TDK’s Tronics Launches High-Temp MEMS Sensor for Drilling Applications

TDK Corporation has expanded Tronics’ high-performance MEMS inertial sensor portfolio with the launch of the AXO315®T1, a high-temperature digital accelerometer designed for energy sector drilling applications.

The AXO315T1 MEMS accelerometer operates at temperatures of up to 175 degrees Celsius and is aimed primarily at measurement while drilling (MWD) applications.

The device is also suited for logging while drilling (LWD), directional drilling and wireline operations, where reliable downhole navigation and inclination measurement are required in harsh temperature and vibration environments.

The new sensor builds on Tronics’ earlier AXO315T0 release in June 2025, which was qualified for oil and gas applications at temperatures of up to 150 degrees Celsius.

The AXO315T1 uses Tronics’ closed-loop MEMS architecture, delivering a ten-fold reduction in vibration rectification error compared with traditional open-loop accelerometers and offering a digital, low size-weight-and-power alternative to quartz-based solutions.

Key features of the AXO315T1 include a ±14 g input range on a single axis, an operating temperature range of -30 degrees to +175 degrees Celsius, a bias residual error of 1.7 mg units across the full temperature range, and a noise density of 10 µg/√Hz.

The device has a powered lifetime exceeding 1,000 hours at 175 degrees Celsius, enabling the development of next-generation drilling tools for complex and unconventional well environments. Sensors and evaluation boards are available for customer sampling, TDK said.