TecQuipment Whirling of Shafts and Critical Speed

The Whirling of Shafts and Critical Speed apparatus is a compact bench top experiment used to demonstrate transverse vibration and shaft whirling at specific rotational speeds. Driven by a variable speed motor, a horizontal test shaft is supported by two bearings that can operate with free ends or be reconfigured for fixed ends using supplied bearings. The tail end bearing allows axial movement as the shaft whirls, while movable nylon bushes limit excessive amplitude. A sensor measures shaft speed and feeds it to a separate control and instrumentation unit. Interchangeable shafts and weights show how length, diameter, and concentrated or eccentric loads influence whirling behavior and critical speed.