Electro-Dynamic Shaker & Vibration Test Facility Specialists
Where Lab Reality Meets Engineering Expertise
Manufacturer cut sheets get equipment to your loading dock. Design firms draw the room. We bridge the gap between the two — ensuring your vibration test capability actually performs, from day one through full operation, including high-consequence and hazardous environments.
⭐ Unholtz-Dickie Factory Authorized Service & Repair
20+
Years Experience
OEM
Parts Only
6-DoF
MIMO Capable
Hands-On Expertise
Amplifier Service & Repair
The Problem We Solve
The Gap Between Spec Sheet and Operational Reality
Every vibration test facility project has the same blind spot: manufacturers provide equipment specs, design firms provide facility drawings — but neither lives in the lab once the installation crew leaves. Kevin Cross spent over two decades on the operational side of that equation at one of the nation's most demanding vibration test programs.
Why This Gap Exists
Advanced vibration test systems — especially those involving hazardous payloads, remote operations, or MIMO/6-DoF configurations — require a layer of expertise that falls between what equipment vendors supply and what facilities design firms document. That layer is real-world operational knowledge.
Manufacturer
Spec Sheets & Cut Sheets
Equipment capabilities, nominal specs, installation diagrams. Doesn't account for your payload, your facility constraints, or your operational requirements.
→The Gap→
Design Firm
Facility Drawings
Structural, civil, mechanical, and electrical. Rarely includes deep vibration test operational expertise — especially for hazardous or remote test environments.
KC Service & Consulting
Fills the Gap
Two decades of operational experience — running high-consequence vibration labs, not just reading about them. From facility layout through first test article, we make sure the capability you plan is the capability you get.
Service & Repair
Expert Shaker Service When You Need It
Preventative Maintenance
Scheduled system care to maximize uptime and catch problems before they become failures.
Bearing & suspension evaluation
Slip table inspection & service
Amplifier cleaning & performance check
Heat exchanger & filter service
Full system health report
Scheduled & On-Demand Available
Diagnosis & Repair
Fast root-cause diagnostics and expert repairs — shaker, amplifier, slip table, and cooling systems.
Root-cause diagnostics
Electrical & mechanical fault isolation
OEM component replacement only
Post-repair performance verification
Urgent Requests Welcome*
New System Startup
Commissioning and validation to ensure your system performs from day one — not just powers on.
Complete system inspection & config
Cooling & safety system verification
Performance tuning & baseline testing
Operator training
Start Strong. Run With Confidence.
⭐
Unholtz-Dickie Factory Authorized Service & Repair
Factory trained and authorized for Unholtz-Dickie equipment. OEM parts only — never aftermarket — on every job.
Ready to Get Started?
Stop Leaving Capability on the Table
Whether you need service today or are planning a new facility — bring in someone who has actually operated these systems under demanding conditions.
Service & Repair
Keeping Your Vibration Systems Running Strong
Whether you're maintaining, troubleshooting, or commissioning — we're the partner that keeps your lab moving. Factory-authorized. OEM parts only. Real-world experience behind every repair.
Services We Offer
Full-Spectrum Shaker Service & Support
Shaker amplifier internal service — capacitor bank, resistor array, and fuse block inspection
Preventative Maintenance
Systematic, documented care to keep your system performing reliably and prevent costly unplanned downtime.
Bearing & suspension system evaluation
Slip table inspection & maintenance
Amplifier cleaning & performance check
Heat exchanger cleaning & filter changes
Cooling system assessment
Full system health review & written report
Protect Your Equipment. Prevent Costly Failures.
Diagnosis & Repair
Precise, fast fault isolation and expert repair to get you back online with confidence in the fix.
Root-cause diagnostics for performance issues
Shaker, amplifier & slip table repairs
Electrical & mechanical fault isolation
Cooling system diagnosis & repair
Brand-new OEM component replacement
Post-repair performance verification testing
Minimize Downtime. Restore Confidence.
New System Startup
Commissioning beyond the checklist — ensuring your new system is properly calibrated, tuned, and operator-ready before we leave.
Complete system inspection & verification
Shaker, amplifier & slip table configuration
Cooling & safety system validation
Performance baseline testing & tuning
Operator training & documentation
Start Strong. Run With Confidence.
System Health Evaluation
Not sure what condition your equipment is in? A thorough evaluation gives you a clear picture and a prioritized action plan.
Full mechanical & electrical inspection
Performance baseline measurement
Wear & degradation assessment
Detailed written findings report
Prioritized maintenance recommendations
Know Exactly Where You Stand.
⭐
Unholtz-Dickie Factory Authorized
Factory trained and authorized to service Unholtz-Dickie vibration test equipment. We use only brand-new OEM replacement parts on every job — never aftermarket — ensuring optimal performance and protecting your system. Urgent service requests welcome; additional costs may apply.
Get in Touch
Ready to Schedule Service?
Contact us to discuss your equipment needs. Urgent requests welcome.
Consulting Services
The Expertise Between the Spec Sheet and the First Test Article
Manufacturers document their equipment. Design firms draw the facility. Neither tells you how to run a high-consequence vibration test in a hazardous environment — or how to design the room so the operation is actually safe and effective. That's what we do.
The Core Problem
What Cut Sheets and Design Firms Don't Tell You
Vibration test facilities sit at the intersection of structural engineering, high-power electrical systems, precision mechanical equipment, data acquisition, and operational safety — and the people who design them often aren't the ones who have to run them. Kevin Cross spent over two decades operating and managing high-end vibration test labs, including facilities where the test articles were hazardous, the operations were remote, and the margin for error was zero.
Where the Knowledge Gap Lives
What You Get From Vendors
Equipment Specs
Force ratings, frequency ranges, nominal power requirements, installation footprints. Assumes ideal conditions and a knowledgeable operator.
↓Knowledge Gap↓
What You Get From Design Firms
Facility Drawings
Civil, structural, MEP. Sized to the spec sheet. Rarely accounts for operational workflow, hazard controls, remote operation requirements, or test article handling.
KC Service & Consulting fills this gap
Operational Expertise, Applied at Design Time
Before the concrete is poured, before the equipment is ordered — bring in someone who has operated these systems in demanding real-world conditions. The cost of fixing a poorly planned vibration facility after the fact is orders of magnitude higher than getting it right the first time.
⚠
Specialized Expertise
Hazardous Testing & Remote Operations
Most vibration test facility consultants have never operated in a high-hazard environment. Kevin Cross has — managing test programs where the test articles were energetically significant, the facilities required strict safety protocols, and normal vibration lab practices simply didn't apply. This experience is rare and directly translates to better facility design, safer operations, and fewer costly surprises.
Facility Safety & Access Controls
Hazardous test environments require layered access controls, interlock systems, and facility layouts that prevent personnel exposure during testing. Standard vibration lab designs don't account for this — we do.
Remote Operations Architecture
Running a vibration test from outside the test cell — or from a remote location entirely — requires deliberate design of control systems, monitoring, E-stop architecture, and data acquisition. We've done it. We can help you plan it.
Test Article Handling & Fixturing
Hazardous payloads require handling procedures and fixture designs that go beyond standard vibration test practice. Poorly designed fixturing is both a safety risk and a test validity risk.
Operational Workflow Planning
How personnel move through the facility, how test articles are staged, how equipment is powered on and off in sequence — these details don't appear in design drawings but determine whether your facility actually works safely day-to-day.
Emergency Procedures & Abort Systems
High-consequence tests require well-planned abort procedures and reliable E-stop systems. Facilities need to be designed with these in mind from the start — not added as an afterthought.
Regulatory & Program Compliance
Hazardous test programs often have additional regulatory, safety, and program-specific requirements that must be designed into the facility and operating procedures. We understand how these requirements translate into operational practice.
Consulting Capabilities
What We Can Help You With
01
Vibration Test Facility Planning & Design Consulting
This is where we add the most unique value. Before your design firm finalizes drawings and before equipment is ordered, we work with you and your design team to ensure the facility will actually support safe, effective vibration testing operations — including any hazardous or remote operation requirements.
Operational workflow and personnel flow planning
Equipment placement for maintainability and safety
Hazard control integration (interlocks, access, barriers)
Remote operation control room design inputs
Utility sizing review against real-world operational loads
Noise, vibration, and structural isolation considerations
Test article staging and handling space requirements
Coordination with design firm and equipment vendors
02
Equipment Installation Consulting
Oversight and guidance during system installation to catch issues before they become permanent problems. Installation is when many facility planning mistakes become apparent — and when they're still fixable.
Installation sequence planning
Alignment and leveling verification
Cooling and utility connection review
Control system integration oversight
Pre-commissioning inspection
03
Test Planning & Development
Test plans that work with your equipment, your facility, and your requirements — including MIMO and 6-DoF methodologies that most organizations are still developing internal expertise in.
Requirements interpretation and test profile development
MIMO / 6-DoF test strategy and setup
Fixture design guidance
Measurement system configuration
Test procedure documentation
04
Data Acquisition & Analysis
Getting valid data from a vibration test requires correct sensor selection, placement, and system configuration. We help you set up DAQ systems right and interpret what the data actually means.
DAQ system setup and channel verification
Sensor selection and calibration guidance
PSD, FRF, and spectral analysis
MIMO input/output analysis
Results interpretation and reporting support
In the Field
MIMO & 6-DoF: Leading-Edge Methodology
Kevin Cross was directly involved in developing and advancing MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) and 6-DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom) vibration test methodology at one of the nation's premier test facilities. This work was featured in Sandia National Laboratories news releases and represents the forefront of vibration test technology — providing more realistic environmental simulation in a fraction of the test time of traditional single-axis approaches.
Sandia National Laboratories • 2024
"Using multiple input, multiple output testing is a much more realistic representation of what those units experience in flight and out in the field."
"The big selling point is that we can significantly reduce the amount of test time required. We're getting a much better, more realistic dataset, and doing it considerably faster."
"We're mimicking rides on airplanes, rockets or in the back of a truck to ensure components or systems are going to survive their environment before we fly them."
Quotes from publicly available Sandia National Laboratories news releases. Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Not Sure Where to Begin?
That's Exactly Why We're Here.
Every engagement starts with a conversation about your project. We'll tell you honestly where we can add value — and where we can't.
About Us
Two Decades in the Lab, Not Just Reading About It
KC Service & Consulting was founded to bring the operational expertise that manufacturers and design firms can't provide — built on a career spent actually running demanding vibration test programs.
Kevin Cross
Founder & Owner
Two decades operating and managing high-end vibration test laboratories in high-consequence environments. MIMO and 6-DoF test methodology pioneer.
KC Service & Consulting was founded in 2025 after more than two decades operating and managing high-end vibration test laboratories — because the industry needed someone who had actually lived in the lab, not just sold into it or designed around it.
Over the years, Kevin saw the same challenge repeatedly: companies and government programs investing in large, complex vibration test systems, only to struggle with installation, configuration, and long-term operation because the gap between manufacturer specs, facility design, and actual operational knowledge was never bridged.
KC Service & Consulting was created to fill exactly that gap — providing the technical expertise, practical guidance, and hands-on capability needed to bring advanced electro-dynamic shaker systems online and keep them running at peak performance in even the most demanding environments.
Featured Work
Advancing MIMO & 6-DoF Testing at the National Level
Kevin's work developing MIMO and 6-DoF vibration test methodology was featured in multiple Sandia National Laboratories news releases, representing nationally significant advances in environmental testing for nuclear deterrence systems.
Sandia National Laboratories News Release • July 2024
"The testing equipment and methodology are building capacity to meet the mission, and it's giving us higher fidelity data."
Sandia National Laboratories News Release • July 2015
"In single-axis testing, we test each axis independent of each other, so it's three times the amount of testing than in a multiple input, multiple output test. We by far lead the way here on multiple input, multiple output testing."
Quotes from publicly available Sandia National Laboratories news releases. Sandia National Laboratories is managed by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Led vibration test operations in high-hazard environments with energetically significant test articles — experience that directly informs how to design and operate facilities where safety and performance both matter.
MIMO & 6-DoF Pioneer
Developed and advanced MIMO and Six Degrees of Freedom test methodology — enabling more realistic environmental simulation that reduces test time by up to two-thirds versus single-axis approaches.
Major System Integration
Managed multi-million dollar vibration system installations and major equipment upgrades from procurement through final commissioning and operator handoff — knowing exactly where these projects go wrong.
Structural Dynamics & Testing
Deep expertise in structural dynamics, modal and environmental testing, and mass properties measurement — the foundation for designing test programs that produce valid, defensible results.
⭐ Unholtz-Dickie Factory Authorized
Factory trained and authorized to service Unholtz-Dickie vibration test equipment. Combined with broad operational experience across multiple equipment platforms, KC Service & Consulting is a uniquely capable service partner.
Work With Us
Let's Talk About Your Project
Whether it's service, a new installation, or a long-term consulting engagement — it starts with a conversation.
Get in Touch
Let's Talk About Your Project
Whether you have urgent service needs, are planning a new facility, or want to discuss a consulting engagement — every project starts with a conversation.
Contact Information
Reach Us Directly
We respond promptly. For urgent service needs, calling is always the fastest path.
Need rapid response? Downtime in a vibration test program is costly. Call directly for the fastest path to scheduling. Additional costs may apply for urgent requests.
⭐ Unholtz-Dickie Authorized
Factory trained and authorized. OEM parts only on every repair.
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