Impact device for impact excitation measurements

An impact device for imparting an impulse impact to a work piece during an impact excitation measurement, the device comprising:

• an elongated elastic bendable arm which is elastically deformable around a bending direction, the bendable arm comprising a proximal longitudinal end and a distal longitudinal end;
• a hammer tip for mechanically providing an impact to the work piece, the hammer tip attached to the distal end of the arm, and
• a programmable actuator attached to the proximal longitudinal end of the arm,
• wherein the actuator is programmed to provide an angular velocity to the proximal longitudinal end of the arm by rotating said proximal longitudinal end around an actuator axis which is essentially parallel to the bending direction of the arm, the angular velocity following a predefined angular velocity profile,
• wherein said angular velocity profile is configured to provide an impulse impact to the work piece.