Vibration Analysis for NDE of Ceramic Components

In this contribution we study vibration testing for ceramic parts on the example of an electrolyte cup, used in a prospective power cells design. An adapted experimental arrangement for the vibration excitation and the acoustic measurements was built and tested. In parallel, extensive numerical modal analysis simulations were performed using ANSYS. The resonance spectra obtained by modelling agree with the experimentally determined spectra in such a way that the experimentally determined eigenfrequencies can be assigned to the cup modes. The correctness of this identification was verified by direct mode visualization with scanning laser doppler vibrometry. A much faster and potentially in-line capable method for experimental mode identification is the simultaneous measurement at several points using a microphone array and subsequent signal evaluation with operational modal analysis. This procedure was successfully tested. Features in the spectra connected with the presence of flaws are discussed. These features include the drop of some eigenfrequencies and the splitting of degenerated modes.