How to Test For Vibration

Determine the specific aspects of vibration you want to measure or analyze. This could include overall vibration levels, frequency content, amplitude, or other characteristics.

Identify the locations on the test object where you want to measure vibration. These points should represent the areas of interest or potential vibration sources.

Select appropriate sensors based on your objectives and the frequency range you want to capture. Common vibration sensors include accelerometers, velocity transducers, and displacement probes.

Mount the vibration sensors securely at the selected measurement points on the test object. Ensure the sensors are properly aligned and oriented according to the measurement requirements. Connect the sensors to the data acquisition system or vibration analyzer.

Set up the data acquisition system or vibration analyzer to record the desired parameters. This may include selecting the appropriate measurement units, sample rates, filter settings, and signal analysis options.

Activate or excite the test object in the desired manner. This could involve running the object under normal operating conditions, subjecting it to external vibrations, or using controlled vibration sources such as shakers or impact hammers.

Record the vibration data using the configured instrumentation. Ensure that the measurements are captured appropriately to capture the necessary information. Repeat the measurements if required for different test conditions or frequencies.

Process and analyze the collected vibration data using appropriate software tools or signal analyzers. This may involve time-domain, frequency-domain, or statistical analyses depending on the objectives.

Interpret the analyzed data to conclude the vibration characteristics of the test object. Compare the results against established standards or specifications, if applicable.

If any issues or anomalies are identified, take appropriate corrective actions to address the vibration problems. This may involve design modifications, structural changes, balancing, damping, or other mitigation techniques.

Clarify the purpose and requirements of the vibration test. Determine your goals regarding vibration parameters to measure, frequency range, amplitude, etc.

Determine which locations to select on the measured object for vibration measurement. These measurement points should represent areas of interest or potential sources of vibration.

Select the appropriate sensor according to the test target and the frequency range you want to capture. Common vibration sensors include accelerometers, velocity sensors, and displacement sensors.

Install the vibration sensor on the selected measurement point of the object to be measured. And ensure that the sensor is correctly installed and positioned according to the measurement requirements. Connect the sensor to a data acquisition system or vibration analyzer.

Set up the data acquisition system or vibration analyzer to record the desired parameters. This may include selecting appropriate units of measure, sample rate, filter settings, and signal analysis options.

Activate or excite the object under test in the desired way. Testing can be performed by running the object normally, subjecting it to external vibrations, or using a controlled vibration source. Such as a shaking table or impact hammer.

Record vibration data with configured instruments and equipment. Ensure the measurement duration is long enough to capture the required information. If measurements are made under different test conditions or frequencies, the process must be repeated.

Process and analyze the collected vibration data using appropriate software tools or signal analyzers. Depending on the test goals, this may involve time-domain, frequency-domain, or statistical analysis.

Interpret the analyzed data to conclude the vibration characteristics of the measured object. Results can be compared to established standards or norms, if applicable.

If any problems or anomalies are found, appropriate corrective action must be taken to resolve the vibration issue. This may involve design modifications, structural adjustments, balancing, damping, or other mitigation techniques.

The free vibration test is used to measure the natural vibration of an object without external excitation. A common method is applying an initial perturbation to the object and measuring the decay in vibration frequency and amplitude. This can help determine an object’s natural frequencies and modes of vibration.

Forced vibration testing is the application of an external excitation force or excitation signal to an object to evaluate its response. This can measure an object’s frequency response, function, frequency response curve, etc. Forced vibration test methods include shock tests and harmonic excitation tests.

Random vibration testing is used to evaluate the vibration characteristics of an object under actual operating conditions. It takes into account the randomness and complexity of the external environment. A common approach is to use a random vibration signal as an excitation. By measuring the object’s response to analyze its spectral characteristics, power spectral density, autocorrelation function, etc.

Steady-state vibration testing is used to measure the properties of an object under steady-state vibration. This test method is suitable for periodic vibration. The response of the object is the same frequency as the excitation signal. You can understand the object’s response at different frequencies by measuring the amplitude frequency and phase characteristics.

Unsteady-state vibration testing is used to evaluate the behavior of objects under changing vibration states, such as shock or abrupt vibrations. This test method requires high-speed sampling and high-frequency response sensors to capture the transient response. Unsteady vibration testing can be used to study the shock response of objects, analyze vibration transmission paths, etc.

Vibration mode testing is used to determine the vibration modes of an object, i.e., the different vibration configurations or modes of vibration. This test method typically uses a stimulus signal and multiple sensors to measure the vibration response at different points. Modal analysis techniques determine the vibration modes and vibration frequencies of objects.