ME-372 Mechanical Design II

Whirling Experimental Lab

Page 1 oI 7
S2007
GR
WHIRLING
OB1ECTIVE:
The Iundamental objectives oI this laboratory are:

1) Observe the whirling phenomenon
2) Measure the natural Irequency oI steel shaIt
3) Compare the measured natural Irequency to that obtained theoretically
4) Discuss the sources oI error.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
TM1 whirling oI shaIts apparatus, TecQuipment E3 MKII motor speed control unit, ShaIts,
Tachometer and Ruler.
THEORY:
1. Concept of whirling:
Machine components at a standstill may behave very diIIerently when they are moving, even
at relatively low speeds. A solid shaIt able to support a hundred times its own weight plus
the weight oI the components mounted on it may, when rotating at certain speeds, bend and
vibrate. The speeds are called critical speeds and the bending and the vibration is known
as whirling`. II this critical speed oI whirling` is maintained then the resulting amplitude
becomes suIIicient to cause buckling and Iailure. However iI the speed is rapidly increased
beIore such deleterious eIIects occur then the shaIt is seen to restabilize and run true again
until at another speciIic speed a double bow is produced.
Whirling is usually associated with Iast-rotating shaIts. When a shaIt rotates it is subjected
to radial or centriIugal Iorces, which cause the shaIt to deIlect Irom its rest position. These
centriIugal Iorces are unavoidable, since material inhomogeneities and assembly diIIiculties
ensure that the center oI gravity oI the shaIt or its attached masses cannot coincide with the
axis oI rotation. Dunkerley Iirst investigated the centriIugal Iorces involved and determined
that the only restabilizing or restoring Iorce was that due to the elastic properties or stiIIness
oI the shaIt. Hence, he was able to deduce the speed at which the shaIt would suIIer an
inIinite deIlection due to whirling.
When the speed oI rotation is increased the centriIugal Iorce also increases and so does
the restoring Iorce. Below the critical speeds, the restoring Iorces increase with increasing
shaIt deIlection Iaster than the centriIugal Iorces, so the deIlection is held in check. At the
critical speeds, the restoring Iorces increase at the same rate as the unbalance Iorces, so they
cancel each other out. ShaIt deIlection is unchecked and the shaIt behaves as though it is very
Ilexible. Above the critical speeds the unbalance Iorces hold sway, and the shaIt rotates about
the center oI mass oI the assembly (which is very close to the center oI the shaIt).
ME-372 Mechanical Design II
Whirling Experimental Lab
Page 2 oI 7
S2007
GR
2. Shaft carrying a mass with eccentric C.O.G:
II we examine the simplest case oI a single, heavy rotor rigidly attached to a light (inertia-
less) spindle, then the physical situation can be expressed in Fig. 1.
Figure 1. Whirling oI shaIt due to unbalance

The system consists oI a disc oI mass located on a shaIt simply supported by two bearings.
The center oI gravity G oI the disc is at a radial distance Irom the geometric center, C. The
centerline oI the bearings OO' intersect the plane oI the disc at D, at which point the disc
center C is deIlected a distance A.
The center oI gravity G thus revolves around point D, describing a circle radius () and
the centriIugal reaction thus produced is: M(A) Ior any given speed . This Iorce,
according to Dunkerley, is balanced by the elastic restoring Iorce oI the shaIt at point D equal
to KA where K is the stiIIness. ThereIore, we have

2
( ) KA
Then,
2
2
M K
M
A

=
.(1)
This equation will become inIinite when
2
0 or
2

M
K
. ThereIore, iI we denote
the critical whirling speed, by
c

M
K
0.5
, and substituting that in equation (1), we obtain:
2 2
2

=
c
A
.2
ThereIore, at
c
then A and have the same sign i.e. the center oI gravity G is situated
as shown in Fig. 2. At
c
the deIlection oI A becomes inIinite as described above. At
ME-372 Mechanical Design II
Whirling Experimental Lab
Page 3 oI 7
S2007
GR
~
c
A and are oI opposite signs and hence the center oI gravity now lies between C and
D, inIerring that the disc has rotated through 180 Irom its rest position. For very high speeds
where ~~
c
the amplitudes A tend to , hence the disc rotates about G with perIect
stability.

II equation 2 is compared with the equation oI motion Ior a single load W, undergoing
a simple harmonic vibration, it may be noted that similarity exists. A Iull analysis oI the
problem demonstrates that at the whirling speed, A, the radius oI the shaIt rotation about
the bearing center line, and , the radius oI G Irom the geometric center oI the disc, are
perpendicular which is analogous to the resonant conditions which exist Ior a Iorced
vibration where the disturbing Iorce vector is 90 degrees in advance oI the displacement
vector.
Dunkerley deduced that the whirling speeds were equal to the natural Irequencies oI
transverse vibration, there being the same number oI whirling speeds as natural Irequencies
Ior a given system. Thus a theoretical value Ior the critical speed may be obtained Irom the
Iormula Ior the Iundamental Irequency oI transverse vibrations:
C
WL
EI g
f
5 . 0
4

=
...(3)
where I natural Irequency oI transverse vibration (Hz)
E Young's Modulus
I second moment oI area oI shaIt
W weight per unit length oI shaIt
g acceleration due to gravity
C constant dependent upon the end conditions
Note: W is weight per unit length, not mass per unit length
The value oI C is that resultant Irom beam theory and Ior various end conditions; the values
are shown in Table 1.
Case Ends C1 C2
1 Free-free 1.572 6.3
2 Fixed-fixed 3.75 8.82
3 Cantilever

0.56 -
4 Fixed-free 2.459 7.96
ME-372 Mechanical Design II
Whirling Experimental Lab
Page 4 oI 7
S2007
GR

The value C
1
is the constant Ior use in calculating the Iirst natural Irequency and C
2
is that
necessary Ior the second mode.
DESCRIPTION OF THE APPARATUS:
The apparatus used to analyze the whirling eIIect is the TM1 whirling oI shaIts apparatus
shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. TM1 MKII Whirling oI shaIts machine.
The shaIt I is oI the Iorm shown in schematic Fig. 3 and is located in chuck F and phosphor
bronze retainer N. The diameter oI the shaIt used in this experiment is 3.310 mm (approx.)
and the length, l, oI the specimen is 0.9144 m. The material is AISI 4130 steel with E 200
GPa and 7850 kg/m
3
.
Figure 3. Diagrammatic representation oI TM1 apparatus.
The support chucks F and N have been so designed as to allow the shaIt movement in
a longitudinal direction, Ior the purpose oI location beIore tightening, and also provide
directional clamping oI the shaIt end. With the standard apparatus, chuck N provides
directional Iixing to the end oI the shaIt, although an interchangeable sliding chuck T is
available which provides a directionally Iree support.
A movable support E is provided with chuck F which, when moved to the right Irom the
position shown in the diagram, provides the motor end support with directional Ireedom
identical to that oI chuck T. Thus, by selection oI the required supports, any combination oI
ME-372 Mechanical Design II
Whirling Experimental Lab
Page 5 oI 7
S2007
GR
Iixed or Iree end conditions may be selected.
The shaIt is driven by a Iractional horsepower, 6000-rpm, direct current motor, B, via the
kinematic coupling C, shown in Fig. 1. Motor speed is controlled by a TecQuipment E3
MKII motor speed control unit.
Because oI the possibility oI excessive amplitudes and possible shaIt Iailure, guards G are
provided and are adjustable along the length oI the apparatus. Each guard contains bushes,
which are designed to limit amplitudes whilst not damaging the whirling shaIt. Support U
may be moved to enable various shaIt lengths to be accommodated. A transparent guard
enclosing the Iull length oI the shaIt is incorporated in the machine.
Two unique Ieatures are incorporated, which allow the shaIt to adopt its actual whirling
conIiguration predicted by elastic theory. The Iirst is a kinematic coupling located at the
driven end oI the shaIt, which is designed to prevent the transmission oI any restraining
Iorces by the motor to the shaIt. The second Ieature is a sliding bushed end, which aIIords
sliding motion oI the shaIt on a longitudinal phosphor bronze bearing, whilst revolving
in a radial ball bearing. The apparatus thus allows an accurate analysis oI the critical
whirling speeds Ior a range oI shaIt geometry, both loaded and unloaded, and with various
combinations oI end conditions.
An aluminum disc is attached to the shaIt. Some markers were on the disc. The stationary
images oI these markers can be used to determine the rotating speed using the Tachometer.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
WHIRLING OF AN UNLOADED SHAFT:
In this lab, only one boundary situation (rigidly Iixed at both ends) will be tested Ior the
specimen described previously.
1) Measure the dimension oI the specimen using ruler and caliper.
2) Mount the shaIt on to the machine by tightening it in the chuck F by means oI the
setscrew provided with the chuck, with the shaIt running through the guides, G,
positioned evenly along its length. The adjustable support, U, containing retainer N may
then be brought up to locate the threaded portion oI the test shaIt in the central hole oI the
retainer. Once located, the shaIt may be retained by a locknut, which runs on the threaded
portion oI the shaIt. Both supports, D, should be slid into position.
At this point, it is thus crucial to ensure that the setscrew is tightened and that the guides and
supports are rigidly Iixed to the main Irame, by tightening the hand wheels located beneath
each. Most shaIt Iailures are produced because oI inadequate support, which results Irom
insuIIicient tightening up oI the apparatus prior to testing
3) Switch on the speed control and rotate the control knob slowly in a clockwise direction
until the Iirst natural Irequency is reached, which is indicated by the Iormation oI a single
ME-372 Mechanical Design II
Whirling Experimental Lab
Page 6 oI 7
S2007
GR
bow as shown in Fig.4. When the speed is increased Iurther the shaIt begins to vibrate
violently as it nears the critical speed.
NEVER KEEP THE SHAFT ROTATING AT ITS CRITICAL SPEED. THE SPEED
SHOULD ONLY BE APPROACHED OR PASSED QUICKLY; OTHERWISE,
THE SPECIMEN MAY BE DAMAGED.

Once the critical speed is passed the shaIt restabilizes and on Iurther increase oI the speed the
second natural Irequency is reached which is indicated by the Iormation oI a double bow as
shown in Fig. 5.

4) Measure the speeds oI rotation oI the shaIt at its Iirst and second natural Irequencies
directly with the Tachometer.
5) Measure the speeds three times and use the average value Ior the calculations.
RESULTS:
Calculate the theoretical Irequencies using equation 3 and compare it with the measured
natural Irequencies oI the shaIt. Calculate the percentage oI error between the theoretical and
measured natural Irequencies and also discuss the reasons Ior the deviation.
REFERENCES:

Hannah, J; Stephens. R.C. ' Examples in Mechanical Vibrations Chapters 2 and 3

(Edward Arnold, 1957).

Cole, E.B. ' Theory oI Vibrations, Chapter 13, (Crosby Lockwood, 1950).

ME-372 Mechanical Design II
Whirling Experimental Lab
Page 7 oI 7
S2007
GR

Thomson, W.T. ' Vibration Theory and Applications, pp. 79-86, (Allen and Unwin,
1966).

Dimentberg, F.M. 'Flexural Vibrations oI Rotating ShaIts, (Butterworths, 1961).