Using Wireless Pasco Smart Carts to Demonstrate Vibration Principals

In a typical vibrations course, students learn mathematical models to predict the response of vibratory systems. Often, students have trouble visualizing what they are calculating with the equations. The goal is to have a visual example of the motions that are represented in the equations. Because of in-person meeting restrictions, demonstration experiments were recorded before class time, which allowed the analysis to be completed before class. A Pasco smart cart system was used to create the demonstrations. The carts are connected to the computer via Bluetooth and can measure force, position, and acceleration. Using the force sensor, the spring constant and magnetic damping coefficient are determined. Demonstrations were created for one and two degree of freedom systems. The response was shown for systems with and without magnetic damping. Free and forced responses were measured in all the cases. For single degree of freedom systems, higher-order components of the input were explored and using the convolution integral to calculate the response. At the end of the semester, students took a survey to learn of their experience. Overall, students strongly appreciated the visual representation of the modeling equations.