TMC Technical Knowledge Base Index

Precision Vibration Isolation Systems

Technical Knowledge Base


1.0	General Introduction			Download a printable pdf.
	1.1	Sources of Vibration (Noise)
	1.2	Measuring Noise
		1.2.1	Periodic Noise
		1.2.2	Random Noise
		1.2.3	Measuring RMS Values
		1.2.4	Characterizing Isolators
2.0	An Idealized Isolator
	2.1	Pneumatic Isolators
3.0	Practical Pneumatic Isolators
	3.1	Number and Placement of Isolators
	3.2	Number and Placement of Isolators
	3.3	Leveling Valves
	3.4	Gravitational Instability
4.0	High Performance Table Tops
	4.1	Honeycomb Optical Tables
	4.2	Optical Table Construction
	4.3	Honeycomb Optical Table Performance
		4.3.1	The Corner Compliance Curve
		4.3.2	Compliance Curves as a Standard
5.0	Active Vibration Isolation Systems
	5.1	History
	5.2	Servos and Terminology
	5.3	Active Vibration Cancellation
	5.4	Types of Active Systems
		5.4.1	Inertial Feedback
		5.4.2	More Bandwidth Limitations
		5.4.3	Feedforward
		5.4.4	PZT-Based Systems
		5.4.5	Exotics
	5.5	Types of Applications
		5.5.1	Vibration Critical Applications
		5.5.2	Settling Time Critical Applications
	5.6	The Problems with Inertial Feedback
	5.7	The Feedforward Option
		5.7.1	Feedforward Pros
		5.7.2	Feedforward Cons
	5.8	When Will You Need an Active System?
	5.9	General Considerations
	5.10	Conclusions

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