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An Ideal Tool for Optimizing Your Vibration Class Curriculum
The Vibration Fundamentals Training System (alias VFT) is a turn-key integrated educational package for teaching/learning the fundamental principles of mechanical vibration as well as engineering mechanics. It provides both a comprehensive hands-on experimental device and an instrumentation package for performing laboratory exercises to enhance student understanding of vibration theory. The VFT clearly brings classical theory to life by providing a convenient mean to validate predictions and to demonstrate the influence of parameter changes on system response visually. Students can perform virtual experiments using the vibration simulation software and then verify the results with actual experiments thereby reinforcing the learning of difficult principles. It is an ideal tool for mechanical vibration courses both at under graduate and graduate levels.
With an increase in high speed manufacturing and automation, it has become more important to use the theory of vibration for design and maintenance of machinery. This vibration theory is even more important in the monitoring and diagnosis of machinery malfunctions. Considering the importance and complexity of vibration principles, a course curriculum should include laboratory demonstration and hands-on experiments to help students understand the somewhat abstract concepts of vibration. To this date, most academic institutions include only theoretical lectures without laboratory exercises due a lack of an apparatus combined with an instrumentation setup. With SpectraQuest’s VFT, this deficiency has been resolved making hands-on vibration teaching now possible.

Controlled Experiments Expedite the Learning
SpectraQuest’s Vibration Fundamentals Training System (VFT) is an innovative tool you can use for teaching the fundamental principles of mechanical vibration. The VFT is well researched and designed for immediate implementation for vibration laboratory development. It is can be easily integrated with a typical vibration course taught at most institutions. The VFT provides a comprehensive hands-on experimental device, an instrumentation package, and experimental program with course curriculum for performing laboratory exercises to enhance student understanding of vibration theory. The bench-top apparatus has a spacious modular design featuring versatility, operational simplicity, and robustness. Each component is machined to high tolerances so it can be operated without conflicting vibration in a totally controlled environment. The instrumentation package includes non-contact displacement transducer and accelerometers, precision servomotor for excitation, tachometer, and eight channel simultaneously sampled data acquisition hardware, signal conditioners, and time and frequency domain analysis software. Also included are a software simulation of theory and a well defined experimental program for free and forced vibration experiments ranging from single degree of freedom spring mass to continuous beam with different boundary conditions.
Students can perform both hands-on and virtual experiments to optimize the learning. The VFT is designed to perform both free and forced vibration experiments with and without damping. The basic VFT frame consists of two identical test stations mounted on a portable structure. It features into changeable restraint fixtures, optional force transducers to measure the support reactions, sensors to measure deflection and acceleration, and a variable frequency rotary shaker for forced excitation.

Benefits

Clarify difficult concepts of vibration theory by performing hands-on controlled experiments

Validate theoretical predictions of natural frequencies, mode shapes, and frequency response as a function of frequency, boundary conditions, geometry, and materials

Validate theoretical concepts by comparing experimental results with the computer simulation of the vibration theory

Determine the detrimental effects of vibration load transmission to the support structure and component fatigue life

Learn to control vibration amplitude using tuned mass dampers and damping treatments

Learn vibration measurement transducers, signal processing, data acquisition and data analysis

Features

Fully integrated turn-key package consisting of comprehensive experimental device, data acquisition instrumentation, analysis software, transducers, course curriculum, exercise book, and simulation software for virtual experimentation

Robust, user friendly, modular, and compact bench-top device for performing controlled experiments

Experimental setup for single and two-degrees of freedom spring-mass system (with and without damping), torsional vibration, and tuned-mass-damper

Full experimental setup for beams with different boundary conditions, material, geometry, and length to understand effects on natural frequency and mode shapes

User friendly software with pre-defined experiments integrated with data acquisition and data analysis

Data Acquisition and Analysis Instrumentation The VFT is equipped with transducers, SpectraQuest’s proprietary 8 channel low cost data acquisition (DAQ) system; data analysis software with automated setup for performing each experiment, simulation software, motor control module, multi-featured display, and mounting hardware/tooling. Transducers are provided for the measurement of displacement, acceleration, force, and rotational speed. The DAQ system samples all channel simultaneously enabling accurate calculation of mode shapes. It includes anti-aliasing filter, programmable gain, and IEPE sensor power supply. Easy to use software automates steps to conduct each experiment and display the results. Students can perform time and frequency domain analysis, read data to do calculations and compare them with theoretical predictions. The DAQ hardware/software is fully integrated with the excitation motor operation and control. The user can send speed command to control the excitation frequency or a sine sweep can be applied to obtain the full frequency response information over the frequency range of interest. All experimental and data collection setups are pre-defined so that students can focus on the results. The user friendly software is a powerful tool for basic signal processing. Simple and intuitive interface allows fast and easy operation. The signal analysis modules include data presentations of time waveform, FFT spectrum, and frequency response function (FRF). Superimposed data comparison of two data sets is also possible.
Vibration Measurements The VFT is an excellent platform for learning basics of transducers, signal conditioning and data acquisitions. Displacement, force, acceleration are measured to describe vibration and mechanics of structures, The device is useful for learning how to use different types of transducers and associated signal conditioning issues. Applications of tachometers and stroboscope in studies of vibration phenomena can be investigated. Data acquisition and importance of signal processing in proper analysis can be emphasized.
Vibration Simulation/Animation Vibration fundamentals simulation software is designed to teach basic concepts using a new interactive and visual simulation technique. The student can perform virtual experiments on various topics by changing the parameters of a vibratory system and see how the system behavior is affected. The effect is displayed dynamically. The vivid visualization enhances the learning and clarification. A spring-mass-damper system is used to animate the vibration response. A multi-plot option can be used to compare their effects on vibration response. Therefore, instead of deriving the equations, the user can go one step further, “play and see” the vibration behavior. The software includes the most common topics of a typical vibration course.

Experimental Curriculum Book
The experiments book is an integral part of the VFT package. This well designed book includes detailed, step by step instructions for more than 20 experiments. Students can easily follow the instructions and conduct each experiment by themselves. The instructions tell the student how to setup the hardware, connect the transducers, setup the data acquisition system, configure the data collection, and analyze the data. This comprehensive experimental book also comes with exercises, homework and questions to help students better understand the vibration theory and experiments. Challenging questions can promote creative thinking and help the students understand vibration theory and experiments at a deeper level.

Modal Analysis
The VFT is an excellent platform for learning basics of modal testing and modeling. Students can perform modal tests by using hammer or shaker. The results can be modeled to determine structural dynamic properties such as natural frequencies, mode shapes, and damping. A comparison of measured data with theoretical predictions can also be done.

Pendulum Vibration Module
The pendulum vibration module includes a rod on which one or more mass can be attached. This basic module is designed to teach the fundamental principles such as frequency and period, and the concept of equivalent mass.

Spring-Mass-Damper Module The Spring-Mass-Damper module is a perfect tool for doing classic single and two DOF experiments. Natural frequencies for different mass and spring, with and without viscous damping, can be determined under free oscillations excited by initial displacement or velocity. Tests can also be done under forced excitation at various frequencies. The forcing function can be applied either at the base or the mass. The system response could be measured at one frequency at a time or over the entire frequency range by selecting the sine sweep excitation. The data is easily stored and plotted with the software data processing capabilities to obtain the frequency response function. With the multi-plot feature of the analysis software, the system response to controlled variables (k, m, and c) can be easily compared. The unit comes with springs of different stiffness, several weights to vary the system mass, and a viscous damper cylinder with 3 types of viscous fluids to alter damping. The Spring-Mass-Damper module is flexible enough to be configured for a variety of experiments with one or two degrees of freedom, such as free and forced vibration with different damping, force and displacement transmissibility, damping calculation, and frequency response function.
Torsional Vibration Module Torsional vibration issues are important in design and diagnostics of turbomachinery, internal combustion engines, and many other applications. The fundamental concept of torsional vibration is similar to the flexural and longitudinal vibration, but students often find difficulty both with calculations and the measurements. The VFT addresses both of these issues. The torsional vibration module consists of a stainless steel shaft, several rotors, a torsional viscous damper, and mounting hardware. The unit can be configured as one and two degrees of freedom systems for free and forced vibration experiments. It can also be configured with different rod length, diameter, material to vary system stiffness, with different disks to vary the mass, and with or without a dashpot.
Vibration Control Study Module The VFT is an ideal platform for not only to understand basic vibration principles, but also to learn passive vibration control. Students can even learn to alter excitation frequency, change resonance frequency by modifying modal mass and/or stiffness, and add damping to bring vibration levels to acceptable values. Students can also design tuned-mass damper to absorb vibration in a spring-mass system or on beam a beam using a leaf spring with sliding masses. The student can then hold the vibrating masses to transfer the vibratory motion back to the original structure. A complete kit is provided for the experimentations. The vibration control study module also provides a constrained layer viscoelastic sandwich beam to study the effect of viscoelastic damping in vibration control. This is a more advanced topic for graduate level program, but students can use this module to study the relationship between system damping ratio/loss factor and the damping materials, damping layer thickness and damping coverage, etc
Beam Vibration Module This module allows to study natural frequencies, mode shapes, and damping in beams of different materials such as steel, aluminum, and plastic. The beam length is fully adjustable and can be configured as simply supported or cantilever (at either of the beam ends), and overhung. This adaptable mounting allows determining effects of various boundary conditions in real applications. Provisions to mount rigid masses at different locations and dashpot make beam completely customizable. Custom built force transducers can mounted to measure the support reaction forces and determine transmissibility factor. External unbalance force of variable frequency may be applied to excite natural frequencies and produce visible mode shapes. The rotational speed is displayed digitally and a TTL pulse is available to trigger a data acquisition system or an external stroboscope. The amplitude of deflection during resonance may be measured any point along the length of the beam. By directing a stroboscope at the beam the user can clearly see the natural mode shape predicted by classical beam theory, including the second, third, and even higher order modes. The standard beam restraint fixtures accept up to 2” wide x 1/8”, 3/16”, and ¼” thick bar stocks and offer fixed, sliding, and hinged restraint modes. Point, distributed, and twisting moment loading patterns can be applied. To add interest, customer designed beams or trusses may be installed for design competition and special projects. The VFT can also be used for a simple modal test and vibration control experiments. Students can perform modal tests by using a hammer or shaker.

 

Base VFT
Dimensions	30”w x 35”h x 15”d (75cm x 90cmx 40cm)
Weight	100 lb (45 Kg)
Excitation motor	Software driven variable speed motor with built-in unbalance load. Manually driven variable speed motor with built-in unbalance load. (optional)
Vibration isolation	Four rubber feet
Pendulum Vibration Module
Pendulum	Adjustable length and weight
Spring-Mass-Damper Module
Spring	Three different stiffness, stackable for 2 DOF
Mass	Three weights, stackable
Damper	One dashpot and three fluids
Torsional Vibration Module
Shaft	Three different diameters
Rotor	Three rotors of different mass and inertia
Damper	One damper and three fluids (optional)
Vibration Control Module
Tuned mass damper	Hardware for mass-spring absorber, and hardware for beam absorber
Beam with damping treatment	One viscoelastic layer and one constrained layer
Beam Vibration Module
Beam	Two thickness steel, one aluminum, one plastic
Mass	Three weight blocks
Supports	User configurable: cantilever or simply supported, adjustable length
Data Acquisition
Number of channels	8
DAQ specifications	16 bit resolution, simultaneous sampling, analysis frequency 5kHz, anti-aliasing filter, software selectable IEPE sensor power supply, AC-DC coupling, programmable gain of 1, 2, 5, 10, +-10V input
Software
DAQ and analysis software	Time waveform, spectrum, FRF, motor control
Transducers
Accelerometer	Three 0.3-10KHz, 100mV/G with BNC connector
Stroboscope and proximity probe	Stroboscope and proximity probe One each included
Beam support force transducer	(optional)
Electrical
Power Source	110 V/220 V 50/60Hz