MSI has successfully integrated its custom designed sidescan/multibeam sonar transducer into the newly released Teledyne Benthos C3D Lightweight Pole Mount (LPM) Sidescan/Bathymetry System.

The MSI C3D LPM transducer was designed to meet Teledyne Benthos' weight and space restrictions, while still meeting their challenging system performance specification, which calls for extended swath width, detection range and image resolution capabilities in shallow operating depths of 1-30 meters.

The C3D LPM system generates real-time, co-registered sidescan images and bathymetric data sets in shallow water by transmitting as many as 30 pings per second at 200 kHz. This capability eliminates the need for the manual editing and merging of data sets that is required when separate sidescan and multibeam systems are operated simultaneously.

The C3D LPM unit measures 39.1 inches in length and 6.8 inches in diameter and weighs a total of 42 pounds in air. It is designed to be deployed on small coastal survey vessels using a custom mounting bracket and a 3-inch pipe assembly. Two (2) 10 meter cables connect the LPM unit to deck mounted sonar electronics and monitoring station. Each C3D LPM unit contains two (2) lightweight MSI sidescan arrays, which achieve their acoustic performance through the use of specially formed piezocomposite ceramic materials.

Founded in 1991, Materials Systems Inc. (MSI) develops and manufactures custom sonar transducers and arrays using its injection molded piezocomposite material. MSI's transducers and arrays offer wide bandwidth and can be easily curved. The company's core strength lies in its ability to understand customers' sophisticated systems requirements and to provide complete solutions that integrate engineering and innovative design with high or low volume manufacturing.

More information on the C3D system can be found at www.benthos.com