A theoretical introduction to the development of a unified approach to flexible rotor balancing

Several successful methods for balancing flexible rotating shafts have been developed in recent years, whose relative merits have been the subject of much debate and argument. These methods can be separated into two, seemingly distinct, groups which can be concisely identified as modal balancing and influence coefficient techniques. The present authors consider that in practice many of the differences are more apparent rather than real and that the time has arrived for an attempt to reconcile the differences and hopefully to synthesize a method which includes the best features of both methods. This paper reviews the theoretical basis for this programme. The results of a preliminary experimental exploration have been recorded elsewhere.