A tachometer (also spelled as "tachymeter") is laboratory equipment that is used to measure the rotational speed of a shaft or disk. It is commonly used in automotive and aviation industries to measure the speed of engines, turbines, propellers, and other rotating machinery.
A typical tachometer consists of a sensor, a display unit, and a processing unit. The sensor is mounted on the rotating shaft and generates a voltage signal that is proportional to the speed of rotation. The processing unit converts the voltage signal into a digital signal and displays the speed on the display unit.
There are two types of tachometers: contact and non-contact. Contact tachometers use physical contact with the rotating shaft to measure the speed, while non-contact tachometers use optical, magnetic, or other non-contact methods.
Tachometers can be used in a variety of laboratory settings, including in the study of fluid dynamics, the measurement of torque and power, and the calibration of other laboratory instruments. They are also useful in quality control and production settings, where they can be used to monitor the speed of manufacturing equipment.
Some common features of tachometers include programmable alarm limits, memory storage for data logging, and compatibility with various output interfaces such as RS-232, USB, and Ethernet.