Real-time Impact Hammer Test Demonstration

The impact hammer test on a rotor is an experimental modal analysis technique used to determine the rotor’s natural frequencies (where the system vibrates with maximum amplitude without any external force), damping, and mode shapes. In this quick demonstration, we applied a controlled force using an instrumented hammer, while a GY-61 3‑axis accelerometer mounted on the rotor captured the vibration response. The accelerometer data was processed in real time using the Opal‑RT 4512 HIL simulator and fed into the SR785 Dynamic Signal Analyser. The analyser then displayed the vibration spectra in real time, allowing us to visualise frequency components instantly. Rotors have certain speeds where resonance occurs. This test helps locate these speeds and avoid dangerous operations. Moreover, experimental analysis can also help us improve rotor design, reduce vibration by developing a notch filter, and enhance reliability by understanding modal behaviour. This test serves as a preliminary step toward our upcoming experiments, where we’ll use a more advanced test rig to identify the forward modes of the rotor with greater precision. ============================================= Email: 1th.nehal(at)gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasnemul-hasan Website: https://sites.google.com/view/tasnemul-hasan