Where does it come from? In practice it is very dificult to avoid vibration. it usually occurs because of the dynamic effects of manufacturing tolerances, clearances, roting and rubbing contact pe- tween machine parts and outofbalance forces in rotat- ing and reciprocating members. Often, small _insignif- cant vibrations can excite the resonant frequencies of some other structural parts and be amplified into major vibration and noise sources. ‘Sometimes though, mechanical vibration performs a use ful jod. For example, we generate vibration intentionally in ‘component feeders, concrete compsotars, _ultrascnie cleaning baths, rock drils and pile drivers. Vibration test- ing machines ‘are used extensively to impart a controlled level of vibration energy to products and sub-assembles Where it is required to examine their physical or func- tional response and ascertain thelr resistability to vibra- don environments, A fundamental requirement in all vibration work, Whether it is in the design of mactines which utilize its energies or in the creation and maintenance of smoothly running mechanical products, is the ability to obtain an accurate desorigtion of te vioration by measurement and analysis.