Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) are used in highspeed rotordynamics systems to mitigate vibrations while traversing critical speeds. SFDs are critical in dissipating large amplitude motions and dynamic loading transferred from the rotor to the bearing supports during highspeed operation. Little testing on the effect of SFDs on rotor shafts under highspeed operating conditions is available in the literature. Thus, a SFD-rotor test rig has been designed and built to study the effect of SFD oil supply pressure, oil temperature, oil inlet feed number/orientation, unbalance, and seals on the response of a Jeffcott rotor. In this paper, the test rig is introduced along with its calibration through static and dynamic testing. It was found that the rotor displacement results were improved through the addition of trial masses to provide a runout correction and that using rubber supports for the support structure generated more symmetric results in the vertical and horizontal planes compared to steel supports. Initial results for the test rig are also presented for different unbalances with and without oil supply and with and without SFD end seals. In these cases, increased unbalance produced higher amplitude motion with a corresponding increase in critical speed and decrease in damping.

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