Vibration Sensor Market

Market Overview

The global vibration sensor market size was valued at USD 5,320 million in 2021 and is predicted to reach USD 9,375 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period (2022–2030).

A vibration sensor converts vibrations into an electrical output directly proportional to its sensed vibration. These sensors are installed within rotary machines to monitor the vibration levels. Monitoring and analysis of vibrations are critical to quality assurance. A typical vibration sensor senses vibration levels based on three parameters, namely acceleration, displacement, and velocity. The selection of vibration sensors depends on the frequency and intensity of these three parameters concerning the equipment.

Vibration sensors are increasingly adopted for monitoring the conditions of high-end, heavy machinery such as industrial pumps, windmills, HVAC systems, and compressors. Similarly, there is a demand for vibration sensors for smaller systems such as conveyor belts, machine tools, and machine spindles, which require predictive maintenance. Various vibration sensor providers are making efforts to provide predictive maintenance vibration sensors. For instance, in March 2019, Vocal Zoom, a provider of vibration sensors, announced the launch of predictive maintenance sensors for the IIoT. The sensors provided measurements for vibrations from the machinery to prevent and predict mechanical failures.

Market Dynamics

Vibration Sensor Market Drivers

• Ongoing Transition from Preventive to Predictive Maintenance 

Predictive maintenance is expected to gain popularity in the global manufacturing industry due to various benefits rapidly. Some benefits include eliminating or reducing unscheduled machine downtime, increased production capacity, reduced maintenance costs, and increased equipment life span. The predictive maintenance tools are being implemented on a large scale in capital-intensive industries such as oil and gas and automotive.

Numerous predictive maintenance techniques and tools are available to effectively monitor the condition of equipment and machines to identify the signs of wear and other failures. This shift from preventive to predictive maintenance is expected to significantly contribute to the growth of the vibration sensor market. Predictive maintenance permits preemptive corrective actions, safety compliance, and increased asset life. Various firms globally focus on adopting a predictive maintenance strategy to understand why and how asset failure occurs and detect the warning signs of potential losses.

These factors above are expected to contribute to the vibration sensor market growth over the forecast period.

• Rising Adoption in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

With advancing Industry 4.0, automation technology is redefining business methods across the globe. Furthermore, the fourth industrial revolution leads to the automation of vibration monitoring sensors. This, as a result, is driving the global vibration sensor market growth. A range of factors, such as enormous applications in ceramic, automotive, aviation, and manufacturing industries, influence the global vibration sensor market growth. The IIoT is expected to play a prominent role in the widespread adoption of innovative vibration sensors across the globe.

Furthermore, the global vibration sensor market share is driven by the evolution and development of the internet of things in numerous business verticals. Moreover, with the help of IoT, businesses across the globe are now capable of analyzing the data generated by their working machines. Businesses can deduce irregularity by analyzing the information patterns. However, for pattern analysis, companies require precise and accurate vibration sensors. These vibration sensors can identify the vibrations generated during the functioning of the machine. Therefore, the implementation of IoT in numerous industries is expected to propel the vibration sensor market growth over the forecast period.

The increasing spending on IIoT platforms is expected to create growth opportunities for the vibration sensor market over the forecast period. IIoT-based technology, such as preventative software, heavily relies on vibration sensors to know when equipment maintenance is needed prior to a machine breaking down. These vibration sensors reduce downtime and eliminate the need for routine equipment checks. Vibration sensors are also vital to control and monitor shock and vibration in operations. This is attributed to fueling the demand for vibration sensors in various end-use industries.

Vibration Sensor Market Restraint

• Issues Related to Operations in High Temperature 

There has been an eventual spike in the requirements of vibration measurement in high-temperature environments. These extreme environments are found in the aerospace, industrial, and automotive vibration measurement fields. In such environments, numerous sensor considerations are to be considered, such as casing/connector construction, sensing element material, signal conditioning, and cabling.

According to The Modal Shop, Inc., approximately 80% of all vibration measurement operations, environmental conditions of less than 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit), allow for standard ICP operation with built-in microelectronics to simplify the signal and power conditioning needs. These vibration sensors or ICP accelerometer designs include a microelectronic JFET or MOSFET amplifier to effectively handle the high impedance charge alteration at the sensing crystal. They offer an appropriate low impedance voltage at the sensor's signal connector to couple to a scope or recorder, or digital signal analyzer.

Signal and power are returned and delivered over the same wire with the help of a simple constant current signal conditioner. However, as temperature increases due to the firing of a combustion engine or the friction of mechanical operation, higher temperatures can become challenging for industrial processes.

Without proper components and design, elevated temperatures start to short the internal microelectronics effectively. Due to the higher temperature, microelectronics bias voltage falls, and microelectronics leakage increases through the amplifier's gate. These factors mentioned above are the issues related to operations in high temperatures. This is expected to act as a challenge to the vibration sensor market growth over the forecast period.

What Are Future Growth Opportunities in Global Vibration Sensor Market?

• Development of Advanced Sensor Technologies

The sensor technology is expected to advance rapidly over the forecast period. Advanced sensors, such as Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors, wireless sensors, and fiber-optic sensors, are growing continuously across the globe. Furthermore, these sensors are resilient to extreme climatic conditions. As a result, these sensors are primarily deployed in monitoring applications. Moreover, numerous sensors are connected in the wireless sensor networks to provide accurate results. Therefore, these advanced sensor technologies are expected to act as a growth opportunity for the vibration sensor market.

The advent of advanced development in microelectronics, sensors, predictive technologies, and adaptive signal processing has significantly formed the fundamental approach to dealing with repair and traditional maintenance problems within several end-use industries. Driven by the necessity for increased reliability, safety, platform availability, and enhanced performance at a reduced cost, necessary sensor technologies such as piezoelectric materials, shape memory alloy, magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials, optical fibers, triboluminescent materials, comparative vacuum monitoring, carbon nanotubes, micro-and nano-electromechanical systems are anticipated to play an essential role in the development of Diagnostics, Prognostics and Health Management (DPHM) systems.

Most factories, plants, and other facilities have machinery installed and in operation for years. These facilities must maintain the health of their long-installed machinery for minimized downtime and sustained operations. Additionally, keeping up with scheduled maintenance and routes for an increasing number of aging machinery can be time-consuming and difficult. This, as a result, is expected to create growth opportunities for vibration sensor manufacturers over the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

By region, the global vibration sensor market is divided into North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America is the largest market for vibration sensors. It is anticipated to reach USD 3,199 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 4.45% over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fasted-growing region, accounting for USD 2,730 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 7.5%.

The presence of significant vibration sensor providers such as IFM Efector, Inc. and Keller America, Inc. in North America is leading the market growth in the region. Furthermore, the increase in the demand for electric cars in North America is creating the need for vibration sensors to monitor the vehicle's mechanical vibrations. The rise in the adoption of vibration sensor systems by the aerospace and defense sector in the region is also positively affecting the regional market growth.

Asia-Pacific is projected to be the fasted-growing region. Advanced vibration sensors are becoming increasingly necessary as automation spreads across many regional sectors. Additionally, low labor costs drive multinational corporations to increase production facilities in nations like South Korea, China, and India. This is anticipated to fuel the area's manufacturing sector's product demand. Additionally, nations like China and Japan are recognized as the manufacturing and assembly centers for companies that produce consumer electronics, such as SAMSUNG and Sony Corporation. Vibration sensors are utilized in consumer electronics for tasks including free-fall sensing and orientation detection.

Segmental Analysis

The global vibration sensor market share is divided by type, technology, material, end-user, and region.

By type, the global market of vibration sensor is divided into accelerometers, velocity sensors, and displacement sensors. The accelerometers segment dominates the market and is expected to reach USD 3,800 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period. The displacement sensor segment is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing segment over the forecast period. The increase in displacement sensors in elevators for the synchronous opening of doors is expected to drive the segment growth.

An accelerometer is an economical and versatile sensor used for vibration measurements. An accelerometer is used in various industries such as healthcare, construction, transportation, and consumer electronics. Multiple companies such as Polar and Nike have introduced sports watches for runners, including accelerometers, to help determine the runners' distance and speed. Government bodies of different countries promote accelerometers, which is also one of the major factors driving segment growth.

For instance, the government of Belgium announced accelerometer-based step counters to encourage people to walk a thousand steps a day. The increase in the adoption of accelerometers in the consumer electronics industry for detecting the orientation of devices like tablets and smartphones is anticipated to fuel the segment's growth. 

Over the forecast period, the displacement sensor market is expected to expand at the quickest CAGR. Across all sectors where reliability, accuracy, and cost competitiveness are crucial, displacement sensors are in high demand. One of the main reasons influencing the market growth is the rising use of displacement sensors to find faults in stacked printed circuit boards (PCBs) and the placement of electronic components on PCBs. Further boosting the market growth is using displacement sensors in elevators to time the opening of elevator car doors to the height of building floors.

By technology, the global market of vibration sensor is divided into piezoresistive, strain gauge, variable capacitance, hand probe, optical, tri-axial, and others. The piezoresistive technology is dominant over other technologies and is expected to reach USD 2,325 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. The tri-axial segment is anticipated to emerge as the fastest-growing segment. 

Piezoresistive vibration sensors are used in automotive safety testing, higher stock measurements, and weapon testing. In automotive safety testing, piezoresistive accelerometers are used in sled tests, dummy tests, and safety tests with vehicles. As per the figures provided by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, 18.5 million cars, trucks, and vans are manufactured in Europe yearly, which drives the demand for piezoresistive vibration sensors the current days.

Over the projection period, the tri-axial sensor segment is anticipated to increase at the most significant CAGR. Demand for triaxial sensors is anticipated to increase across industries due to their capacity to deliver a rapid and precise phase analysis. Additionally, diagnosing gear mesh flaws in vehicle gearboxes is becoming more widely used, which is favorable for the development of this market. Additionally, producers are focusing on creating 9-axis IMUs, which are anticipated to push the tri-axial market, including HILLCREST LABS and Micro-Epsilon.

By material, the global market of vibration sensor is divided into doped silicon, piezoelectric ceramics, and quartz. The quartz segment is projected to reach USD 4,100 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.5% over the forecast period. The piezoelectric ceramics segment is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing segment over the forecast period. An increase in the demand for quartz piezoelectric sensors in weigh-in-motion systems is driving segment growth in the current days. In weigh-in-motion systems, quartz piezoelectric sensors provide benefits such as a wide measuring range, durability, and robustness.

Over the projection period, the piezoelectric ceramics segment is expected to increase significantly. The segment's growth is anticipated to be fueled by an increase in the use of piezoelectric ceramics in industries like automotive and energy harvesting. In dynamic wheel balancing devices, where a signal is produced in the sensor for each imbalance in the wheel, they are also utilized. Additionally, piezoelectric ceramics-based vibration sensors in electronic musical instruments have grown over the past few years, fueling the segment's expansion. Additionally, because piezoelectric ceramics-based accelerometers are more sensitive than quartz ones, they may be built with less bulk, which results in a significant weight reduction.

Who are Notable End User Segments for the Global Vibration Sensor Market?

By end-user, the global market of vibration sensor is divided into the automobile, consumer electronics, healthcare, aerospace and defense, oil and gas, and others. The automobile segment led the market in 2021, and it is projected to reach USD 2,475 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast period. The aerospace and defense segment is predicted to be the fastest-growing segment over the forecast period. 

Vibration sensors are gaining importance among engineers as they enable engineers to characterize the effects of road-induced vibrations, the service life of engine components, and shock on the performance during vehicle development. Moreover, the use of vehicle telematics data by car insurance companies for monitoring driving behavior is creating opportunities for segment growth. The increasing adoption of vibration sensors in applications such as airbags and engine vibration monitoring units is driving the automobile segment's growth. Furthermore, consistent and effective operation of pipelines and equipment is driving the demand for vibration sensors in the oil and gas industry.

Over the projection period, the aerospace & defense category is anticipated to post the quickest CAGR. Aerospace accelerometers are employed for various purposes, including inertial navigation, industrial measurement, and guidance and control. As mechanical failures significantly contribute to rising maintenance costs in the aerospace industry, vibration sensors are also utilized for monitoring turbine engine failures. To prevent mechanical breakdowns and cut maintenance costs, businesses in the aerospace and defense sector are progressively implementing Prognostic & Health Management (PHM) systems. The development of PHM systems will directly affect market growth because vibration is the most typical health-monitoring characteristic in the aerospace engineering industry.

Impact of covid-19

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has already had a direct impact on the global and regional economies and is equally expected to take its toll on the vibration sensor market. The supply chain and market disruptions have had an adverse effect on the production and demand for vibration sensors. The worsening pandemic situation in several European countries, including Spain, France, Germany, the UK, and Italy, is prompting the manufacturers of various electronic components, including vibration sensors, to assess the health and other risks their workers can be potentially exposed to.

As a result of lockdowns implemented in the wake of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the businesses operating in the global market have reduced their staff. Several companies have extensive manufacturing facilities in China, which has particularly impacted the vibration sensor production of these businesses. Although the production capabilities have improved in China, manufacturing facilities are still operating at a 50% capacity. Manufacturers also remain keen on mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on their supply chain processes.

Recent Developments

• In November 2022, Analog Devices announced the World's First Long-Reach, Single-pair Power over Ethernet (SPoE) Solutions for Smart Building and Factory Automation.
• In November 2022, AUO and Analog Devices collaborate to bring secure, energy-efficient widescreen displays to the automotive market. Local dimming is a feature of ADI's first-ever matrix LED driver in the industry, which improves power and safety while enhancing the in-cabin experience.
• In September 2022, The acquisition of Dytran Instruments, Inc. by Spectris was finalized upon receipt of the necessary regulatory permission. Dytran will thus be included in the HBK business.
• In October 2022, Honeywell launched an environmental sustainability index that displays sustainability leaders' perceptions of past accomplishments and anticipated future developments about corporate environmental goals.