Frequently Asked Questions about Laser Doppler Vibrometer

For measurement to be possible, the laser light must be reflected back. Therefore, transparent objects and objects that absorb the laser beam (often matte black objects) cannot be measured.
Unfortunately, these types of surfaces require reflective markings. Also, for mirror-finished surfaces, the best signal-to-noise ratio measurement is obtained when the laser strikes the target surface directly in the direction of the sensor axis, but data cannot be obtained if the laser strikes at an angle.
If it's absolutely necessary to shine the laser beam at an angle, you will need to attach a reflective mark. With a reflective mark attached, you can measure angles up to about 45°. However, the LV series only measures vibration components in the direction of the sensor axis, so the vibration measurement will be in that vector direction.

*For the LV-1100/1600 series, the amount of reflected light can be checked using the indicator on the unit.