May 20, 2014

WIBRATE: Picking up on bad vibrations



We’ve all dreaded the moment, as we’re driving along, when the car starts to shake or rumble for no apparent reason. Or wondered nervously at the shuddering of an aeroplane as it takes off or lands. But what causes such vibrations? An EU-funded project to develop sensor systems that collect vibration information is yielding potentially game-changing results.

Vibration is a daily occurrence in a vast range of machinery, not to mention in buildings and infrastructures as well. The phenomenon causes wear and tear and often leads to equipment or structural failure. But can it be prevented? The WIBRATE partners certainly think so, provided that vibration characteristics are monitored and their underlying causes are understood.