Evaluating Vibration Controller Performance in Virtual and Hardware Tests

Multi-axis testing has gained popularity in the dynamic environments testing community due to its potential to recreate observed field conditions more accurately and reduce test durations. However, the increased control degrees of freedom and excitation sources necessary for testing in a multi-axis setting add complexity to planning and execution. Two important components of a successful multi-axis test are (1) the ability to run accurate virtual tests to determine the optimal shaker and sensor configuration and (2) a vibration controller that can produce the shaker forces necessary to match the test specification at control locations on the test article. This project aims to evaluate the control capabilities within virtual tests and between virtual and hardware tests for the base section of a Box Assembly with Removable Component (BARC). The Rattlesnake Vibration Controller software developed at Sandia National Laboratories is used to conduct the virtual and hardware tests in this study, and a finite element model (FEM) of the BARC base forms the model for the virtual tests. It is expected that the virtual test’s ability to predict hardware test results will depend on control law, model fidelity, control locations, boundary conditions, and the test specification characteristics. This study analyzes how control law selection influences results in the virtual-to-hardware test pipeline, facilitating the development of new vibration control strategies and test planning optimization frameworks.