Natural Frequency Testing

Natural frequencies occur on all mechanical systems. In most cases they are not a problem. However, if there is an exciting force that has a frequency near the natural frequency, the vibration response will be amplified as much as 100 times what it would be without the natural frequency. When this occurs, it is known as resonance. Resonances are rarely a good thing and will often contribute to cracking in piping or other machine components

Impact Testing

One of the best tools for identifying and correcting resonances is impact testing. This is a fairly easy technique that can be as simple as bumping the machine with your hand (small machines, of course) or with large blocks of wood. We often use instrumented force hammers to load structures with known forces and record the vibration response.