Laser Vibrometry

Our 3-D scanning laser vibrometer lets us measure very small surface motions without touching the part, so we don’t alter the behaviour we’re trying to observe. We can scan across a component, reconstruct the motion at each point, and compare what really happens with what a model predicts. That helps teams decide where to place sensors, how to isolate a prototype from vibration, and whether a design change actually improved things. We can work from very low frequencies (structural), through audio, into the ultrasonic range depending on optics and setup. Typical outputs include frequency response plots, animated “mode shapes” (how the structure moves at each tone), and “operating deflection shapes” under real excitation such as a motor, airflow, or impact.

For a rail consortium, this capability is useful in early design and validation work packages. We can de-risk rigs, brackets, and housings for onboard electronics; assess whether a retrofit device will survive vibration; and gather traceable evidence to support safety or reliability cases. It also speeds up digital-twin validation: we can export results in formats that line up with finite-element meshes so partners can see agreement and gaps quickly.

Example applications
• Validating bogie-mounted sensor brackets before track tests.
• Mapping how wagon doors or hatches vibrate under airflow to inform closure sensing.
• Checking isolation of batteries, radios, or compute units in retrofit kits.

Deliverables
• Test plan, scan maps, raw and processed data, animation files.
• Comparison against a supplied model with a short, decision-oriented report (assumptions and limits clearly stated).