369 ISSN 1052-6188, Journal of Machinery Manufacture and Reliability, 2016, Vol. 45,No. 4, pp. 369–374. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2016. Original Russian Text © B.R. Andrievskii, I.I. Blekhman, L.I. Blekhman, V.I. Boikov, V.B. Vasil’kov, A.L. Fradkov, 2016, published in Problemy Mashinostroeniya i Nadezhnosti Mashin, 2016, No. 4, pp. 91–97. Education and Research Mechatronic Complex for Studying Vibration Devices and Processes B. R. Andrievskii, I. I. Blekhman, L. I. Blekhman, V. I. Boikov, V. B. Vasil’kov, and A. L. Fradkov Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia e-mail: bandri@yandex.ru Received February 8, 2016 Abstract—We describe a new study and research mechatronic complex, which consists of a vibration stand with electric drives of unbalanced rotors, a personal computer for controlling the stand and pro- cessing the experiment results, a system of sensors, coupling devices, and an amplifying and trans- forming unit. We give the results of stand experiments displaying the Sommerfeld effect and suggest ways of applying the complex to create new technologies in the processing industry and in the study process. DOI: 10.3103/S1052618816030031 INTRODUCTION This article describes a new study and research mechatronic complex created at the Institute of Prob- lems of Mechanical Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The complex includes a vibration stand with electric drives of unbalanced rotors, an electronic amplifying and transforming unit, a system of sensors with a special controller for processing signals, and a personal computer with coupling devices for connection to physical instruments. All the devices constitute an integrated system, in which electrical and mechanical processes are inextricably intertwined, thus entitling us to call this system a mechatronic complex. In order to use the complex effectively for study and research purposes, we developed mathematical and methodological support and software, which can be used for both mathematical simulation of activ- ities and effects and to reproduce them on the complex. The mechanical component of the complex is a vibration stand consisting of a vibration-insulated structural body, fitted with two independent unbalanced (centrifugal) vibration exciters, with a controlla- ble revolution speed and three easily modified disequilibrium parameters, and a loading platform on two springs. The stand can operate in two modes: a vibration exciter self-synchronization mode and a controlled synchronization mode. The application of vibration exciter self-synchronization activity makes it possible to obtain various kinds of vibration of the stand table by changing the revolution direction of the rotors. In addition, in a number of cases, the self-synchronization mode is not stable enough—random devi- ations of the parameters of the motors and machines, as well as fluctuations in the technological load, can lead to extreme deviations of the revolution phase differences in the vibration exciter rotors from values ensuring the required vibration mode. In other situations, the required phasing of rotor revolution is unstable. Both cases give rise to the problem of controlling the electric motors, which also implies mea- surement of the angles of rotor revolution and manipulation of the relative revolution phase shifts, i.e., operation in the controlled synchronization mode. The studied and reproduced activities can be appre- ciably extended by attaching various devices to the structural body. By attaching the load to the structural body on an extension-compression spring, it is possible to study numerous near-resonance effects (amplification, stabilization, dampening, etc.); by attaching planes, cones, and vessels, it is possible to study the behavior of bodies and granular media under vibration con- ditions, as well as various pseudofluidization effects. Research carried out with attached devices makes it possible to study new areas of application for vibra- tions and mechatronics and to discover new, previously unknown activity and effects. EXPERIMENTAL MECHANICS, DIAGNOSTICS, AND TESTING