Implementation of physics vibration decomposition by using mixed MATLAB and VC++ programming

Yang Yan, Wang Zuyuan and Yan Yang
Tongji University
Shanghai, China

Any physics vibration can be divided into some harmonic vibrations with different frequencies. This phenomenon is easier for students to understand if the teacher presents it with images and spectrum analysis, rather than just talking about it. This paper presents a teaching demonstration program on vibration decomposition, which was designed using MATLAB COM Builder on the platform of MATLAB and VC++ (Microsoft Visual C++). VC++ is widely regarded as the most popular and powerful IDE (integrated development environment) in Windows OS, but compared with using MATLAB, C++ programming seems to be much more complicated for engineering calculations (such as Fourier Transform). MATLAB is strong for numerical computing and supports easy matrix manipulation, but it has been criticized because no program can be used on a computer without MATLAB installation. For these reasons, MATLAB COM Builder-based mixed programming was used: MATLAB took charge of large-scale matrix calculations, spectrum analysis and the drawing pictures; and the efficient implementation of some simple arithmetic and UI (User Interface) were carried out by VC. The technology of mixed programming, which may provide stronger and wider support for teaching and research in science, overcame the disadvantages of the respective platforms. Without a MATLAB environment, the teaching demonstration program provides a friendly interface, easy usage and vivid images; and while using it, students are impressed by the decomposition of physics vibration.