Parallel Orientation of Pins by Vibration

This paper describes the experimental and analytical study on the parallel orientation of pins by sinusoidal vibration. A pin with a point at one end and a small spherical head at the other on a horizontally vibrating table is oriented in the direction parallel to the vibration. As long as the vibration amplitude and its frequency are appropriate, reorientation phenomenon occurs. Analytical study shows that the orientation depends on the magnitude of the maximum vibration speed of the table, that is, amplitude times frequency. The sense of the orientation of a pin depends on the initial condition