Machinery dynamics and acoustics

Machinery dynamics and acoustics refer to noises and vibrations that affect machinery. Operational forces present in manufacturing and processing can introduce these noises and vibrations. For example, unbalance can cause machine vibration. Another example is resonance, also known as resonance vibration. This is a phenomenon in which a machine’s natural frequency coincides with the frequency of an external force, causing high amplitudes.

Machinery dynamics and acoustics can cause reduced productivity, costly repairs, noise pollution, and even serious injuries and fatalities. This means you need to test all your machinery to ensure that noise and vibration remain within acceptable levels. TÜV SÜD provides comprehensive machinery dynamics and acoustics testing services to assure you that your machinery is functioning in good condition.

Damage from machinery vibrations might result in repair expenses and lost productivity. If noise levels exceed allowed levels, they may become a burden for both workers and the environment. Additional effects of excessive noise on your health go beyond being a nuisance or harmful to your ears. Legal frameworks have become increasingly restrictive as a result.

To save money and minimise danger, you must act on noise and vibration issues immediately. Resolving these issues will allow you to reduce health risks for your employees and therefore help you maintain a good reputation.

On the plus side, noise and machinery vibrations can convey information about the state of materials, equipment, buildings, and processes. Performing and interpreting a machine vibration analysis can help you optimise your processes and perform predictive maintenance (also known as condition-based maintenance). This can significantly boost your efficiency.

Noise and vibration can cause machine breakdowns, which could result in fatal accidents, injuries, productivity losses over a period of weeks or months, and decreased product quality, which can prevent you from selling your product.

You can lower noise and vibration levels by specifically targeting the causes (excitation mechanisms) of these noises and vibrations. This way, you can increase the service life of equipment and systems, and improve processes and product quality.

There are numerous engineering experts who can address the most typical causes of noise and vibration problems, including rotating machinery that is out of balance or misaligned.

However, many of these consultants lack the skills necessary to accurately measure the dynamical problem and analyse the measurement results in more complex situations.

In these situations, TÜV SÜD professionals assist you by providing pertinent machinery dynamics and acoustics (MDA) services to address the issues.

Our testing services in machinery dynamics and machinery acoustics include everything related to noise and vibration. In addition to describing a dynamic or acoustic problem through measurements, we can also determine the cause of the problem by considering all pertinent information. Additionally, we perform root-cause investigations that consider factors well beyond just noise and vibration.

Most of our projects involve a methodical approach. We run experiments because dynamical problems cannot be accurately simulated. We do field measurements at your machinery and plant on-site. Ideally, if plant operations permit, we do operational deflection shape analysis and experimental modal analysis, which provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamical issue.

To determine the underlying reason, we will examine both measurement data and operational data. Based on this, we create countermeasures. Our expertise is primarily centred on rotating machinery (such as turbomachinery) but also includes everything from hearing aids to paper machines.

TÜV SÜD experts are a fast and efficient taskforce with the ability to tackle all problems related to noise and vibration. Our experts have over 15 years of working experience in this field and have gained vast experience in hundreds of projects across industries like power, oil and gas, process, construction and mobility. Our experts publish their work regularly at conferences and in the form of papers, and are frequent guest lecturers at universities.

We have brought this expertise to a wide range of clients including:

• Accelleron Industries 
• Atlas Copco Energas GmbH 
• Axpo Power AG 
• EMPA 
• Ewz
• Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH 
• Hatebur Umformmaschinen AG 
• Kistler Instrumente AG 
• MAN Energy Solutions Schweiz AG 
• Renk Maag GmbH 
• Sensirion 
• Shaanxi Blower (Group) Co., Ltd. 
• Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development 
• Siemens Energy AG 
• Sonova 
• Steurer Seilbahnen AG 
• Swiss Tower Mills Minerals AG 
• Thyssenkrupp Transrapid GmbH, TechCenter Control Technology 
  
   

We provide a range of MDA services, including field measurements and troubleshooting, for everything from hearing aids to paper machines and turbo gear.

Testing is one of the many services we offer, and we test everything from turbomachinery to home appliances and paper machines. We have the required sensor technology to detect all pertinent noise, vibration, and process variables. We can identify causes of noises and vibrations (from vibration caused by unbalance, to resonance vibration to more) thanks to our expertise and resources.

Overall services for machinery dynamics and machinery acoustics

• Troubleshooting in noise and vibration 
• Development of condition monitoring and predictive maintenance
• Acceptance tests 
• Field measurements 
• Root cause analysis 
• Training courses for noise and vibration 

Specific services for machinery dynamics

• Measurement and diagnosis of machinery vibrations 
• Experimental modal analysis 
• Operational deflection shape analysis 
• Vibration testing 
• Investigation of flow-induced vibration 
• Assessment of kinematic processes 
• Model-based simulation of machines and processes 
• Signal analysis for testing complex dynamical problems 
• Experimental rotor dynamics (balancing, alignment) 
• Acceptance measurements and assessment of vibration levels according to common standards 

Specific services for machinery acoustics

• Sound pressure measurement, sound intensity and sound power measurement 
• Determination of noise emission according to common standards 
• Sound source localisation with a microphone array (acoustical camera) 
• Verification of noise abatement and sound insulation 
• Simulation of acoustic systems 
• Hearing aid device acoustics 
• Modeling and characterisation of acoustic properties of components and pipe networks in connection with acoustic testing
• Conceptual design of acoustic test rigs and analysers 
• Development of countermeasures e.g. silencers, Helmholtz resonators 

Development of customised testing and measurement systems

• Method development  
• Hardware  
• Software (e.g. Matlab, Labview) 
• Reporting  
• Blade vibration analyser 
• Acoustic testbeds and measurement systems