Vibration Isolation

Introduction

There are two broad classes of problems in which vibration isolation is necessary: (i) Operating equipments generate oscillatory forces which can propagate into the supporting structure (Fig.8.1.a). This situation corresponds to that of an engine in a car. (ii) Sensitive equipments may be supported by a structure which vibrates appreciably (Fig.8.1.b); in this case, it is the support motion which constitutes the source of excitation; this situation corresponds to, for example, a telescope in a spacecraft, a wafer stepper or a precision machine tool in a workshop, or a passenger seated in a car.