New piezo sounder for demanding automotive applications

Murata has introduced what is claimed to be the world’s loudest surface mount piezoelectric sounder for the automotive market. Meeting that market’s need for the highest level of reliability, the sounder allows reflow mounting as an effective countermeasure against irregular mounting and abnormal sound. The automotive market continues to develop and implement ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) for use in the operation of next generation automobiles. An increase in volume for sounders used within the man-machine interface has been needed for effective warnings and notifications during driving. Additionally, previous generations of pin type piezoelectric sounders had problems with mounting defects and poor sound quality. This has prompted the demand for reflow-capable parts with the high degree of reliability required in the automotive market. Dubbed the PKMCS1818E20A0-R1, the sounder has typically 100dB at 100mm (Input Signal:+12Vo-p, 2kHz, Square wave) of sound pressure level and measures a diminutive 18mm x 18mm x 8mm. It’s wide operational temperature range means that it can operate in automobile cabin temperatures from -40C to 105C. Weighing in at just one gram, the sounder uses a simple structure having no magnet or coil, reducing the impact of electromagnetic noise on surrounding circuits and contributing to its extremely light weight. It consumes less than a tenth of the power consumed by comparable electromagnetic components, and for manufacturing speed and efficiency, the sounders are available in tape reel packaging.