AbstractIn the paper, a generalized mathematical formulation for active vibration control of rotating machines with voltage‐driven electrodynamic actuators between machine feet and steel frame foundation is derived. This generalized mathematical formulation is based on a state space description in the Laplace domain, where the state space vector is lead back, for considering the actuator forces. The aim of the paper is that this generalized mathematical formulation can be used now for arbitrarily models of rotating machines—1D‐, 2D‐, and 3D‐models—with voltage‐driven electrodynamic actuators between machine feet and steel frame foundation, and where the vertical vibration acceleration at each machine foot is lead back to a separate controller. Of course, this mathematical formulation can also be adopt easily to other boundary conditions. As an example, the generalized mathematical formulation is used here for a 1D‐model of a rotating machine, to calculate the poles and the frequency response functions.