--- title: Data Logger vs Accelerometer for Shock Testing description: "Shock testing: accelerometer or data logger? Learn when each tool wins on bandwidth, g-range, portability, and setup so you can pick the right hardware fast." image: https://blog.endaq.com/hubfs/blog-banner-Accelerometer%20vs%20Data%20Logger-2.png --- [![endaq blog logo](https://blog.endaq.com/hubfs/endaq-blog-logo.svg "endaq blog logo")](https://blog.endaq.com) - [ENDAQ.COM](https://www.endaq.com/) - [HELP CENTER](https://support.endaq.com) - [CLOUD](https://endaq.com/collections/endaq-cloud-remote-vibration-monitoring) - [CONTACT](https://endaq.com/pages/contact) [View All Blog Posts](https://blog.endaq.com) # Data Logger vs Accelerometer for Shock Testing [Data Acquisition](https://blog.endaq.com/tag/data-acquisition) 0 Comments Share This by [Giovanni Fava](https://blog.endaq.com/author/giovanni-fava) Share This ## Shock Testing: Accelerometer or Data Logger? When it comes to shock or vibration testing choosing the right measurement hardware for a  test starts with a fundamental question: do you need an accelerometer, a data logger, or both? An accelerometer converts mechanical motion into an electrical signal. A [vibration data logger](https://endaq.com/pages/vibration-sensors-and-vibration-loggers-for-data-acquisition) records, stores, and can sometimes process that signal on its own. Although the two are related, they are not the same. In this post, we'll walk through what separates an accelerometer from a data logger, when you need one versus the other, and how to match the right device to your testing. - [What Is an Accelerometer and How Does It Work?](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#what) - [What Is a Vibration Data Logger?](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#whatvibration) - [How Do Accelerometers and Data Loggers Differ in Shock Testing?](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#how) - [When Should You Use a Standalone Accelerometer?](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#when) - [When Should You Use a Vibration Data Logger?](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#whenvibration) - [How to Choose the Right Device for Your Application](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#how) - [FAQs](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#faqs) - [Key Take-Aways](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#key) - [In Conclusion](https://blog.endaq.com/data-logger-vs-accelerometer-for-shock-testing#conclusion) --- ## What Is an Accelerometer and How Does It Work? An accelerometer is a transducer that quantifies acceleration along one or more axes. It converts mechanical motion into a proportional electrical output, typically measured in g (where 1 g = 9.81 m/s²). The three main accelerometer technologies you'll encounter in shock and vibration testing are piezoelectric, piezoresistive, and variable-capacitive MEMS. You can better understand the difference between the types of accelerometers is the blog: [Accelerometers: Taking the Guesswork out of Accelerometer Selection](https://blog.endaq.com/accelerometer-selection). Piezoelectric accelerometers generate charge in response to strain on a crystal element. They excel at capturing high-frequency content and are widely used in lab-based modal analysis. Piezoresistive types quantify resistance changes in a strain gauge and handle high-g, short-duration shock events well. MEMS capacitive sensors are compact and affordable but tend to have lower bandwidth. By itself, an [accelerometer](https://blog.endaq.com/vibration-measurements-accelerometer-basics) only outputs a raw analog or digital signal. You still need signal conditioning, a data acquisition (DAQ) system, cables, a power source, and recording software to turn that signal into usable data. When working in a lab setting this can be a good thing if you want to measure the vibration of something very small or delicate without having an effect on its natural frequencies. Additionally, if you're working on finding the mode shapes of a small structure, you can easily fit multiple accelerometers where only one data logger could fit, giving you a better idea of the modes and response of the structure. Being able to have just an accelerometer on a structure, while all of the bulkier hardware is off to the side can be really helpful in a lab setting. [Endevco](https://buy.endevco.com/)makes some great small accelerometer like their [Mini PE Accel: 2222C-R](https://buy.endevco.com/products?m=2222C-R) that is just 1/4" wide and 3/8" long and shown below.![](https://buy.endevco.com/contentStore/images/pcb_corporate/endevco//products/photo/400/2222c_1____.jpg) --- ## What Is a Vibration Data Logger? A vibration data logger is a self-contained instrument that combines one or more accelerometers with onboard memory, a battery, and often additional sensors (gyroscope, temperature, pressure, humidity, GPS) in a single enclosure. A data logger will bring a level of simplicity to testing because everything in the system is tuned to the specific accelerometer in the logger. That means that the signal is already conditioned, you don't have to worry about setting the right sensitivity or gain on the amplifier, and there's much less of a worry of your wires becoming antenna, attracting unwanted signals. There's simply a lot less that can go wrong when getting the data. Once the recording is done, you can retrieve the data over USB or Wi-Fi and run your analysis with desktop or cloud software. If you're working on a system that has a lot of motion, to the point that external cables add significant complexity to acquiring data, or if you just want a plug-and-play system a data logger can be perfect for you. Setups for [package monitoring](https://blog.endaq.com/transportation-vibration-monitoring-what-really-happens-during-shipment), [health monitoring](https://blog.endaq.com/detecting-anomalies-in-belt-driven-systems-with-machine-learning), or [measuring vibrations on a rocket](https://blog.endaq.com/measuring-vibrations-on-hybrid-rocket-engine-with-accelerometer) are perfect for using a date logger. Ideally, a data logger can have up to two accelerometers (one digital capacitive, one piezoelectric or piezoresistive) along with various environmental sensors in one handheld device. --- ## How Do Accelerometers and Data Loggers Differ in Shock Testing? ### Signal Conditioning and Data Acquisition A standalone accelerometer requires a charge or voltage amplifier depending on whether they are piezoelectric or piezoresistive, once the signal is amplified, the sensor's specific sensitivity and gain must be accounted for to convert the volt output to a value like g's or m/s.  Additionally, the cables used need to be shielded, but even with shielding they can act as capacitors and antennae, introducing significant signals to you shock reading when the cables are jolted during an impact. There is much more work that goes into setting up an accelerometer for the first time, but if the setup already exists in your lab, it can be fairly easy to repeat and modify, while giving you more control over aspects like placement and sensor gain (which impacts your resolution). A data logger can work very well in many environments, but excels above standalone accelerometers in applications where you can't bring the lab, whether it be because the sensor is moving, or its just very difficult to set up all the conditioning and amplification hardware. Since all of the conditioning and storage is done on the device, shock testing can be done almost anywhere, and be done by people who may be newer to collecting shock data. ### Portability and Deployment In order to take shock testing from the lab to the field, the main concerns are size, and power. Although data loggers are bigger than their standalone aaccelerometerr counterparts, they take up much less space than the accelerometer's ecosystem. A data logger will also be able to power itself based on a battery for hours or days, while a standalone accelerometer's amplifier will need a battery or access to an outlet to work. Data loggers can also travel within enclosed systems, like inside a shipping crate or box, travelling across the country. ### Sample Rate and Frequency Bandwidth Lab-grade accelerometers paired with high-end DAQ hardware like [Picoscope](https://www.picotech.com/)'s [4000A series](https://www.picotech.com/oscilloscope/4000/picoscope-4000-series) or [National Instrument](https://www.ni.com/en.html)'s [782258-01](https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/ni/782258-01/12817857?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20837516636&gbraid=0AAAAADrbLlhSYjpfgViE3hwIxQEKYxoeo&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2OnUBhC2ARIsACKyfaHBamyX34GarpafspAkuQ5gHzdNuy3GmGalhRc405p27_e3U8jAdh4aAk6LEALw_wcB) can reach sample rates of 1 MHz, which is helpful for characterizing very fast transients after a shock event or very high-order structural resonances. Shock events can also come in different shapes rather than just half-sines, so the higher sampling rate lets you see much better what the shock look looks like, so you can better understand and model it. Standalone data loggers typically sample up to 4-20 kHz, which usually covers the frequency needed for most transit shock, vehicle vibration, and machinery monitoring. ### Measurement Range Shock events in transit can exceed hundreds or even thousands of g. Standard MEMS-only loggers often top out at 16 g or 200 g, clipping high-g impacts and leaving you with incomplete data. Piezoresistive and Piezoelectric accelerometers on the other hand can reach much higher g's, 2,000 g  and even higher . High g accelerometers can be found in both data loggers and as standalone sensors, the only difference is the setup. Data loggers that have two accelerometers can allow you to accurately capture both low g and high g events accurately with one device, which would require double the setup for for 2 standalone accelerometers. ### Onboard Storage and Recording Duration Data loggers store time-history data locally, with capacities from 4 MB to 16 GB depending on the model. On the high end, that's enough space for billions of data points across hours or days of extended monitoring. With a standalone accelerometer, recording duration depends entirely on your external DAQ system and its storage. If its connected to a computer, the limit is generally the system's buffer memory or software limits; for the Picoscope devices, up to [100 million samples](https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/streaming-mode) can be recorded in one recording at a time. --- ## When Should You Use a Standalone Accelerometer? A standalone accelerometer with external DAQ is the better fit when you need very high channel counts, synchronization across dozens of sensors, recording frequencies above 20 kHz, or tight integration with a lab shaker controller. Modal analysis, [shaker qualification testing](https://blog.endaq.com/signal-conditioning-for-accelerometer-based-vibration-testing), and large-scale structural surveys are typical scenarios where a full DAQ system is extremely beneficial. Having already synchronized  accelerometer values can be very helpful when observing a structure's mode shapes during a modal analysis so that you can easily track the phase differences of each mode. If your test setup already includes signal conditioning hardware, a DAQ system, and a dedicated workspace, adding more accelerometers to that system is pretty straightforward, and you can keep all of the data in one place making your analysis simpler. --- ## When Should You Use a Vibration Data Logger? Go with a data logger when your measurement happens away from the lab and you need an autonomous, portable device. Common scenarios include: - Transit and [shipping monitoring](https://endaq.com/pages/shock-vibration-sensors-for-shipping-monitoring): recording shock and vibration [inside packages](https://blog.endaq.com/transportation-vibration-monitoring-what-really-happens-during-shipment), crates, or on vehicle beds during ground, air, or ocean transport. - Field testing on remote assets: quantifying vibration on [heavy equipment](https://blog.endaq.com/detecting-bolt-looseness-using-an-accelerometer), [bridges](https://blog.endaq.com/creating-a-digital-twin-using-vibration-measurements), [rockets](https://blog.endaq.com/measuring-vibrations-on-hybrid-rocket-engine-with-accelerometer), [wind turbines](https://blog.endaq.com/challenges-conditions-based-monitoring-large-wind-turbines), [compressors](https://blog.endaq.com/industrial-vibrations), or other structures where running cables isn't practical. - **Unattended long-duration recordings:** capturing days or weeks of data to characterize an operating environment for lab replication. - Low-lift [experiments](https://blog.endaq.com/shock-vibrations-the-human-wrist-experiences-in-sports)where you don't want to have take up space, time, or resources setting up a complex DAQ system - Quick spot checks: mount a logger, press a button, and get an immediate [FFT or PSD](https://blog.endaq.com/vibration-analysis-fft-psd-and-spectrogram) from onboard processing or cloud upload. A data logger can greatly reduce the complexity and start-up time for getting data. It can help you get from having a question or an idea to a result very quickly, allowing you to move faster. --- ## How to Choose the Right Device for Your Application Start with a few main questions about your test environment and measurement needs: - **Where is the test happening?** Lab-based tests on stationary structures are best for standalone accelerometers if the conditioning and DAQ and hardware is available. Tests involving motion, rotation, transit, or other complex environments often favor the use of a data logger. - **What bandwidth do you need?** If you need high frequency recordings up to 20 kHz, both a standalone accelerometer and a data logger will work great. If you need to exceed those frequencies, a standalone accelerometer is often necessary. - **What shock range do you expect?** Data loggers and standalone accelerometers generally can record to the same g level up until around 2,000 gs where at greater g-level standalone accelerometers are often needed. If you want to measure two separate ranges of acceleration, a data logger may work best. - **How will you retrieve and analyze data?** Data loggers offer USB or Wi-Fi download which can be analyzed with free [Python libraries](https://endaq.com/pages/endaq-open-source-python-library-for-shock-vibration-analysis), MATLAB export, or cloud dashboards. Lab DAQ systems rely on either dedicated analysis software, like LABVIEW, or will export the data as a CSV or MATLAB files to let you analyze the data in python, MATLAB, or other software. - **How long is the recording?** Recordings vary from one system to another based on the amount of samples collected, the rate, and how much information is in each sample. Generally speaking data loggers can more store longer files with more data in them compared to standalone DAQ systems. --- ## FAQs about Accelerometer vs Data Logger for Shock Testing #### What is the main difference between an accelerometer and a vibration data logger? An accelerometer is a sensor that outputs an electrical signal proportional to acceleration, this signal needs to me conditioned and read by other hardware. A vibration data logger is a self-contained system that includes an accelerometer, onboard memory, a battery, and processing to record and store data autonomously. #### Can I use a vibration data logger for lab-based shaker testing? Although you can do it, lab shaker tests often require multiple sensors with high levels of time synchronization that is complicated to achieve with a set of loggers. A standalone accelerometer connected to a multichannel DAQ system is typically a better fit for those requirements. #### What sample rate do I need for shock and vibration data logging? For transit vibration, machinery monitoring, and other vibrational measurements, sample rates between 1 kHz and 5 kHz will generally work very well. Meanwhile shock events require between 5 kHz and 20 kHz since an event can last less than a millisecond, and you want the best idea of how much energy went into that kind of impact. --- ## Key Takeaways: Accelerometer vs Data Logger for Shock Testing - **An accelerometer** is a sensor that outputs an electrical signal proportional to acceleration but requires external hardware to record data. - **A vibration data logger** is a self-contained device that records, stores, and can even process acceleration data in the field. - **For remote or transit shock testing**, a standalone data logger eliminates the need for a laptop, power source, or tethered DAQ system. - **Key selection criteria include** sample rate, frequency bandwidth, measurement range, onboard storage, and environmental rating. --- ## In Conclusion: Matching the Right Tool to Your Shock Test The main ideas from this post: - **An accelerometer** gives you the raw sensing element that gives you a customizable, but complex testing setup. A data logger gives you the complete, field-ready measurement system with much less effort. - **For any test that happens outside the lab** (transit, field, remote monitoring), a standalone data logger is the faster, more reliable path to accurate data. Share This ### [Giovanni Fava](https://blog.endaq.com/author/giovanni-fava) Giovanni is a Mechanical Engineer at Midé Technology, having joined in 2021, and is also working on getting a PhD from Umass Lowell specializing in the vibrations affecting wind turbines. Giovanni works by applying his vibrational expertise to design devices that incorporate multiple sensors and then testing them in either a laboratory setting or in the field. 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