Vibration Monitoring Services
We provide both remote and on-site monitoring customized for the needs of each unique project. For many construction projects one or more of our basic self-contained seismograph monitoring units are appropriate for monitoring both ground vibration and/or acoustics noise disturbances. For projects with specialized requirements for vibration, acoustics noise, strain, magnetic field (or any sensor), our advanced customizable VMS1 vibration monitoring system is the best choice for both monitoring and data analysis. For projects involving the construction or demolition at a sensitive research or manufacturing facility we monitor both the construction disturbance and the critical sites within the facility so we can provide real-time alerts, updates, and on the spot identification, of problematic disturbances. The duration of the monitoring programs may vary from hours, to weeks, to months, to permanent installations. We can help interpret specifications, explain best practices, and create an effective monitoring plan that will address the needs of all parties involved. We have systems ready to deploy.
Photo links below provide specific information by topic
Facility & System Vibration Monitoring
Response Dynamics VMS1 Vibration Monitoring System - The VMS1 is a state of the art monitoring and analysis system designed and evolved by our team of vibration engineering experts. The VMS1 system is indispensable for monitoring critical sites when the vibration disturbances are changing quickly and we want to be able to capture every event. The VMS1 will capture events, spectra, and waveforms that can be sorted, tacked as trends, and compiled in multiple ways to provide a statistical characterization of the environment in a concise and meaningful manner. For instance, at large manufacturing plant, we can gather terabytes of vibration data from dozens of sensors in a short time. The VMS1 allows us to move though time, space, frequency, and amplitude with ease. With the powerful analysis tools of the VMS1 we sort through an otherwise staggering amount of data to “finger print” offending disturbances and track the problem vibration to its source. We can find the "needle in the hay stack" immediately. There is no system like it in the world for creating powerful, useful, analyses from data sets both large and small.
VMS1 Continuous Monitoring / Triggered Alerts – A key feature of the VMS1 is the custom alerts via text, email, or even flashing lights and sirens that we have used on large construction sites near sensitive manufacturing facilities. Custom thresholds can be set to alert the team that the environmental parameters exceed client allowable limits. For instance, text warnings and updates can be sent automatically to select individuals of the the construction team so they can stop, evaluate, and consult with users of the sensitive systems within the facility. This gives the stakeholders great confidence, and peace of mind, that the construction project can proceed carefully while the critically sensitive facility is up and functioning as it normally would.
Below is a selection of large and small projects in which the VMS1 Monitoring System was instrumental:
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Research Facility Monitoring During Construction/Renovation - We use the VMS1 to pro-actively characterize the vibration response of various heavy construction and demolition activities at critical sites within the facility. We can advise the construction team on what methods and activities are most problematic, and which are not. We also use the spectral and temporal "finger prints" of each activity to help identify an activity that may bring the disturbance into the "warning" threshold. During construction this identified activity can then be paused if levels get too high, and alternative (less disruptive) methods can be employed.
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Site Survey For Installation of Sensitive Inspection Instrument - A vibration and magnetic field survey was performed at a building that was a potential site for a medical research lab. A small VMS1 system (16 channels) was deployed for a monitoring period of several days to capture and fully characterize the vibration environment, and all transient events, that could affect research equipment. This multi-day characterization allowed for the full picture of what the users of sensitive devices will encounter during a typical day. Note many high resolution tool manufacturers often require only brief 5 minute "snap shot" of the environment before installation, and often miss many important disturbance sources that will frustrate users of sensitive equipment.
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Semiconductor Facility Multi-Source Identification of Vibration Disturbance on Stepper Pedestal - A semiconductor manufacturing plant is full of processes that produce layers of disturbance. These disturbances are not steady in time, appearing and disappearing, causing severe and intermittent problems. The VMS1 is capable of tracking a disturbance to capture its timing, as well as its waveform and spectral fingerprints, making an otherwise impossible task possible in a short time frame.
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Particle Accelerator Facility, National Lab - We performed a large multi-week characterization of the entire facility that included ground vibration attenuation, structure vibration characterization of cooling towers, cryopumps, compressors, sources such as traffic, trains, aircraft, process and experiment equipment. This characterization not only provided a statistical summary of each measurement site, it also provided the characterization of the spectral and time domain details of the disturbances so that they could be identified and understood. This study allowed for a complete and detailed picture of the vibration environment so that alternative mitigation measures of various kinds could be considered using our reliable and understandable data reduction and reporting
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Paper Mill Drive System Vibration Analysis of Support Structure, Diagnostic Trouble Shooting - Response Dynamics provided the structural dynamics consulting and performed modal testing for use in developing FEA modeling of various support structure designs. We used the VMS1 to characterize the vibration of many motors, drives, and gear boxes, and supporting structures. This was the final step that allowed us to qualify our design work.
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250 Megawatt Steam Co-gen Turbine Diagnostic Testing - We used the VMS1 capabilities to diagnose an intermittent vibration issue using accelerometers and displacement proximeters for case movement, and strain gages on force members for load path identification. We simultaneously monitored existing bearing vibration signals and shaft vibration. Our analysis of the data was a key part of solving the intermittent vibration issue involving thermal growth and changing vibration levels at various operating conditions.
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4 Megawatt Aero-Derivative Gas Turbine Vibration Characterization - The VMS1 allowed for simultaneous measurement of multiple sensors, to capture the full range of vibration levels during the daily cycles of this power station for the university. This gave the engineering team confidence that they were not missing vibration measurements during important operating conditions.
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Small Device Monitoring During Assembly - We used the VMS1 to perform PC board strain testing during a complex assembly process to de-bug component Failure. The small VMS1 system was used to efficiently capture the many transient stain events during entire assembly process in multiple ways to capture peak strains at each step. This lead to identification of problematic assembly methods that could be easily modified, once identified.
Background Of VMS1 Development
The 1st generation VMS1 was, in fact, built to address an all too common problem back in the early 1990s during the boom in the manufacturing of memory. In a semiconductor facility, for example, a high resolution "tool" (photo lithography machine) may be suspected of having a vibration related problem. It may be a tool problem, or a facility problem. These sensitive "tools" of the semiconductor industry in facilities with changing excitations, from multiple types of sources throughout the fab, with various stop/start times, and as a result the system has failures that may, or may not, be related to certain processes within the plant. In the decades since then, the VMS1 has been improved, and evolved, and has been deployed in many semiconductor plants around the world. Additionally the VMS1 monitoring system has evolved into a measurement and analysis tool we use routinely in our work in all industries, including heavy industries, as well as bio-tech, and the high-tech industries. The VMS1 is very good at capturing a system that is changing, be it the stress/strain in a circuit board during installation, the over night acoustic noise of a prototype bed side dialysis machine, or the characterization of three floors of an entire facility. We continue to improve the system to help us perform our work more efficiently and effectively. It has become indispensable.
Intermittent Vibration Issue in Large Semiconductor Facility – We were asked to identify vibration problems on a stepper pedestal in a large semiconductor manufacturing plant. Monitoring of the pedestal showed vibration sources at multiple frequencies, each of which needed to be identified and the vibration transmission addressed. The plot below presents frequency components that most often exceed the stepper vibration specs.
We tracked the vibration disturbance and found it had a time domain pattern. It appeared only briefly, for exactly 6 minutes and 45 seconds every time. The plot below is a trend of the vibration disturbance on the pedestal over a typical hour in which the disturbance was present. The time wave form periodicity gave us the clue we needed to ID this source.
The time histories in the plot below show the modulation associated with the periodic translation of the ion implant tool wheel, as expected for this process tool.
The plot below is of a very large low frequency vibration transient. At the national lab there many possible sources that were possible sources of low frequency ground vibration. With over 60 triaxial ground motion geophones spread over the nation lab facility we could see that this low frequency transient was all over the facility suggesting a large source at a large distance from teh lab. A look at the train schedule showed that the timing of these transients correlated with the passenger train timing of it weekly schedule.
The triangular shape shows the train’s approach and its moving away from the side. The dynamics of the stairwell appear to amplify the train induced ground motion.
Time Trend of Vibration Measured During a Passing Train
Amtrack train passing causing Vibration
Construction Vibration Monitoring
We provide professional construction vibration monitoring services for the construction industry. Our remote and on-site monitoring systems can be customized for the needs of each unique construction and demolition project. Vibration and acoustic noise monitoring is often required under many local, state, and federal regulations. As part of our construction vibration monitoring services, we guide our clients through these laws and codes, evaluate our clients needs given the project plan, provide training where necessary. The project can then proceed forward as efficiently and aggressively as possible while meeting the project requirements.
For projects involving the construction or demolition at a sensitive research or manufacturing facility we monitor both the construction disturbance and the critical sites within the facility so we can provide real-time alerts, updates, and on the spot identification, of problematic disturbances. The duration of the monitoring programs may vary from hours, to weeks, to months, to permanent installations. We can help interpret specifications, explain best practices, and create an effective monitoring plan that will address the needs of all parties involved. We have systems ready to deploy.
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We also setup monitoring equipment for commercial property owners to help protect them from incurring damage from undocumented levels of ground motion when a potentially aggressive construction or demolition project is planned to occur near the property.
From a practical standpoint, vibration monitoring is often prudent for both the contractor and neighbors affected by the project. Complaints from neighboring facilities and residences can bring construction to a standstill. Accusations of vibration induced settling and/or damage can be costly and time consuming. Monitoring ground or structure vibration provides an independent objective measure of the sound and vibration levels. Starting a project with vibration and acoustic noise monitoring in place shows the concerned parties that their needs are an important part of the planning process.​
We use dedicated construction vibration monitoring equipment capable of logging ground motion and acoustic noise for extended periods. The vibration monitoring equipment is available with remote operation, downloading capability, triggered alarms, text messaging and email alerts. Large vibration and acoustic event triggers can be set to industry standard thresholds, or to any arbitrary trigger level, to capture the vibration and acoustic noise disturbance.
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Stand Alone Sound Level Monitoring - When acoustic noise is the primary concern, we provide Acoustic Monitoring Services that involve logging sound level meters that perform triggered event capture as well as characterizations in the time and frequency domain, and statistical summaries.
Construction vibration projects
Response Dynamics was founded by Reuben Hale in 1984 and is now in our 36th year of providing vibration monitoring services, to a wide range of clients. Response Dynamics has provided vibration monitoring services and instrumentation on numerous projects associated with the control and monitoring of construction-induced vibration and/or acoustic noise, including monitoring of vibration on levees during nearby construction activities. A few representative projects include the following:
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Monterey Pipeline Project - Development and implementation of a plan for control and monitoring the construction-induced Noise and Vibration during nearby construction associated with installation of 7 miles of 48” diameter pipeline through residential, commercial and historic areas of Monterey and Seaside, California. This project duration was more than 1 year.
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San Francisco Cesar Chavez Flood and Stormwater Management Sewer Improvement Project - Development and implementation of a plan for control and monitoring the construction-induced Vibration during nearby construction associated with installation of miles of pipeline through residential and commercial areas of San Francisco, California. This project duration was more than 5 months
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PG&E Humboldt Power Plant Project - Development and implementation of a plan for control and monitoring the construction-induced vibration during nearby construction associated with installation of sheet piles in the vicinity of the Power Plant operating at the site. Project duration about 1 year.
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Downtown Berkeley BART station - Development and implementation of a plan for control and monitoring the construction-induced vibration during nearby demolition activities in preparation for new construction at the Downtown Berkeley BART station.
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Acoustics Noise Abatement Project For Swim Club - Development and implementation of a plan for monitoring the acoustic noise at numerous locations near the property line of a swim club facility related to concerns of potential disturbance to the residential neighbors.
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Construction Vibration Monitoring - Numerous projects involving monitoring of vibration and/or acoustic noise in or near structures in the vicinity of construction and demolition activities. These projects typically involve the deployment of portable battery powered vibration and noise monitoring seismographs that communicate with the outside world via Verizon cellular modems. In the event of measured signal peaks exceeding specified trigger levels, alarm messages are sent out via email and/or text messages which our customers receive on their smart phones. Additionally these portable units upload (via the Verizon wireless modems) their daily measurement files to our computers for our report preparation.
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Bast Monitoring For Quarries - Monitoring of vibration and noise from dozens of quarry production blasts in an ongoing project located adjacent to residential structures. Our monitoring helps to quantify blast vibration and acoustic disturbance in the event that there is an issue with the residents of the surrounding neighborhood.
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Drilling Monitoring - Monitoring of drilling operations in the vicinity of nearby existing structures to document the levels of vibration and to provide feedback to the drilling crew in the event that vibration exceeded threshold levels.
Response Dynamics offers two systems for construction vibration monitoring:
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Compact Construction Monitoring system - This compact system monitors vibration and acoustic noise using a three axis geophone for X, Y, and Z vibration velocity, with an external remote microphone and windscreen that is located separately. This system is compact, cost-effective, and will continuously log, capture transient events that exceed user defined trigger levels, send alert texts and emails, and report vibration levels in the correct format to compare with standards for assessing risk of structural damage. Detailed reports can be downloaded that include plots of peak particle velocity as a function of frequency with a comparison of the widely accepted standards developed by the mining industry, and OSMRE, to asses when structural damage is likely. Multiple systems are often used together to monitor large projects. This compact system is battery or line powered and can be unattended for many days or weeks with remote operation.
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Response Dynamics VMS1 Vibration Monitoring System - The VMS1 is a very powerful monitoring system suited for challenging projects with unique requirements. Response Dynamics has been developing VMS1 Vibration Monitoring System for over two decades to efficiently gather the data our clients need. The VMS1 offers a continuous characterization of the environment that can be reported in a concise and meaningful manner, allowing us to move though time, space, frequency, and amplitude with ease. We can find the "needle in the hay stack" immediately.
The VMS1 continuously monitors the signals from vibration, acoustics noise, magnetic field, or any other sensor, while performing spectral analysis, logging events, compiling statistics, and setting off various alarms that alert the team (via text, email, and/or flashing lights and sirens) that the environmental parameters exceed client thresholds.
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Reuben Hale first developed the system to monitor vibration, acoustic noise, and other signals, for the semiconductor industry during the fab construction boom in the early 1990's. The system developed not only as a monitoring and vibration alert tool, but as a trouble-shooting and characterization tool. The system has been refined and has evolved to be a one of a kind, state of the art monitoring system that will collect thousands of measurements and yet provide you with the power to see exactly where, when, and how your facility is disturbed with a few key strokes. There is no system like it in the world. Some of the system attributes include:
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Capable of measurement of Ultra-low vibration levels for high resolution sensitive equipment and processes
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Custom frequency dependent thresholds that can be set in any units over standard, or user specified, frequency bands
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Time domain custom thresholds and alerts
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Unlimited measurement channels
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Custom Function Channels that may depend on multiple channels and parameters
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Custom text and email alerts
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Capture, Trend, Sort
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Spectral Analysis with custom filtering, spectral resolution, and bandwidth
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Powerful Statistical Analyses and post processing for the concise characterization of the environment as well as all problematic events.
This monitoring system was developed for custom applications where our clients have manufacturing tools, processes, or systems with unique time and frequency dependent sensitivities. Response Dynamics developed the first VMS1 monitoring system in the early 1990s in response to a need in the semiconductor industry to monitor the vibration, acoustic noise, and magnetic field levels in their semiconductor fabs to insure that their processes were not being disturbed as the facility sites continuously changed with new equipment and greater facility demand. The VMS1 system has continued to evolve over the last two decades.