LC- Series

Impact Hammers

User Guide

SINOCERA PIEZOTRONICS，INC.
1965-2007 All Rights Reserved
 Content
User Guide ................................................................................................................ - 1 -
Content...................................................................................................................... - 2 -
1. Overview............................................................................................................... - 3 -
2. Basics of a Hammer Test ...................................................................................... - 3 -
3. Construction.......................................................................................................... - 4 -
4. Operation............................................................................................................... - 5 -
4.1 Impact Test System ..................................................................................... - 5 -
4.2 Impact Frequency Range ............................................................................ - 5 -
4.3 Impact Force Amplitude ............................................................................. - 6 -
4.4 Others.......................................................................................................... - 6 -
5. List of System Component.................................................................................... - 6 -

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1. Overview
LC series impact hammer is used to measure dynamic characteristics of various
structures in the fields of aerospace systems, mechanical equipments, civil and
defence applications. The impact hammer along with a charge amplifier can be
connected to a data acquisition system or any other display and record systems for the
dynamic analysis.

LC series impact hammer has a high sensitivity, a small non-linearity and a wide
frequency range. In a modal test, using hammer to produce excitation force does not
have any additional attachment which may result in an additional mass, stiffness or
damping and hence degrade the accuracy in determining the dynamic characteristics.
In addition, it avoids the use of expensive and complicated systems producing the
excitation with shakers and power amplifiers. Therefore, the hammers provide an easy,
economical and accurate way to produce excitations for structure dynamic analysis.

2. Basics of a Hammer Test

A LC series impact hammer is similar to a normal hammer but an accurate force
sensor is included in the head of the hammer. The force sensor consists of a
piezoelectric crystal plate. When a force is applied to the crystal through the case of
the sensor, electrical charges are produced on the surfaces of the crystal. The amount
of the charge is proportional to the amplitude of the force applied. The charges can be
converted into a voltage signal by a charge amplifier for subsequent data processing.
When the hammer hits a testing structure, an impulse force is applied to the structure.
Because the force has a very short duration force, its frequency range is very wide
according to Fourier transform theory. Consequently, the possible vibration modes
over a wide frequency range are activated and hence the dynamic characteristics of
the structure can be obtained in the corresponding frequency range.

A frequency response function (FRF) is used commonly to represent the dynamic

response of a structure. This function is a measure of the relationship between the
input (the force) and the output (the response) which can be measured by an impact
hammer and an accelerometer respectively. Generally, a full modal test involves
drawing a measurement grid on a structure to divide it into regions of interest. The
FRFs from each point of the grid are then combined to determine the structure's
modes of vibration.

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 3. Construction
An impact hammer consists of a head, a force transducer, a head tip and an extender
mass. To obtain different force characteristics, LC series hammers are provided with
four different head tips made from steel, aluminium, nylon and rubber. As shown in
Figure 1, the steel tip can
produce a force of a high
frequency while the rubber
tip produces a force at a
lower frequency range. The
other two tips produce forces
in between these produced by
the rubber tip and the steel
tip.

The force transducer used in

LC series hammer uses a
CL-YD-300 series
piezoelectric force transducer. Figure 1-Typical frequency response of impact force
This force transducer has a for four head tips
full seal construction, a
long-term stability and capable of operating under high temperature for short
durations. It also has been calibrated accurately before shipment.

The amplitude of the force is determined by the mass of the head and can be further
adjusted by attaching the extender mass to the head. Details of the LC series hammer
can be found in table 1.

Model LC-01A LC-02A LC-04A

Hammer image

Sensitivity(pC/N) 4 4 4
Max. shock force (kN) 2 5 60
Head diameter(mm) Φ16 Φ25 Φ30
Head mass(g) 40 200 300
Extender mass(g) 100 120 150
Hammer length 250 280 300
Force transducer CL-YD-303 CL-YD-302 CL-YD-305
Frequency responses
Table 1 - Specifications of LC Series Impact Hammer

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4. Operation

Impact hammer
4.1 Impact Test System

Figure 2 shows a typical impact test system.

Both an impact hammer and an accelerometer
Test structure
are connected to the corresponding channels
of a multi-channel data analysis system Accelerometer
through charge amplifiers. In general, if the
testing structure is small, a small hammer will Charge Charge
be used and the mass of the accelerometer amplifier amplifier
also should be small so as not to add much
weight to the structure and change its
frequency characteristics. The accelerometer
Multi-Channel data acquisition
also needs to be sensitive enough to detect the
and analysis system
structure's response. However, a sensitive
accelerometer usually has large mass. Figure 2 – Impact test system
Fortunately, lighter structures have modes at
higher frequencies, where acceleration levels
are higher. Therefore, light accelerometers can be used to measure higher signal levels
compensating for their low sensitivity. The opposite is true for heavy structures.
Heavy structures have modes at lower frequencies, and heavier accelerometers (more
sensitive) can be used because their added weight is insignificant on heavy structures.

4.2 Impact Frequency Range

The impact width or frequency range is influenced by 1) the head tip; 2) the mass of
hammer head and 3) the stiffness of the structure. However, the stiffness of the
structure cannot be changed and the mass of the hammer head influences mainly the
amplitude of impact force. The head tip is thus the major factor for adjusting the
impact width and hence the frequency range. For a steel structure, the frequency
ranges produced by different head tips are as follows:
Steel tip up to 10kHz;
Aluminium tip up to 3kHz;
Nylon tip up to 2kHz; and
Rubber tip up to 500Hz.

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4.3 Impact Force Amplitude

A hammer with a large head mass can produce a large amplitude of impact force.
Heavy structures need a large hammer to apply a large force for the excitation of the
possible vibration modes whilst light structures need just a small hammer. Please note
that too large an amplitude force will cause nonlinear vibration of the testing structure
and overload of the test instrument. However, if the force amplitude is too small,
some of the vibration modes may not be excited fully. Therefore, it is recommended
that several measurements have to be conducted with a gradual increase in force
amplitude to observe changes of the vibration modes and hence to determine an
appropriate force amplitude.

4.4 Others

Many other factors are also influence the accuracy of a hammer test. Please refer to
relative readings for details.

5. List of System Component

(1) Impact hammer base unit;
(2) A011 cable;
(3) Steel, aluminium, nylon and rubber head tips;
(4) CL-YD-300 series force transducer;
(5) Extender mass;
(6) User Manual;
(7) Certificate.

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