Modal Parameter Identification of a Flexible Arm System

In this paper an experiment is designed for the modal parameter identification of a flexible arm system. This experiment uses a function generator to provide input signal and an oscilloscope to save input and output response data. For each vibrational mode, many sets of sine-wave inputs with frequencies close to the natural frequency of the arm system are used to excite the vibration of this mode. Then a least-squares technique is used to analyze the experimental input/output data to obtain the identified parameters for this mode. The identified results are compared with the analytical model obtained by applying finite element analysis.