Building a Shaker
Building a Shaker
(OP)
I was wondering if anyone has any experience building their own shaker tester. Commercial units are way out of our price range, and we would like to step up from our antiquated mechanical shaker. I have been investigating both electrodynamic and servo-hydraulic shakers. Servo-hydraulic seems to be the most logical for building our own, and I think we should be able to get the required frequency out of it. I am envisioning controlling the motion with Labview, and being able to take data that we measure with accelerometers in the real world application. Also, it would ideally be 3-axis testing, such as a platform that has at least one actuator in each axis applying vibration.
Has anybody here done anything like this, or would this end up being a huge job that wouldn't be cheaper than buying real commercial equipment? Unfortunately we have not been given the budget necessary to buy new commercial equimpent. I have seen some used electrodynamic shakers that may be in our price range, but I'm wondering I'd ideally like to go to 3 axis shaking.
Thanks for any feedback.
Has anybody here done anything like this, or would this end up being a huge job that wouldn't be cheaper than buying real commercial equipment? Unfortunately we have not been given the budget necessary to buy new commercial equimpent. I have seen some used electrodynamic shakers that may be in our price range, but I'm wondering I'd ideally like to go to 3 axis shaking.
Thanks for any feedback.





RE: Building a Shaker
I doubt that it is really cost effective unless you intend to build a few. If you have in-house hydraulic electrical mechanical and programming expertise then it is feasible. We only do it for one class of rig, usually we buy off the shelf.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Building a Shaker
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Building a Shaker
Well, it may have been able to do that, but the THD was miserable once we got over 50 Hz.
Hydraulics don't really do sinewaves very well, no matter how many feedback channels you use.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Building a Shaker
My employer has a combination of off-the-shelf and in-house tools. The main deciding factor is whether or not the off-the-shelf tool can do the job in the way that you want. Nobody in their right mind would build their own accelerometer or microphone, but our AI kit is home made, based on standard microphones/analysers/etc.
I think shakers fall into the accelerometer/microphone category. Buy one and spend the rest of the capital on software development to use it.
RE: Building a Shaker
Thanks for your input.
RE: Building a Shaker
That is a very high frequency high power system.
MTS would be glad to help I'm sure.
Anthony Best Dynamics might be a good contact.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: Building a Shaker
I don't doubt that anyone with some amount of experience can build something that will shake a payload once. The issue is to design something that will reliably and repeatibly shake something with the accuracy and energy you desire. That will require some level of iteration, and cost, and time.
TTFN
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RE: Building a Shaker
TTFN
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RE: Building a Shaker
Regarding the slip table, I was was not aware of this problem. Our products can weigh up to 200 pounds, and definitely need a method of testing in all axis. What other options would we have for 3 axis testing (costly multi-axis shakers probably out of the questions).
Thanks
RE: Building a Shaker
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The answer to your question really depends on what your overall testing needs are. We have a standard slip table for the occasional burn&vibe testing, which basically uses the table for horizontal vibration. Cross vibration requires rotating the UUT on the slip table, possibly with a separate mount adapter. Vertical is done by tilting the driver vertical, requiring possibly yet another fixture.
Your UUT weight isn't necessarily a problem, unless it has a high CG relative to its lateral dimensions.
TTFN
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