Measurement of Stiffness and Damping Characteristics of Computer Keyboard Keys

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 283-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Nagurka ◽  
Richard Marklin

To determine the stiffness and damping of computer keyboard keys, a computer-controlled test rig that can measure computer key displacement, velocity, and contact force has been designed. The test rig, consisting of a single-axis stage carrying a probe for contacting keys, has been used to collect contact force and motion data as computer keys are depressed and released at constant velocities up to 80mm∕s. Keys that employ a rubber-dome under their caps to achieve the necessary compliance and toggling action were tested. The results demonstrate a nonlinear stiffness force versus displacement characteristic at a given speed and the presence of damping-type forces that increase with key depression speed at a given displacement. In particular, the results indicate that the peak force at the 80mm∕s rate of depression increases relative to the quasistatic (0.5mm∕s) force level by over 12% for the “Enter,” “K,” and “Spacebar” keys. This paper describes the hardware and software configuration, and presents sample results of the stiffness and damping characteristics of keys during depression-return stroke tests.

Author(s):  
Sameh H. Tawfick ◽  
Aly El-Shafei ◽  
M. O. A. Mokhtar

A method for field identification of stiffness and damping characteristics of fluid film bearings FFB is derived. The method relies on measuring both the shaft and the housing’s vibration response. Two independent unbalance runs are performed and the synchronous response is recorded. Using the housing vibration data, the amount of unbalance acting on the bearing, as well as the flexible shafts’ “modal mass” can be experimentally determined. Thus, with this method, field engineers can identify the bearings impedance in flexible rotor-bearing systems. A test rig comprising a flexible shaft supported on two cylindrical journal bearings is used to verify the proposed method. The amount of uncertainty in the derived coefficients is calculated.


2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 850-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Dario Rubio ◽  
Tae Ho Kim

Gas foil bearings (GFBs) satisfy the requirements for oil-free turbomachinery, i.e., simple construction and ensuring low drag friction and reliable high speed operation. However, GFBs have a limited load capacity and minimal damping, as well as frequency and amplitude dependent stiffness and damping characteristics. This paper provides experimental results of the rotordynamic performance of a small rotor supported on two bump-type GFBs of length and diameter equal to 38.10mm. Coast down rotor responses from 25krpm to rest are recorded for various imbalance conditions and increasing air feed pressures. The peak amplitudes of rotor synchronous motion at the system critical speed are not proportional to the imbalance introduced. Furthermore, for the largest imbalance, the test system shows subsynchronous motions from 20.5krpm to 15krpm with a whirl frequency at ∼50% of shaft speed. Rotor imbalance exacerbates the severity of subsynchronous motions, thus denoting a forced nonlinearity in the GFBs. The rotor dynamic analysis with calculated GFB force coefficients predicts a critical speed at 8.5krpm, as in the experiments; and importantly enough, unstable operation in the same speed range as the test results for the largest imbalance. Predicted imbalance responses do not agree with the rotor measurements while crossing the critical speed, except for the lowest imbalance case. Gas pressurization through the bearings’ side ameliorates rotor subsynchronous motions and reduces the peak amplitudes at the critical speed. Posttest inspection reveal wear spots on the top foils and rotor surface.


Author(s):  
A. Narimani ◽  
M. F. Golnaraghi

In this paper using a modified averaging method the frequency response of a general nonlinear isolator is obtained. Stiffness and damping characteristics are considered cubic functions of displacement and velocity through the isolator. Analytical results are compared with those obtained by numerical integration in order to validate the closed form solution for strongly nonlinear isolator. While increasing the nonlinearity in the system improves the response of the isolator, stability and jump avoidance conditions set boundary limits for the parameters. The effects of nonlinear parameters to avoid jump phenomenon are discussed in detail. The set of parameters where the system behaves regularly are found and the nonlinear isolator is optimized based on RMS optimization method. Using this method the RMS function of absolute acceleration of the sprung mass is minimized versus the RMS function of relative displacement.


Author(s):  
Ali Abolfathi ◽  
Dan J O’Boy ◽  
Stephen J Walsh ◽  
Amy M Dowsett ◽  
Stephen A Fisher

A large number of plastic clips are used in an automotive vehicle to connect the trim to the structure. These are small clips with very small masses compared to the structural elements that they connect together; however, the uncertainty in their properties can affect the dynamic response. The uncertainty arises out of their material and manufacturing tolerances and more importantly the boundary conditions. A test rig has been developed that can model the mounting condition of the clips. This allows measurement of the range of their effective stiffness and damping. Initially, the boundary condition at the structure side is replicated. The variability is found to be 7% for stiffness and 8% for damping. In order to simulate the connection of the trim side, a mount is built using a 3D printer. The variability due to the boundary condition on both sides was as large as 40% for stiffness and 36% for damping. A Monte Carlo simulation is used in order to assess the effect of the uncertainty of the clips’ properties on the vibration transfer functions of a door assembly. A simplified connection model is used in this study where only the axial degree of freedom is considered in connecting the trim to the door structure. The uncertainty in the clip stiffness and damping results in a variability in the vibration transfer function which is frequency dependent and can be as high as 10% at the resonant peaks with higher values at some other frequencies. It is shown that the effect of the uncertainty in the clips effective damping is negligible and the variability in the dynamic response is mainly due to the uncertainty in the clip’s stiffness. Furthermore, it is shown that the variability would reduce either by increasing or decreasing the effective stiffness of the clips.


2011 ◽  
Vol 422 ◽  
pp. 575-579
Author(s):  
Chong Nian Qu ◽  
Liang Sheng Wu ◽  
Jian Feng Ma ◽  
Yi Chuan Xiao

In this document, using the anti-squeezed force model in the narrow parallel plate when fluid is squeezed, the equivalent stiffness and damping model is derived. It is further verified that it can increase the stiffness and damping while there are oil between the joint interfaces theoretically. Because the contact state of oily porous material can divide into liquid and solid parts, the document supposes that it is correct and effective to think the stiffness and damping of the two parts as shunt connection.


Author(s):  
Giuseppe Vannini ◽  
Stefano Cioncolini ◽  
Giuseppe Del Vescovo ◽  
Massimiliano Rovini

The current centrifugal compressor design for the oil & gas market is more and more challenging, and the presence of many competitors is pushing technology towards both a casing size reduction and a rotational speed increase. The first point is leading to an increase in the number of wheels per rotor (to do the same service), and the second point is forcing to cross two or even three rotor modes (hence a higher control of rotor damping is necessary). The two points together are leading to increase the rotor “flexibility ratio” (defined as the ratio between the maximum continuous speed and the first critical speed at infinite support stiffness according to API standard, and finally the rotordynamic stability is very much challenged. The centrifugal compressor's rotordynamic stability is strongly related to the internal seals' dynamic behavior, and for this reason, the authors' company decided several years ago to develop internally a high pressure seal test rig to measure internal seals stiffness and damping. The rig is now in operation, and in a previous paper the authors described its main capabilities, the applied identification procedures, and the preliminary test results captured for a long labyrinth seal (smooth rotor, straight toothed stator) tested up to 200 bar. This paper is intended to show more data for the same long Laby with special focus on some peculiar test as negative preswirl test, single frequency versus multifrequency test, offset versus centered seal test. The negative preswirl test shows a drastic change in the effective damping (from destabilizing to stabilizing) and provides a support in favor of the selection of swirl reversal devices at seals upstream. The multifrequency excitation test approach (based on the concurrent presence of several frequencies not multiples at each other) is compared with a single frequency excitation providing similar results and thus confirming the soundness of the multiple effects linear superimposition assumption. The effect of a static offset (simulating the real position of a rotor inside an annular seal) is also investigated proving that the relevant impact is negligible within the range of eccentricity explored (10% of seal clearance). Moreover, a pocket damper seal (PDS) with the same nominal diameter, clearance, and effective length has been tested (up to 300 bar) and compared with the Laby. As expected, the PDS shows both a higher effective stiffness and damping at the same test conditions, so the promising results already collected in a previous test campaign which was performed on a smaller scale and lower pressure test rig were mostly confirmed with the only exception for the effective damping crossover frequency which was lower than expected.


Author(s):  
A. El-Shafei

Abstract It has been recently suggested that fluid inertia may play an important role in the dynamic behavior of rotors supported on journal bearings. This paper presents a model for fluid inertia forces in short cylindrical journal bearings based on an energy approximation. The inertialess velocity profiles predicted by the solution of Reynolds’ equation are inserted in the axial momentum equation multiplied by the axial velocity profile and integrated across the film thickness, to obtain the pressure in short journal bearings including the fluid inertia effect. The pressure is then integrated to obtain the fluid inertia forces. It is shown that the inertia forces thus obtained are proportional to the usual radial, centripetal, tangential and coriolis accelerations of the journal, in addition to a nonlinear radial acceleration. Moreover, it is shown that the inertia forces contribute to the stiffness and damping characteristics of the journal bearings. The inertia coefficients of the bearings are obtained in cartezian and cylindrical coordinates, for both uncavitated and cavitated bearings, and are plotted versus the eccentricity ratio. The model thus obtained is an analytical closed form model for fluid inertia forces in short journal bearings. Such a model is the most suitable for rotordynamic applications, particularly for time transient rotordynamic simulations.


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