Modal Vibration Test of Zoomlion Aerial Ladder with DE-944
Project name: Modal test of Zoomlion Aerial ladder
Brief introduction：Zoomlion, one of China’s leading manufacturers of construction machinery, conducted an important modal vibration test on its aerial ladder product line. Aerial ladders are widely used in firefighting, high-rise maintenance, and rescue applications — where operational safety and stability are critical.
The test was specifically designed to investigate the vibration characteristics of the aerial ladder structure in detail. Gaining a clear understanding of how the ladder responds to various external forces during normal operation is crucial for ensuring its structural integrity. This knowledge helps in preventing fatigue-related failures that could occur during prolonged or repeated use, thereby enhancing the overall safety and reliability of the equipment.
To perform the test, the engineering team used a creative excitation method — employing water jets (from water guns) to stimulate vibrations in the ladder structure. This non-intrusive excitation technique allows for dynamic testing without introducing rigid mechanical forces that could damage the equipment.
Dynatronic’s DE-944 Data Acquisition System was selected to record the response time signals from multiple measurement points across the ladder.
The DE-944’s features enabled:
✅ High-speed multi-channel acquisition of vibration data
✅ Accurate capture of transient response signals
✅ Synchronized data across the entire structure
Once the data was captured, the engineering team applied self-power spectrum calculations to analyze the recorded signals. Using modal parameter identification techniques, they successfully determined:
The natural frequencies of the ladder
The dominant vibration modes
The damping characteristics of the structure
These insights will help Zoomlion engineers:
Improve product design for vibration resistance
Optimize structural stiffness and material selection
Enhance the operational safety of the aerial ladder
Dynatronic is proud to support the construction equipment industry by providing advanced DAQ systems that deliver critical and accurate insights into structural dynamics. These systems play a key role in helping engineers and manufacturers build safer, more efficient, and highly reliable machinery for the future.
