This add-on module is a low-cost alternative to high-speed cameras when a sinusoidal signal can be provided. The acquisition software VIC-Snap allows the user to control when to accurately trigger the low-speed cameras. This is typically performed at peaks, valleys, or phase intervals in the driving frequency. A user may choose to acquire one image pair at every peak every 1,000 cycles for 6 months, for example.

As with the standard VIC-3D system, surface displacements can be measured in three axes simultaneously. The Vibration & Fatigue Module adds the ability to easily and precisely capture periodically recurring events without the need for additional hardware. Events up to approximately 500 Hz can be captured using high-powered LED lighting, and events up to 50 KHz may be captured utilizing a stroboscope.

Any application which lends itself to the use of a conventional stroboscope is a good candidate for measurement with this system. This includes shaker tables, engine test stands, rotating wheels, tires, and a wide range of other fast-moving machinery. In addition to displacement measurements, the system can provide velocity data and the complete strain tensor at every point within the field of measurement. Thus, it can be used to measure both vibration and vibration-induced surface strains simultaneously. Since these measurements are derived directly from images of the test specimen, detailed quantitative data is easily overlaid onto the original images, allowing powerful visualization and analysis.

Because digital image correlation is a non-contact measurement, the movement of the test specimen is not disturbed by the measurement equipment. And, specimen preparation requires only the application of a random pattern, which can typically be applied using the Correlated Solutions Speckle Kit, or using other methods such as spray paint.