Mounted Transducers

Mallory’s mounted transducer models do not contain circuitry, so the user must apply the correct frequency signal to the device. Mallory offers both piezo and electromagnetic technology. Electromagnetic transducers utilize a metal disc and an electro-magnet inside a plastic housing. These devices can produce relatively good sound levels at a very low voltage in a very compact package, so they excel in electronic applications with limited space, low DC voltage requirements, and only a soft or medium sound level is needed. Piezo transducers consist of a piezoelectric element mounted in a plastic housing. These devices have much lower current draw and can produce extremely loud sound levels, an example being the ear-piercing sound produced by smoke detectors.

There are two basic types of piezo transducers to choose from. Direct drive transducers have just two terminals which make them relatively easy to implement in an application. The user must apply a peak-to-peak sine or square wave signal to the device at the appropriate rated device frequency. On the other hand, self-drive transducers have three terminals. The third terminal supplies a feed-back voltage which is 180 degrees out-of-phase with the primary frequency signal, so the feedback signal helps the circuit self-tune itself to the optimum sound frequency. The result is a simpler circuit and an optimized sound level. The challenge with a self-drive circuit is that the transducer is becomes an integral part of the circuit, so more time will be spent designing and testing the circuit to make sure it works properly under all application conditions.

Mounted transducer package types include surface mount, PC pins, and flange mount with wires. Because mounted transducer devices do not have circuitry, they will be at a lower cost point than buzzers with circuitry.