Single degree of freedom vibration demonstrator

This vibration demonstrator consists of a carriage suspended from a spring and guided vertically by precision linear rails, allowing smooth, repeatable motion in a single direction. The open and robust layout is intentionally designed so that the main elements of the system—the spring, carriage, rails, and excitation mechanisms—are clearly visible, making it well suited for demonstrations and teaching.

The carriage can be set into oscillatory motion using forced excitation, in which a mass mounted directly on the carriage generates a periodic driving force. This causes the carriage to bounce up and down, clearly illustrating how an external force applied to a structure can induce vibration and how the system responds depending on the driving conditions.

Alternatively, the demonstrator can be excited through base excitation, where motion is applied at the base of the spring rather than directly to the carriage. This mode highlights how vibrations can be transmitted through supporting structures, a situation commonly encountered in engineering systems. By comparing these two excitation methods, the demonstrator provides a clear and intuitive way to explore fundamental vibration concepts such as resonance, transmissibility, and dynamic response.