Multi-Axis Testing
Control Any Arrangement of Shakers, in Any Number of Axes
Control multiple shakers oriented to act on a single table or test article in multiple axes, or control a custom multi-axis table – all with the same Data Physics 800 Series Controller. The controller is unmatched in its ability to control complex MIMO vibration systems and is used extensively by the US DOD/DOE/National Labs, in the transportation and automotive industries, and more.
Below is a small sample of the types of vibration tables that are controlled with the 800 Series Vibration Controller.
3-Axis Translation Shaker
Three axis translational shakers are the simplest to control as there are minimal cross axis talk between the different axes.
800 Series Controller Features
- Sine, Random, Shock/SRS, Mixed Mode, Time Replication
- Run three translational vibrations simultaneously
- Controller automatically corrects for overturning moment and modes that couple axes together
- Actively null vibrations in one or more axes
3-Axis Transportation Simulation
The shaker table is controlled by the 800 Series controller and reproduces failures not observed in traditional single axis truck/transportation profiles.
The Cube. An Advanced 6-Axis Vibration Test System from Team Corporation
Team Corporation’s Cube is a 6-axis actuator in the shape of a cube. The hydraulic actuators are placed inside the Cube’s structure, allowing for the test article(s) to be mounted on any of the 5 surfaces of the Cube.
The 800 Series vibration controller can run Sine, Random, Replication, Shock/SRS, and Mixed Mode profiles in full 6DoF (translation/rotation) on the CUBE.
The 800 Series controller on the CUBE:
- Low Frequency (1-500Hz) Testing
- Random, Sine, Shock, Time Replication
- Enter profiles as Translations/Rotations about a center point, instead of as profiles at accelerometer locations
- Actively null a translation or rotational axis to counteract overturning moments and resonances
- Record time histories in the field and play back in 6DoF
- Record data in the field with SignalCalc analyzer and generate MIMO random profiles SDM (spectral density matrix) for use in 800 Series Controller
- Ideal for 6DoF road or flight replication or transportation simulation
The Tensor: A High Frequency 6-Axis Vibration Test System from Team Corporation
The Team Corporation Tensor tables come in two sizes, both controlled with the 800 Series Controller. The larger Tensor 18 kN, shown below, has 12 electrodynamic actuators (4 in each axis) for full 6DoF control. At low frequencies, the 800 Series controller uses the additional actuators by distributing the force equally; at high frequencies, it can use them to counteract table resonances and keep the table rigid to a higher frequency.
Video: US Army explains how the 800 Series Controller combined with the Tensor 18 kN provides them with world-class testing capability.
Mechanical Vibration Facility (MVF) at NASA Armstrong
A custom 6 DoF table, the MVF is the largest multi-axis shaker table in the world, and is used for satellite qualification. The table has 20 actuators and uses the 800 Series Controller to run single- or multi-axis sine sweeps driving all its actuators simultaneously. Real-time limiting/notching is used heavily to protect the satellite from over test. This is a one-of-a-kind table in the world, and has pushed the limit of what is possible with MIMO vibration testing.
The 800 Series Controller at NASA’s MVF:
- Low Frequency Sine Sweeps (~ 1-200Hz)
- Realtime notching, optimized for lightly damped high-Q resonances
- 16 vertical actuators, 4 horizontal
- Enter profiles as Translations/Rotations about a center point, or as profiles at accelerometer locations
- Actively null out modeshapes of the table, keeping it rigid to a higher frequency
- Actively null a translation or rotational axis to counteract overturning moments and resonances
Watch the 800 Series Controller at the NASA Mechanical Vibration Facility testing the Orion Service Module in 2016:
