Purpose　-　The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　provide　an　improved　structural　design　for　accelerometers　based　on　cantilever　beam-mass　structure　and　offer　the　descriptions　of　sensor　fabrication,　packaging　and　experiments.　Design/methodology/approach　-　The　cantilever　beam-membrane　(CB-membrane)　structure　is　designed　as　the　sensing　element　for　piezoresistive　accelerometers.　In　the　CB-membrane　structure,　a　cantilever　beam　and　two　identical　membranes　as　a　whole　part　supports　the　proof　mass.　Four　piezoresistors　are　distributed　on　the　surface　of　the　cantilever　beam　to　form　a　Wheatstone　bridge.　Finite　element　method　is　used　to　carry　out　the　structural　analysis　and　determine　the　sensor　dimensions.　The　sensor　chip　is　fabricated　by　bulk　micro-machining　technique,　packaged　in　dual-in-line　(DIP)　way　and　tested.　Findings　-　Compared　with　the　conventional　cantilever　beam-mass　(CB-mass)　structure,　the　CB-membrane　structure　can　improve　the　sensor＇s　performances,　including　response　frequency,　output　linearity　and　cross-axis　sensitivity.　The　results　of　simulation　and　experiments　prove　that　the　CB-membrane　accelerometer　has　good　performances.　Research　limitations/implications　-　The　accelerometer　is　simply　packaged　and　the　zero　offset　voltage　has　not　been　compensated.　Moreover,　the　measured　response　frequency　is　lower　than　the　simulated　value.　Further　work　and　study　are　needed　to　solve　these　problems.　Originality/value　-　The　accelerometer　with　CB-membrane　structure　has　good　performances　as　the　static　and　dynamic　experiments　show　and　is　suitable　to　detect　the　spindle　vibration　of　the　machine　tools.