibration providing hard and

soft magnetic interference compensation
Simple 2-wire serial (UART) interface (3.3V logic level) with
user-selectable baud rate
Built-in World Magnetic Model for accurate True North
Advanced sensing technology (3-axis magnetic, 3-axis
MEMS acceleration)
Magnetic and True North heading (yaw), pitch, and roll
measurement
Low power consumption and power management (Sleep
Mode) functionality
Powerful user programmable customizations via NorthTek
Forth interpreter
Industry leading static accuracy and resolution
Rugged (epoxy encapsulated) construction
Supports multiple communication protocols
Full 360 roll-over capability
Small physical size
In-field calibration point selection and distribution indicator
Quality of in-field calibration indicator

Precision Sensing | Volume 1 |

27

Sparton Navigation and Exploration

5612 Johnson Lake Road
P.O. Box 788
DeLeon Springs, Florida 32130
spartonnavex.com

2015 Sparton Navigation and Exploration