Modal Testing and Shaker Excitation: Setup Considerations and Guidelines

Electrodynamic shakers or exciters are commonly used in experimental modal analysis. The practical aspects regarding the setup of the shakers, stingers and transducers are often the source of test difficulties and avoidable measurement errors. This paper reviews the basics of shakers as beneficial to modal testing, and common problems associated with setup issues and resulting measurement errors. These include shaker alignment, sensor's considerations, stinger selection, amplifiers, reciprocity assumptions and other test related circumstances.