Windows used for impact testing

Abstract

Windowing is a common signal processing technique to reduce measurement errors. This paper reviews the force and exponential windows, which are used for impact testing. In general, the exponential window is applied the response signals to reduce leakage and the force window is applied to the impact signal to reduce noise. The need for and proper use of these windows are explained, and guidelines for selecting the properties of the windows are discussed. Also mentioned are the occasions in which the windows should not be applied. The reasons that the exponential window must also he applied to the force signal are outlined and the damping correction for the exponential window is derived.