Algorithms for rigidity and elastic balancing can of course be tested numerically using suitable synthetic data sets. If the balancing algorithms are applied to “rotationally critical” rotors, a practical check of the programs should not be omitted.
Measurement runs were therefore carried out for different rotors on a “soft” balancing machine. In this case, “soft” means that the bearings of the machine can be switched so that sufficient bearing movements (1st order) occur due to the unbalance at the operating speeds, which can be detected with conventional vibration sensors.
The speed was recorded (peak per revolution) using a commercially available optical speed sensor.
