Generally speaking, rotor dynamics is a branch of structure dynamics with a strong focus on "beam or shaft model" adding an important supporting component, "bearing". Since rotating machines and turbo machinery are widely used mechanical equipments, rotor dynamics has been singled out from the structure dynamics field to become a special technological subject.

Basically, a rotor structure contains a shaft, several key components, such as compressors, turbines and couplings, and of course, the most important supporting elements, bearings. Dynamic or vibration behaviors concerning with a rotor-bearing structure include: (1) critical speed, (2) synchronous (rotor speed is the same as vibration frequency) response, (3) asynchronous response (rotor speed is different from vibration frequency), (4) stability and (5) reliability aside from material fatigue.

The following chart depicts the integrated Rotor-Bearing Dynamic system simulation procedure:

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