In industrial settings, these devices use eccentric rotating masses, pneumatics, or electromagnetism to induce vibration. They are used to consolidate wet concrete, keep bulk materials flowing through hoppers, or drive parts along a feeder track. The frequency and amplitude are tuned to the specific mass and damping characteristics of the target system.
The aggregate keeps bridging in the hopper, so check if the pneumatic vibrator is getting enough air pressure.
Mounting a vibrator on a thin, unsupported sheet metal wall will cause fatigue cracking; always mount it on a stiffened channel or gusset.
Related terms
Flutter
A dangerous, self-feeding vibration in a flexible structure exposed to aerodynamic forces.
Normal mode
A pattern of motion in which all parts of a system oscillate with the same frequency and fixed phase.
Damping
The dissipation of energy in a vibrating system to reduce the amplitude of oscillations over time.