System Response

An understanding of how a spring mass system Below

responds to vibratory influences is helpful in Resonance
understanding, recognizing and solving many If each of the
problems encountered in vibration individual terms are
measurements. In this application note the represented by a
combined effects of system mass, stiffness, and vector, and the
damping properties are presented to reveal the influences of frequency are included, the result
cause and characteristics of resonance. is a type of graph, similar in shape to a triangle.
The figure is a graphical representation of the
All machines have three fundamental traits relationships of the terms at low frequencies, i.e.
which combine to determine how the machine slow rotor speeds. The total restraint vector is
will react to excitation forces. These traits are the summation of all three vector terms. Note
stiffness K, damping D, and mass M. These that the damping and mass terms do not have
traits, actually represent forces inherent to every much influence on the total restraint at low
machine and structure, tend to resist or oppose frequencies, leaving the stiffness term as the
vibration. dominant term. This means that at frequencies
below the resonance frequency the rotor
From an analysis standpoint, it should be behaves as a pure spring, sometimes called a
remembered that machines, along with their stiff shaft rotor.
supporting structures, are complex systems
consisting of many spring-mass systems, each At Resonance
with its own natural frequency. Also, each of As the rotor frequency increases, the influence
these systems may have differing degrees of of the damping and mass terms become greater
freedom with a differing natural frequency. This due to the influence of and ² in the mass and
collection of possible resonant frequencies, and velocity terms. At a certain frequency the
the many excitation frequencies, all combine to stiffness and mass terms cancel each other due
make resonance a very common problem for the to the 180 phase difference in the terms. The
transient vibration analyst. Understanding the figure presents the vectorial relationships and
basics of how a system responds to vibratory the resultant vibration amplitude response at
forces is important to anyone involved in resonance condition.
vibration measurement, analysis, and balancing.
From a measurement standpoint, it is important
to remember that every object has a resonant When these terms cancel each other the only
frequency...machinery, pickups, brackets, etc. remaining restraint term is the damping term to
Resonance of a pickup mounting bracket, or the control the system vibration. As the stiffness and
pickup itself, will introduce significant errors to mass terms approach the point of canceling
measurements. each other, the system's vibration amplitude will
increase to a maximum, constrained only by the
available damping from any lubricant present. At
RESTRAINING FORCE resonance the system has lost the restraining
forces of the stiffness and mass terms. A
The combined effects of the restraining forces of machine supported by rolling element bearings,
stiffness, damping, and mass determine how a which have little or no damping capabilities, will
system will respond to a given exciting force. exhibit a dramatic and sharp increase in
Mathematically the relationship is represented vibration amplitude in this region. This
by: phenomenon is referred to the resonance
M a + D v + K x = Me ² e sin( t - ) frequency or "critical" speed. Operation in this
zone should be avoided since any change in the
For simplification, the above equation can be available damping can have a dramatic effect
written as: upon the measured vibration levels.
Mass term + Damping term + Stiffness Term =
Restraining Force
The restraining forces, represented by the
various terms in the equation, are what
determines how a rotor behaves throughout its
operating range. Any excitation force, such as
unbalance, is always in equilibrium with the
restraining forces of mass, damping, and
stiffness. The amount of measured vibration, as
a result of these combined forces, will depend
upon the combined effect of all three terms in
the equation. The phase angle ( ) change as a
rotor increases speed and surpasses a
resonance region is dependant upon on the
relationship between the various terms.
PHASE RELATIONSHIP
To understand the phase relationships of the
terms, consider that the mass term is
proportional to acceleration, damping term is
proportional to velocity, and the stiffness term is
proportional to displacement. In equation form,
the acceleration term = -x ² sin( t) and the
velocity term = x cos( t). Examining the
relationship of the acceleration and velocity
equations, a 90 phase difference exists as the
terms are integrated. Another integration
produces the stiffness term that is proportional to
displacement (x) only, and the relationship
between the stiffness and damping terms have
another 90 phase shift.
The effects of frequency ( ) should also be
considered along with the phase shifts noted.
Stiffness being proportional to displacement
only, and not influenced by frequency, means
that essentially the stiffness term is constant
throughout all frequency ranges. However, the
damping and mass terms are influenced by and
², respectively.
Transient Analysis
Transient analysis is the study of how various
signals change during a machine's process or
load change. This analysis is particularly
important during a machine's startup or
shutdown when critical speeds or natural
resonances are encountered. Observing the
overall amplitudes or individual spectra will not
be sufficient to document how the entire
Above
Resonance
As the rotor frequency
continues to increase,
the mass term, which
is proportional to ², becomes the predominant
portion of the total restraint force, growing faster
than the other terms. The figure shows the
vector representation of the forces and the
vibration amplitude at high rotor frequencies.
Note that as speed increases further the phase
angle change approaches another 90 shift. The
rotor behaves as a pure mass with little impact
from the constant stiffness term and the
relatively slowly changing damping term. A rotor
operating in this region is called a flexible rotor
since it rotates around its mass centerline, not
its geometric centerline.
Thus, as rotor frequencies increase, three
regions are found where one of the component
terms is dominant over the other two terms. The
summation of the three terms is represented by
the vector labeled: Total Restraint. The total
restraint vector is what is measured as vibration
amplitude and its associated phase angle. As
the rotor speed passes through each of these
regions the measured phase angle will change
by 90 and will exhibit an overall phase shift of
180 as it surpasses a critical "resonance" speed:
Nc.
The center of the plot represents zero speed
and zero amplitude with subsequent amplitude
and phase angle measurements plotted with
their associated machine speed. Phase angle
measurements are plotted around the
circumference of the chart, against machine
rotation direction. Polar plots are always filtered
to machine running speed or some multiple of
 machine behaves during
transient conditions.
Data collection modes
fall into two general
categories: observing
transducer output
signals with respect to
machine speed and
observing transducer
output signals with
respect to time.
Sometimes, a combination of the two modes
may be required.
BODE' PLOT
A Bode' , pronounced bow-day, plot is a display
of three variables: signal amplitude, machine
speed, and phase angle. The three variables are
usually synchronized to the machine operating
speed, but occasionally may be synchronized to
some multiple of machine speed depending
upon the type of machine fault being
investigated.
The Bode' plot is essentially two displays: phase speed. Setting the maximum frequency (Fmax)
angle versus machine speed and amplitude
versus machine speed. Analysis of the plot can accurate diagnosis. See the Application Note,
determine at what speed(s) a critical speed
exists, the amount of runout associated with a
Non-Contact PickUp (NCPU), the balance
condition, system damping, and the operating
phase angle and amplitude at various machine
speed.
POLAR PLOT
The polar, or nyquist, plot is also a plot
containing the same three variables as a Bode'
plot. The variables are plotted on a single
circular chart instead of two separate plots.
Bearing Failure Modes
This application note presents specific failure
modes associated with machinery having journal
bearings. Signal measurements presented here
are time waveforms that are collected with two
orthogonally located Eddy Probes, or proximity
type sensors. Although certain faults can be
analyzed with spectrum analyzers, the majority display. The display, with the phase input
the machine speed,
depending upon the
fault being
investigated.
Machine critical
speeds and natural
resonances are
displayed as loops, with the critical speed
situated 90 from the start of the loop. This
characteristic makes identification of resonances
and critical speeds easy. Other information
available from the plot are: slow speed runout
associated with NCPUs, system damping,
balance condition, and operating phase angle
and amplitude at various machine speeds.
CASCADE PLOT
Cascade or Waterfall plots, also have three
displayed variables: amplitude, frequency, and
machine speed. This display differs from the
other transient plots because it is essentially a
collection of spectra. Each spectrum is
associated with a specific machine operating
and the spectrum resolution are important for
Diagnostic Techniques-Part 2, Frequency
Domain for further discussion of these settings.
Transient Analysis Checklist
1. Bode' Plot
2. Polar Plot
3. Cascade Plot
OIL WHIP
Oil whip occurs during
the later stages of an oil
whirl condition and it has
a distinctive orbital
 of these faults can be superimposed on the
diagnosed using orbit display, appears to have
analysis alone. several phase marks.
This display will be round
BALANCE
Diagnosis of a degrading
balance condition is performed by concentrating
on the synchronous amplitude which coincides
with the rotor speed. This can be accomplished The size of the orbit be will larger because the
by viewing the spectra from any single Eddy shaft uses up the entire bearing clearance as an
Probe sensor. A similar diagnosis can be made oil wedge can no longer be established by the
by viewing the filtered signals from two rotor and the shaft is in direct metal-to-metal
orthogonally mounted Eddy Probes sensors as contact with the bearing. The orbit display will no
orbits. As the balance condition deteriorates the longer rotate because the oil whirl frequency has
size, and sometimes the shape, of the orbit will coincided with the first natural resonance, or
grow larger until the peak-to- peak amplitude critical speed, and has "locked" onto this
exceeds acceptable limits. frequency. Oil whip is a dangerous condition
because the rotor uses up the entire bearing
clearance and is in direct metal-to-metal contact
CRACKED SHAFT that will wear away the bearing rapidly and
destroy the rotor if not corrected.
A crack in a rotor, or shaft, can generate several
different effects on how the machine behaves: a
change in the vibration level, a change in the EXCESSIVE PRELOAD
operating phase angle, and/or a change in the
resonance frequency as the machine starts or All journal bearing machines have some amount
stops. Spectral analysis can be used to identify of preload so that a stable oil wedge can be
this fault, but observing filtered, synchronous established. The preload may be internally or
orbits with the phase angle superimposed on the externally produced. Internal sources of
preloads are from gear meshing or hydraulic
orbit allows rapid identification of this condition.
loading during pumping actions. External
Changes in the filtered amplitude can be preloads may be from coupling misalignment or
determined using orbits analysis. By piping and support system thermal changes.
superimposing the phase angle input signal onto These sources of preload create an elliptical
the orbit a shift in this parameter can be easily orbit that is flattened in the direction of the
determined. By noting the operating speed at preload vector.
which the resonance frequencies occur, a
change in this frequency may indicate the As the preload increases the orbit is further
"possibility" of a crack existing. flattened. As excessive preload increases further
the orbit begins to collapse to form a "banana"
The "possibility" must be emphasized and shape as the shaft tries to continue its normal
carefully analyzed because many other causes rotation pattern and direction.
can produce these changes, such as, a
damaged or loose bearing support, foundation After the orbit has been flattened into the
problems, loose rotating parts...basically "banana" shape a 2X frequency is present on
anything that can influence the "system" mass, spectra displays. Heavy preloads further distort
damping, and/or stiffness. the orbit into a figure eight shape. As preload
increases the shaft centerline will shift in the
direction of the preload vector.
LOOSE ROTATING PART
A loose rotating part can generate unusual RUB
vibration signals. They may fluctuate in
amplitude and the phase angle may shift, also. A common problem in newly rebuilt or modified
This fault is diagnosed easiest using filtered, rotors is a slight rubbing condition as the rotor is
 synchronous orbit initially operated. Rotor
analysis. Imagine a rubs are not a
mass, such as an phenomenon which
impeller, which has come continues over an
loose; it can rotate freely extended period; they
on the shaft usually increase the
independently. clearances until the rub
has been cleared or, if
As the loose part rotates it influences the not corrected, they will
balance condition of the rotor which appears as wear away the internal
a cyclical increase and decrease in the clearances until the machine cannot be
synchronous amplitude. This is observable using operated. The shape of the orbit display will
a spectrum analyzer, but the changes may be differ depending upon the relationship of the
too rapid for the sampling rate of the instrument. shaft speed to the first natural frequency and the
An oscilloscope set up to observe a filtered orbit severity of the rub.
will sample continuously so that the changes
can be seen. The phase shifting can, also, be Spectra displays of rub conditions are
observed using an oscilloscope. characterized by distinct frequencies that occur
at multiples of a fundamental frequency. The
The inception of a loose part condition will fundamental frequency will depend upon the
produce a "nervous" filtered, synchronous orbit. relationship of the shaft speed to the first natural
The orbit will appear to vibrate slightly as this resonance frequency. At shaft speeds up to
condition is created; the part may be slipping twice the natural resonance frequency, the
and then sticking on the shaft just prior to fundamental rub frequency will coincide with the
becoming a full fledged loose rotating part. shaft speed with multiples at 2X, 3X, etc.
Between twice and three times the first natural
resonance frequency, the fundamental rub
OIL WHIRL frequency will be ½ shaft speed with multiples at
1X, 3/2X, 2X, 5/2X, etc. Between three and four
Oil whirl and oil whip are sometimes listed as a time the natural resonance frequency, the
single machine fault, but closer observation of fundamental rub frequency will be shaft speed
the vibration signals and the machine conditions with multiples at 2/3X, 1X, 4/3X, 5/3X, 2X, 7/3X,
causing these signals will produce different, etc.
distinct signal displays for each condition. This
fault is caused by a condition which prevents the
rotor from creating a stable oil wedge on which The severity of the rub will affect the shape of
ride. An improperly designed bearing is the the orbit. A light rub will produce a "tear drop"
usual source for oil whirl conditions, but a shaped orbit, with the point of the tear drop
change in the fluid viscosity or machine coinciding with the impact spot. As the rub gets
alignment state are other possibilities. heavier the orbit will flattened and may appear
as an excessive preload.
Generally, an oil whirl condition precedes an oil
whip condition. Spectral and orbit analysis can At higher machine speeds (above twice the first
be used to identify either condition. This natural frequency) the unfiltered orbits will begin
phenomenon creates an individual sub to have internal loops with the fundamental rub
synchronous frequency which can occur within a frequency inversely proportional to the number
frequency range from 35% to 48% of rotor of internal loops. These internal loops will have
speed, depending upon the machine/bearing their own phase marks displayed and the loops
design or construction. As the machine will be located symmetrically on the display.
accelerates the whirl frequency will increase as
machine speed increases. Bearing Failure Modes-Journal Bearings
Checklist

1. Balance

Observing oil whirl as a
filtered, synchronous
orbit produces a
distinctive display. The
orbit will be more or less
round in shape with an amplitude that nearly
approximates the bearing clearance, and when
the phase angle is superimposed upon the
display, the orbit will appear to have two phase
marks on it. This characteristic is due to filtering
at shaft speed and the fault being generated at a
subsynchronous frequency. The two phase
marks will not be displayed symmetrically on the
orbit because the whirl frequency is not at
exactly ½ machine speed.
Monitoring Classification
A subset of the decision of purchasing a
monitoring system is the decision of what type of
system is required. Monitors are available in
many varieties; some simply display the overall
signal levels, some have elaborate interface
systems, some can automatically collect
different types of information. The end user must
decide what is really necessary. Will the monitor
be required to provide some form of protection?
Does the end user require that the monitor
provide some type of information? Must the
monitoring system provide diagnostic
capabilities?
PROTECTION
Protection is available in many forms. Nearly all
monitor systems available today can provide
machinery protection. This means that should a
sensor signal exceed a predetermined set point
the monitor can initiate a shutdown to prevent
internal machinery damage. This form of
protection is tangible and can be quantified for
accounting purposes. Additional intangible
protection provided by a basic monitoring
system are personnel and production protection.
If a machine can be shutdown prior to
catastrophic damage, which could involve
unexpected shrapnel from the machine, the
personnel that are in the vicinity of the machine
are protected.
2. Cracked Shaft
3. Loose Rotating Parts
4. Oil Whirl
5. Oil Whip
6. Excessive Preload
7. Rub
INFORMATION
An information system will provide data that is
useful for planning and scheduling. This
information can be used for a "Go No-Go"
decision whether to continue operating the
machine train or produce goods. Basic
monitoring systems are capable of providing this
type of information by alerting personnel to
current conditions.
Maintenance planning and outage scheduling
requires additional information. Information
systems will provide data as trends which give
advanced notice of elevating overall signals.
DIAGNOSTICS
Advanced monitoring systems will provide
additional information about the condition of the
machine train connected to the monitor. This
information can be collected automatically or
manually, and upon alarm activation or on a
regular basis.
This information has many benefits which when
properly used can produce cost savings and
downtime. By analyzing the collected
information the root cause of the elevated
signals can lead to the cause of the machine
problem. This type of information can lead to
An orderly shutdown of a machine train can
benefit the facility production and its product.
Certain production processes, such as paper
and sheet steel, are sensitive to excessive
vibration. High vibration levels produce poor
quality product. These facilities will benefit from
a monitoring system that can alert operation
personnel when unacceptable product is being
produced.
Monitoring System Users
Smooth operation of a machine train involves
the cooperation of several disciplines which
interface with each other and a vibration
monitoring system in differing manners. Some
disciplines will have very frequent usage of the
information supplied, while others will interface
infrequently or even indirectly.
OPERATIONS
Operations personnel are usually the front line
users of vibration monitoring systems. They will
be interfacing on a frequent basis to determine
whether the production process requires
adjustment. Operating vibration levels are one
the indications of how a machine train is
behaving to whatever the operators are doing.
Should something happen to the machine train,
the operators will require some form of warning
of an impending failure. This warning may be
audible or visual in nature. Advanced warning of
an impending failure will provide the opportunity
for a controlled machine shutdown, where
auxiliary support or process supply systems can
be secured.
reducing machine train downtime. After the
maintenance has been conducted, this type of
monitor can be used for acceptance testing and
machine commissioning. Many end users have
reported correction of design flaws and incorrect
operating procedures using advanced diagnostic
information.
Monitoring Classification Checklist
1. Protection
2. Information
3. Diagnostics
MAINTENANCE
Maintenance personnel will most likely interface
indirectly to information supplied via a vibration
monitoring system. Their involvement will be to
schedule activities economically, if at all feasible.
Scheduling activities allows allocating manpower
effectively, spare parts on an "as-needed" basis,
and any required external contractors. All of
these activities will reduce unplanned outages
and overall maintenance costs.
VIBRATION SPECIALIST
The vibration specialist's involvement with a
vibration monitoring system will be infrequent
under normal conditions. As the levels increase,
the vibration specialist will be called upon to
diagnose the cause for the higher levels. This
type of analysis is usually at the component
level, where interest is focused at one particular
machine case or bearing where the levels are
elevated. After any required maintenance has
been carried out the vibration specialist will be
called upon to collect detailed vibration
information as part of a "new" machine
acceptance test program. Successful completion
of these tests will culminate in the machine
being commissioned, ready for process
operation.
Users Checklist
 1. Operations
2. Maintenance

3. Vibration Specialist

Machine Classifications

The type of vibration monitoring system to install Vibration monitoring instrumentation should
on a machine train will depend upon how the provide continuous, full time monitoring
machine train is used in the plant process. A capabilities. Some systems will display every
very important machine train will require more channel simultaneously so that rapid
instrumentation to monitor its health and assessment of the entire machine train can be
operation condition, while other machine trains made. See STI Application Note, Monitoring
having less important roles in plant operation will Classification, Classif-1 for addition discussion
have less monitoring requirements. Using the about monitoring instrumentation.
techniques presented in this application note the
machine trains may be classified as critical, ESSENTIAL
essential, or general purpose. Topics such as
how the machine train relates to plant Essential machine trains may have the same
production, plant and personnel safety, and attributes as critical machine trains, but their
whether they are spared are used as importance to the plant production process will
classification criteria. Additionally, costs, such asnot be as important. They may have installed
lost production, replacement, insurance, and spare units which can be started without
maintenance expenses are factored into this significant interruption of the plant process. They
classification. may be high horsepower or high speed, but will
not have to operate for extended periods or
CRITICAL continuously. Maintenance budgets will not be
as costly when the machine fails, thus
Critical machine trains are required to maintain classifying these machines as essential and will
plant production and many times are an integral not have the same monitoring instrumentation
part of the plant process. They are high capital requirements as critical machines.
cost items and must operate continuously, may
not be spared, or have an installed backup unit, Vibration monitoring systems installed on
because interruption of the process to startup essential machines can be of a scanning type,
the backup machine train would have an where the systems switches from one sensor to
undesirable effect on the plant operation. Other the next to display the sensor output levels.
machine trains may be involved in an operation Many of these systems are controlled with solid
which is important to plant or personnel safety. state multiplexers and switch channels every
second or so.
Some plant designs that incorporate several
identical unists may appear to have installed GENERAL PURPOSE
spares, but all units will be reauired for 100%
plant output. Other plants will have certain
machine trains which are required to operate General purpose machine trains are all others
continuously during emergency situations. which are not classified as critical or essential.
They are usually spared and are not critical to
plant production. They usually have auxiliary
High horsepower and high speed machines roles or support other processes, may only
would be classified critical if they are required to operate on demand, stocked replacement parts,
operate continuously for extended periods and maintenance costs are relatively low when
without interruption of the plant process. All of
these machine trains should be considered
critical to continued plant operation and,
therefore, qualify for higher expenditure on
monitoring instrumentation.
compared to critical or essential machine.
Due the machine classification, these machines
do not qualify for permanently installed
instrumentation and a continuous monitoring
system. These machines are usually monitored
with a portable instrument.

Machine Classification Checklist

1. Critical
2. Essential

3. General Purpose

Eddy Current (Proximity Probe) Transducer Installation

Part-1 Radial Vibration

Eddy Current Transducers (Proximity Probes) The gauge of the selected wire depends on the
are the vibration transducer of choice when length of the instrument wire run, and should be
installing vibration monitoring on Journal Bearing as follows to prevent loss of high frequency
equipped rotating machinery. Eddy Current signal:
Transducers are the only transducers that Up to 200 feet 22 AWG
provide Shaft Relative (shaft relative to the Up to 1000 feet 20 AWG
bearing) vibration measurement. Up to 4000 feet 18 AWG

Several methods are usually available for the The following wiring connection convention
installation of Eddy should be followed:
Current Transducers,
including internal,
internal/external, and Red -24 VDC
external mounting. Black Common
White Signal
Before selecting the
appropriate method of Common Point Grounding
mounting Eddy Current Transducers, special To prevent Ground Loops from creating system
consideration needs to be given to several noise, system common, ground and instrument
important installation considerations that willwire shield must be connected to ground at one
determine the success of your monitoring location only. In most cases, the
program. recommendation is to connect commons,
grounds and shields at the Monitor location. This
Theory of Operation means that all commons, grounds and shields
must be floated or not connected at the
Eddy Current Transducers work on the proximity machine.
theory of operation. A Eddy Current System
consists of a matched component system: a Occasionally due to installation methods
Probe, an Extension Cable and an Oscillator instrument wire shields are connected to ground
/Demodulator. A high frequency RF signal @2 at the machine case and not at the monitor. In
mHZ is generated by the this case, all of the instrument wire shields must
Oscillator/Demodulator, sent through the be floated or not connected at the monitor.
extension cable and radiated from the Probe tip.
Eddy currents are generated in the surface of Conduit
the shaft. The Oscillator /Demodulator Dedicated conduit should be provided in all
demodulates the signal and provides a installations for both mechanical and noise
modulated DC Voltage where the DC portion is protection. Flexible metal conduit should be
directly proportional to gap (distance) and the used from the Eddy Probe to the Oscillator
AC portion is directly proportional to vibration. In /Demodulator junction box, and rigid bonded
this way, a Eddy Current Transducer can be metal conduit from the junction box to the
used for both Radial Vibration and distance monitor.
measurements such as Thrust Position and
Shaft Position.
Calibration
All Eddy Current Systems (Probe, Cable and
Special Considerations Oscillator Demodulator) should be calibrated
prior to being installed. This can be done by
Number of Transducers using a SKF-CM CMSS601 Static Calibrator, -24
All vibration transducers measure motion in their VDC Power Supply and a Digital Volt Meter. The
mounted plane. In other words, shaft motion Probe is installed in the tester with the target set
either directly away from or towards the against the Probe tip. The micrometer with target
mounted Eddy Current Probe will be measured attached is then rotated away from the Probe in
as radial vibration. 0.005" or 5 mil increments. The voltage reading
is recorded and graphed at each increment. The
On smaller less critical machines, one (1) Eddy CMSS601 Calibrator will produce a voltage
Current Transducer system per bearing may be change of 1.0 VDC +-0.05 VDC for each 5 mils
adequate for machine protection. of gap change while the target is within the
Systems linear range.
The single Eddy Current Probe will then
measure the shaft's vibration in that given plane. Gap
Therefore, the Eddy Current Probe should be When installed,Eddy Current Probes must be
mounted in the plane where the greatest gapped properly. In
vibration is expected. most Radial Vibration
applications, gapping
On larger more critical machines, two (2) Eddy the transducer to the
Current Transducer systems are normally center of the linear
recommended per bearing. The Probes for this range is adequate. For
type of installation should be mounted 900 apart the Model CMSS65
from each other. Since the Probes will measure and 68 gap should be
the vibration in their respective planes, the set for -12.0 VDC
shaft's total vibration within the journal bearing is using a Digital Volt
measured. An "Orbit" or cartesian product of the Meter (DVM), this
two vibration signals may be viewed when both corresponds to an approximate mechanical gap
Eddy Current Transducers are connected to an of 0.060" or 60 mils. The voltage method of
SKF-CM Information System or an Oscilloscope. gapping the Probe is recommended over
mechanical gapping. In all cases, final Probe
gap voltage should be documented and kept in a
Linear Range safe place.
Several versions of Eddy Current Transducers
are available with a variety of Linear Ranges
and body styles. In most cases, SKF-CM's Internal Mounting
CMSS68 with a linear range of 90 mils (0.090")
is more than adequate for Radial Vibration Internal Mounting is accomplished with the Eddy
Current Probes mounted internally to the
 measurements...
Model Range Output Size
CMSS65 90 mils 200 1/4"x28 UNF 1" to
mV/mil 5" Length
200 3/8"x24 UNF 1" to
CMSS68 90 mils
mV/mil 9" Length
240 50 1" x 12 UNF 1" to
CMSS62
mils mV/mil 5" Length
Target Material/Target Area
Target Material
Eddy Current Transducers are calibrated at the inside the bearing housing should be safety
factory for 4140 Steel unless specified
otherwise. As Eddy Currents are sensitive to the loose inside the machine.
permeability and resistivity of the shaft material
any shaft material other than 4000 series steels Advantages of Internal Mounting
must be specified at the time of order. In cases
of exotic shaft material a sample may need to be
supplied to the factory.
Mechanical Runout
Eddy Current Transducers are also sensitive to
the shaft smoothness for Radial Vibration. A
smooth (64 micro-inch) area approximately 3
times the diameter of the Probe must be
provided for a viewing area. The prepared
journal area on most shafts are wider than the
bearing itself allowing for Probe installation
immediately adjacent to the bearing.
Electrical Runout
Since Eddy Current Transducers are sensitive to
the permeability and resistivity of the target
material and the field of the transducer extends
into the surface area of the shaft by
approximately 15 mils (0.015"), care must be
taken to avoid non homogeneous viewing area
materials such as Chrome.
Another form of electrical runout can be caused
by small magnetic fields such as those left by
Magna-fluxing without proper degaussing.
Perpendicular to shaft centerline
Care must be exercised in all installations to
insure that the Eddy Current probes are
mounted perpendicular to the shaft center-line.
Deviation by more than 1-2 degrees will effect
the output sensitivity of the system.
machine or bearing housing with a SKF-CM
CMSS903 Bracket or with a custom designed
and manufactured bracket. The Transducer
system must be installed and gapped properly
prior to the bearing cover being reinstalled.
Provisions must be made for the transducer's
cable exiting the bearing housing. This can be
accomplished by using an existing plug or fitting,
or by drilling and tapping a hole above the oil
line. The Transducer's cables must also be tied
down within the bearing housing to prevent
cable failure from "windage".
For added safety and reliability, all fasteners
wired, or otherwise prevented from working
 Most economical installation.
 Less machining required.
 True bearing relative measurement.
 Usually good viewing surface for Eddy
Probe.
Disadvantages of Internal Mounting
 No access to Probe while machine is
running.
 Cables must be tied down due to
"windage".
 Transducer
cable exits
must be
provided.
 Care must be
taken to avoid
oil leakage.
External/Internal Mounting
External/Internal mounting is accomplished
when the Eddy Probes are mounted with a
Mounting Adapter (SKF-CM CMSS911 or 904).
These adopters allow external access to the
Probe yet allows the Probe tip to be internal to
the machine or bearing housing. Care must be
taken in drilling and tapping the bearing housing
or cover to insure that the Eddy Probes will be
perpendicular to the shaft center line.
 Orientation of
Transducer(s)
As most machine
casings are
horizontally split,
transducers are
commonly found mounted at 450 both sides of
vertical 900 apart.
If possible transducer orientation should be
consistent along the length of the machine train
for easier machine diagnostics. In all cases
orientation should be well documented.
Transducer (Probe) side clearances
The RF Field emitted from the Probe tip of a
Eddy Current Transducer in approximately a 450
coned shape. Clearance must be provided on all
sides of the Probe tip to prevent interference
with the RF Field. As an example, if a bearing is
drilled to permit installation, the hole must be
counter bored to prevent side clearance
interference. Care must also be taken to avoid
collars or shoulders on the shaft that may
thermally "grow" under the Probe tip as the shaft
grows from heat.
Eddy Current Probe tip to tip
clearances
Although Probe tip to tip clearances are not
normally an issue on most machines, it should
be noted that Eddy Current Probes radiate an
RF Field larger than the Probe tip itself. As an
example, Model CMSS65 and 68 probe should
never be installed with less than one (1) inch of
Probe tip to tip clearance. Larger Probes require
more clearance. Failure to follow this rule will
allow the Oscillator/Demodulator to create a
"beat" frequency which will be the sum and
difference of the two Oscillator/Demodulator RF Disadvantages of External Mounting
frequencies.
System Cable Length and Junction
Boxes
Eddy Current Transducer Systems are a "tuned"
length, and several system lengths are
available. Length is measured from the Probe tip
to the Oscillator/Demodulator, and is measured
electrically which can slightly vary the physical
length. For example, the Model CMSS65 and 68
are available in 5 and 10 meter system lengths.
Care must be taken to insure that the proper
In some cases due to
space limitations
External/Internal
mounting is
accomplished by
drilling or making use
of existing holes in the bearing itself, usually
penetrating at a oil return groove.
Advantages of External/Internal Mounting
 Eddy Probe replacement while machine
is running.
 Usually good viewing area for Eddy
Probe.
 Gap may be changed while machine is
running.
Disadvantages of External/Internal Mounting
 May not be true bearing relative
measurement.
 More machining required.
 Long Probe/Stinger length (Resonance).
External Mounting
Pure external Eddy Probe mounting is usually a
last resort installation. The only valid reason for
using this method is inadequate space available
within the bearing housing for internal mounting.
Special care must be given to the Eddy Probe
viewing area and mechanical protection of the
transducer and cable.
Advantages of External Mounting
 Most Inexpensive Installation.
 May be subject to "Glitch" or
Electrical/Mechanical runout.
 Requires mechanical protection.
Installation Checklist
1. Mounting Type, Internal
External/Internal External
2. Number of Transducers, X or X&Y
3. Target Material, 4140 Other
 4. Smooth Target Area
system length is ordered to reach the required 5. Size of Target Area
Junction Box. 6. Junction Box Location(s)
7. Metal Conduit (Junction Box to
Grounding and Noise Monitor)
Electrical noise is a very serious consideration 8. Flexible Conduit (Junction Box to
when installing any vibration transducer, and Probe)
special care needs to be taken to prevent
unnecessary amounts of noise. As most plant
9. Correct Instrument Wire
electrical noise is 60 HZ, and many machines 10. Shielding Convention, Monitor or
running speed is also 60 HZ, it is difficult to Machine
separate noise from actual vibration signal. 11. Calibration
Therefore, noise must be kept to an absolute
minimum. 12. Gap Set
Instrument Wire
A 3-wire twisted shielded instrument wire (ie;
Belden #8770) is used to connect each
Oscillator/Demodulator to the Signal Conditioner
in the Monitor. Where possible, a single run of
wire from the Oscillator/Demodulator (Junction
Box) to the Monitor location should be used.
Splices should be avoided.

Journal Bearings

Industrial machinery with high horsepower and Plain Bearing

high loads, such as
steam turbines,
centrifugal compressors,
pumps and motors, utilize
journal bearings as rotor
supports.
One of the basic
purposes of a bearing is
to provide a frictionless
environment to support and guide a rotating
shaft. Properly installed and maintained, journal
bearings have essentially infinite life.
BEARING DESIGN
The plain bearing is the
simplest and most
common design with a
high load carrying
capacity and the lowest
cost. This bearing is a
simple cylinder with a
clearance of about 1-2
mils per inch of journal
diameter. Due to its
cylindrical configuration it is the most susceptible
to oil whirl. It is a fairly common practice during
installation to provide a slight amount of "crush"
to force the bearing into a slightly elliptical
configuration.

A journal bearing, simply stated, is a cylinder Lemon Bore

which surrounds the shaft and is filled with some
form of fluid lubricant. In this bearing a fluid is
the medium that supports the shaft preventing
metal to metal contact. The most common fluid
used is oil, with special applications using water
or a gas. This application note will concentrate
The lemon or elliptical bore bearing is a variation
on the plain bearing where the bearing
clearance is reduced on one direction. During
manufacture this bearing has shims installed at
the split line and then bored cylindrical. When
the shims are removed the lemon bore pattern is
 on oil lubricated journal results. For horizontally
bearings. split bearings, this design
creates an increased
Hydrodynamic principles, vertical pre-load onto the
which are active as the shaft.
shaft rotates, create an
oil wedge that supports This bearing has a lower
the shaft and relocates it load carrying capacity
within the bearing clearances. In a horizontally that plain bearings, but are still susceptible to oil
split bearing the oil wedge will lift and support whirl at high speeds. Manufacturing and
the shaft, relocating the centerline slightly up installation costs are considered low.
and to one side into a normal attitude position in
a lower quadrant of the bearing. The normal Pressure Dam
attitude angle will depend upon the shaft rotation A pressure dam bearing is basically a plain
direction with a clockwise rotation having an bearing which has been modified to incorporate
attitude angle in the lower left quadrant. External a central relief groove or scallop along the top
influences, such as hydraulic volute pressures in half of the bearing shell ending abruptly at a
pumps or generator electrical load can produce step. As the lubricant is carried around the
additional relocating forces on the shaft attitude bearing it encounters the step that causes an
angle and centerline position. increased pressure at the top of the journal
inducing a stabilizing force onto the journal
An additional characteristic of journal bearings is which forces the shaft into the bottom half of the
damping. This type of bearing provides much bearing.
more damping than a rolling element bearing
because of the lubricant present. More viscous This bearing has a high load capacity and is a
and thicker lubricant films provide higher common correction for machine designs
damping properties. As the available damping susceptible to oil whirl. Pressure dam bearings
increases, the bearing stability also increases. A are a unidirectional configuration.
stable bearing design holds the rotor at a fixed
attitude angle during transient periods such as
machine startups/shutdowns or load changes. Another unidirectional bearing configuration is
The damping properties of the lubricant also the offset bearing. It is similar to a plain bearing,
provides an excellent medium for limiting but the upper half has been shifted horizontally.
vibration transmission. Thus, a vibration Offset bearings have increasing load capacities
measurement taken at the bearing outer shell as the offset is increased.
will not represent the actual vibration
experienced by the rotor within its bearing Tilting Pad
clearances. Tilting pad bearings is a partial arc design. This
configuration has individual bearing pads which
Journal bearings have many differing designs to are allowed to pivot or tilt to conform with the
compensate for differing load requirements, dynamic loads from the lubricant and shaft. This
machine speeds, cost, or dynamic properties. type of bearing is a unidirectional design and is
One unique disadvantage which consumes available in several variations incorporating
much research and experimentation is an differing numbers of pads with the generated
instability which manifests itself as oil whirl and load applied on a pad or between the pads.
oil whip. Left uncorrected, this phenomenon is
catastrophic and can destroy the bearing and VIBRATION MONITORING
rotor very quickly. Oil whip is so disastrous
because the rotor cannot form a stable oil A shaft supported by journal bearings will move
wedge consequently allowing metal to metal relative to the bearing housing as various forces
contact between the rotor and the bearing are imposed onto the shaft. A vibration
surface. Once surface contact exists the rotor transducer is required which can monitor the
begins to precess, in a reverse direction from relative motion between the shaft and the
rotor rotation direction, using the entire bearing
clearance. This condition leads to high friction
levels which will overheat the bearing babbit
metal that leads to rapid destruction of the
bearing, rotor journal, and the machine seals.
Some common designs employed are lemon
bore, pressure dam, and tilt pad bearings. These
designs were developed to interrupt and redirect
the oil flow path within the bearing to provide
higher bearing stabilities.
GEOMETRIES
Journal bearings installed in industrial machinery
today generally fall into two categories: full
bearings and partial arc bearings. Full bearings
completely surround the shaft journal with many
differing geometries such as elliptical, lobed, or
pressure dam configurations and usually are two
pieces, mated at a split line. Partial arc bearings
have several individual load bearing surfaces or
pads and are made up of numerous adjustable
components.
The bearing inner surface is covered with a
softer material, commonly called babbit. Babbit,
which is a tin or lead based alloy, has a
thickness that can vary from 1 to 100 mils
depending upon the bearing diameter. A babbit
lining provides a surface which will not mar or
gouge the shaft if contact is made and to allow
particles in the lubricant to be imbedded in the
liner without damaging the shaft.
Eccentricity TSI
Shaft Eccentricity
plays a very
important role as
part of a Turbine
Supervisory
Instrumentation (TSI) System on large steam
turbines and should be included in retro-fit plans
when at all possible.
Operators use eccentricity measurements to
determine when a combination of slow roll and
heating have reduced the rotor eccentricity to
the point where the turbine can safely be
brought up to speed without damage from
bearing. Higher vibration frequencies are not of
prime concern since they would not be
transmitted through the oil film reliably.
The only sensor available that can measure
relative measurements of the shaft is the non-
contacting pickup, sometimes called a
displacement, eddy current, or proximity pickup.
This type of sensor measures the relative
vibration of the shaft and, also, the relative
position of the shaft with respect to the bearing
clearances. High frequencies such as blade
passage and cavitation would be attenuated by
the lubricant. Case mounted sensors would not
provide an accurate indication of the vibration
due to the inherent damping offered by the
lubricant between the shaft and the bearing. For
more information about installation and theory of
operation of NCPUs, see the STI Application
Notes: Eddy Current Transducer Installation,
Part 1-Radial Vibration.
Mechanical Runout
Eddy Current transducers are also sensitive to
the shaft smoothness for Eccentricity. A smooth
(64 micro-inch) area approximately 3 times the
diameter of the probe tip must be provided for a
viewing area.
Electrical Runout
Since Eddy Probes are sensitive to the
permeability and resistivity of the target material
and the field of the transducer extends into the
surface area of the shaft by approximately 15
mils (0.015"), care must be taken to avoid non
homogeneous viewing area materials such as
excessive vibration or rotor to stator contact.
Eccentricity is the measurement of Rotor Bow at
rotor slow roll which may be caused by any or a
combination of
1. Fixed mechanical bow
2. Temporary thermal bow
3. Gravity bow
In extreme cases of thermal/gravity bow, caused
by a sudden trip of the unit and failure of the
turning gear to engage, the rotor may be
positioned and stopped 180o out of phase (bow
up) to allow gravity to work entirely on the bow
and substantially shorten the time required to
reduce the bow.
Eccentricity is measured while the turbine is on
slow roll (1 to 240 RPM below the speed at
which the rotor becomes dynamic and rises in
the bearing on the oil wedge) and requires
special circuitry to detect the peak- to-peak
motion of the shaft. This is accomplished using
circuitry with long update times selectable
between 20 seconds (> 3 RPM) and 2 minutes
(<3 RPM).
As the eccentricity measurement is not required
after a turbine is brought to speed and under
load provisions are made to lock the
measurement to zero. This can be accomplished
without external contacts through the use of a
speed measurement channel with underspeed
or overspeed alarms.
As it is impractical to mount Eddy Probe
Transducers (Non-Contacting Pickups) midspan of the two driver RF frequencies.
on the rotor where the eccentricity measurement
would be the highest the transducer(s) are
mounted outside the pressure case as far from Boxes
the bearing (Node Point) as practical.
The bearing should be avoided as a mounting
location because during slow roll operation the
rotor is turning in the bottom of the journal
bearing and is not dynamic while the eccentricity the physical length. For example, the Model 403
measurements are being made. This effect
forces the bearings to become nodal points.
Chrome.
Another form of
electrical runout can
be caused by small
magnetic fields such
as those left by Magna-fluxing without proper
degaussing.
Perpendicular to shaft centerline
Care must be exercised in all installations to
insure that the Eddy Probe is mounted
perpendicular to the shaft center-line. Deviation
by more than 1-2 degrees will effect the output
sensitivity of the Probe.
Transducer (Probe) side clearances
The RF Field emitted from the probe tip of the
transducer is approximately a 45 conical shape.
Clearance must be provided on all sides of the
Probe tip to prevent interference of the RF Field.
Care must also be taken to avoid collars or
shoulders on the shaft that may thermally "grow"
out from under the Probe tip as the shaft
expands.
Eddy Probe tip to tip clearances
Although Eddy Probe tip to tip clearances are
not normally an issue on most machines, it
should be noted that the probes radiate an RF
Field larger than the probe tip itself. As an
example, SKF-CM CMSS65 and 68 Eddy
Probes should never be installed with less than
one (1) inch of Probe tip to tip clearance. Larger
probes require more clearance. Failure to follow
this rule will allow the driver to create a "beat"
frequency which will be the sum and difference
System Cable Length and Junction
Eddy Probe Systems are a "tuned" length, and
several system lengths are available. System
length is measured from the probe tip to the
Oscillator/Demodulator, and is measured
electrically which can be slightly different than
is available in 9, 20, and 30 foot system lengths.
Care must be taken to insure that the proper
system length is ordered to reach the required
Junction Box.
 Assuming
uniform stiffness
and weight, the
rotor mid- span
eccentricity may be
expressed as the ratio
of the transducer span
from the bearing over
the transducer
measured eccentricity
to 1/2 the bearing
span over the midspan eccentricity or calculated
using the following formula, (Tecc x
½Bspan)/Tspan = MSecc.
Where Tecc = Transducer measured eccentricity
Bspan= Bearing Span
Tspan= Transducer span from bearing
MSecc= Midspan eccentricity
OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturers)
should be consulted for actual calculations.
Turbine owners who are retrofitting existing
eccentricity systems supplied by the OEM or
others will mount the eccentricity transducer at
the same location as the original installation. In
many cases only minor modifications to the
existing bracket are required. Using the same
location has several advantages and simplifies
installation.
1. OEM's original installation as a rule
included an eccentricity collar or other
good target for an Eddy Probe System.
2. Eddy Probe eccentricity measurements
will agree closely with the original OEM
supplied system as the measurements
will be taken at the same location.
3. Operators will need less training on how
to interpret the new systems
measurements as they will be basically
the same.
4. Eccentricity historical data will be valid.
5. Existing brackets may be modified.
6. Case or standard penetration for cable
may be reused with minor modification.
Grounding and Noise
Electrical noise is a very serious consideration
when installing any vibration transducer, and
special care needs to be taken to prevent
unnecessary amounts of noise. As most plant
electrical noise is at 60 HZ, and many machine
running speeds are also 60 HZ, it is difficult to
separate noise from actual vibration signal.
Therefore, noise must be kept to an absolute
minimum.
Instrument Wire
A 3-wire twisted shielded instrument wire (ie;
Belden #8770) is used to connect each
Oscillator/Demodulator to the Signal Conditioner
Card in the Monitor. Where possible, a single
run of wire from the Oscillator/Demodulator
(Junction Box) to the Monitor location should be
used. Splices should be avoided.
The gauge of the selected wire depends on the
length of the instrument wire run, and should be
as follows to prevent loss of high frequency
signals:
Up to 200 feet 22 AWG
Up to 1000 feet 20 AWG
Up to 4000 feet 18 AWG
The following wiring connection convention
should be followed:
Red -24 VDC Power
Black Common
White Signal
Common Point Grounding
To prevent Ground Loops from creating system
noise, system common, ground and instrument
wire shield must be connected to ground at one
location only. In most cases, the
recommendation is to connect commons,
grounds and shields at the Monitor location. This
means that all commons, grounds and shields
must be floated (not connected) at the machine.
Occasionally due to installation methods
instrument wire shields are connected to ground
at the machine case and not at the monitor. In
this case, all of the instrument wire shields must
 Eccentricity is
normally
measured P/P
(Peak to Peak) to
agree with
previously established
conventions. The actual excursion from shaft
centerline caused by bow would be one half that
measurement or the 0/P (Zero to Peak)
measurement. The Turbine Supervisory
Instrumentation may be calibrated in either
fashion to suite the users requirements.
Theory of Operation
Eddy Current Transducers work on the proximity
theory of operation. A system consists of a
matched component system: a Probe, an
Extension Cable and an Oscillator /Demodulator
(driver). A high frequency RF signal @2 mHZ is
generated by the Oscillator/Demodulator, sent
through the extension cable and radiated from
the Probe tip. Eddy currents are generated in
the surface of the shaft. The driver demodulates
the signal and provides a modulated DC Voltage
where the DC portion is directly proportional to
gap (distance) and the AC portion is directly
proportional to vibration. In this way, an Eddy
Current Transducer can be used for both Radial
Vibration and distance measurements such as
Thrust Position and Shaft Position.
Special Considerations
Mounting Orientation
All vibration transducers measure motion in their corresponds to an approximate mechanical gap
mounted plane. In other words, motion either
directly away from or towards the mounted Eddy gapping the Eddy Probe is recommended over
Probe will be measured as eccentricity.
For eccentricity measurements it is
recommended that the transducer be mounted
vertically. As most eccentricity sensors are
internally mounted and are not visible from the
outside of the machine whatever the angle of
orientation is finally chosen it is very important
that the mounting location be documented for
future reference.
Linear Range
Several versions of Eddy Probe Transducers are
available with a variety of Linear Ranges and
body styles. In most cases, a sensor with a
be floated (not connected) at the monitor.
Conduit
Dedicated conduit should be provided in all
installations for both mechanical and noise
protection. Flexible metal conduit should be
used from the Eddy Probe to the Oscillator
/Demodulator junction box, and rigid bonded
metal conduit from the junction box to the
monitor.
Calibration
All Eddy Probe systems (Probe, Cable and
Oscillator Demodulator) should be calibrated
prior to being installed. This can be done by
using a SKF-CM P/N CMSS601 Static
Calibrator, -24 VDC Power Supply and a Digital
Volt Meter. The Eddy Probe is installed in the
tester with the target set against the Eddy Probe
tip. The spindle micrometer with target attached
is then rotated away from the Eddy Probe in
0.005" or 5 mil increments. The voltage reading
is recorded and graphed at each increment. The
SKF-CM CMSS65 and 68 systems will produce
a voltage change of 1.0 VDC ±0.05 VDC for
each 5 mils of gap change while the target is
within the NCPU's linear range.
Gap
When installed, Eddy Probes must be gapped
properly. In most Eccentricity applications,
gapping the transducer to the center of the linear
range is adequate. For the Model 403
transducer gap should be set for -12.0 VDC
using a Digital Volt Meter (DVM), this
of 0.060" or 60 mils. The voltage method of
mechanical gapping because it is more accurate
and easier to accomplish. In all cases, final Eddy
Probe gap voltage should be documented and
kept in a safe place.
Eccentricity Installation Checklist
1. Machine Slow Roll Speed
2. Transducer Orientation Documented
3. Target Material, 4140 Other
4. Smooth Target Area
5. Size of Target Area
6. Junction Box Location(s)

linear range of 90 mils
(0.090") is more than
adequate for
Eccentricity
measurements.
Model Range Output Size
200 1/4"x28 UNF 1" to
CMSS65 90 mils
mV/mil 5" Length
200 3/8"x24 UNF 1" to
CMSS68 90 mils
mV/mil 9" Length
Target Material/Target Area
Target Material
Eddy Current transducers are calibrated at the
factory for 4140 Steel unless specified
otherwise. As Eddy Probes are sensitive to the
permeability and resistivity of the shaft material,
any shaft material other than 4000 series steels
must be specified at the time of order. In cases
of exotic shaft material a sample may need to be
supplied to the factory.
PM Programs Part-1
This application note will provide a basis for
selection of the machinery list of a Predictive
Maintenance (PM) data collector program.
Creating a PM machine list is a logical process
that will provide a smooth flow for data
collection. Selection of the eligible machines will
determine the size of the database. The
measurement points for each machine will
define the locations at which data will be
collected. Measurement parameters will
characterize how the data will be collected and
trended.
CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA
Generating, the list of machines to include in the
PM program should get considerable attention.
The immediate decision might be to include
everything in the plant. Indiscriminately including
all machines in the plant could result in
unnecessary data collection. Certain machines
may not require data collection if they are only
7. Metal Conduit (Junction Box to
Monitor)
8. Flexible Conduit (Junction Box to
Probe)
9. Correct Instrument Wire
10. Shielding Convention, Monitor or
Machine
11. Calibration
12. Gap Set
After the final list has been generated the next
step is to decide upon the measurement points
for each machine.
MEASUREMENT POINTS
Measurement points are the actual locations at
which data is to be collected. Each machine
should have all of its bearings included in the list
of points. Generally, each bearing should have
vibration data collected in three directions:
vertical, horizontal, and axial. Due to machine
construction and other considerations, the axial
vibration data may not need to be collected at
each bearing.
An often overlooked supplementary input which
can be incorporated into many databases is
inspection codes. The human senses of the data
collector operator should not be overlooked,
since the operator is working at the machine. An
operator will observe certain situations which will
not be identified by a vibration measurement.
operated infrequently such as stepper motors or They are usually entered manually during the
standby equipment. These machines should be data collection process. Inspection codes can
monitored using specially developed testing reveal important information about the condition
programs. of the machine which the vibration data could
overlook.
Any machine which is operating continuously
should be a candidate for the machine list. The Finally, now that the various machines and the
machine list, which will most likely begin on measurement points are defined the only
paper, should include the machine name, remaining bit of information needed is how each
horsepower, bearing type(s), plant location, and machine will be analyzed. This involves defining
operating speed. Optionally, other items may be the measurement parameters for each
added to this list, such as bearing operating measurement point.
temperatures, fluid flow rate, pressures, etc. If
available, the maintenance and economic MEASUREMENT PARAMETERS
history of each machine should be gathered.
At each measurement point certain types of data
After this information has been assembled the must be collected. Vibration data may be
machine list can be sub-divided into three collected in displacement, velocity, acceleration,
categories. These categories are critical, or spike energy units. Machine construction and
essential and general purpose. operating conditions will dictate which type to
include.
Critical should be candidates for permanent
instrumentation due to their production impact Most data collector based PM programs are
should they fail. Economic factors, such as implemented on machinery with rolling element
replacement cost or maintenance expenses, bearings. These bearings will generate specific
should be considered to justify permanent frequencies related to the bearing condition.
instrumentation. These machine should always Many data collectors offer a measurement
be monitored. parameter called spike energy which can
provide early detection of bearing defects. Thus,
Essential machines usually provide major machines with rolling element bearings should
support for the production process and may be have spike energy data collected along with at
partially spared. These machines should be least one of the other vibration data types.
monitored, but due to their support function may
be candidates for permanent instrumentation. If Certain machines have couplings which transmit
they are not permanently monitored they are axial vibration from one case to another and
candidates for the machine list. may not need to have axial vibration data
collected at each bearing. Process variables,
General purpose machinery will include all other such as temperature, pressure, or flow rate, may
machinery in the plant. This category will most be added to the measurement parameters list
likely be a much larger list than the other where provisions have been made that allow the
categories and quite possibly consume the bulk data to be input automatically by the data
of the maintenance budget. These machines are collector.
definitely candidates for the machine list.
In addition to bearing condition, proper
Each category of the machine list can be further measurement parameter selection will provide
sub-divided into machine which operate information about the balance state, alignment
nominally and those which are troublesome. The condition, and the general condition of the
troublesome machines should be immediate machinery internals.
candidates for the final machine list. They are
good candidates to "cut your teeth" on, since the Criteria Checklist
probability of improvements in operation are
quite high once corrective action is taken that is
based upon collected data. These machines 1. Machine Classification
 2. Measurement Points
should occupy the majority of the newly started
PM program with weekly or bi-weekly monitoring 3. Measurement Parameters
cycles.

General purpose machines which are not

troublesome and essential machines, along with
the unmonitored critical machines, can be listed
for routine monitoring on a monthly cycle. When
the troublesome machines are operating
nominally they can be monitored on a monthly
cycle.

PM Program Part-2 Routes

This application note will provide a basis for It will, also, define the time required for
creation of a Predictive Maintenance (PM) data completion of the data collection for each route.
collector route. These criteria may dictate creation of a new
route based upon the machinery access or time
Establishing an efficient PM data collector route required for data collection. Now is the time to
is a logical process that will provide a smooth massage the route(s) before implementation of
flow for data collection. A haphazardly created the data collection process.
route can result in improper data collection,
missed measurements, duplicated EXAMPLE
measurements, and excessive data storage
requirements. Detailed investigation of the plant The diagram shows a route which starts in the
layout and machine construction will be required pump room, progresses to the compressor
to create the machine route. room, and finishes in the fan room. Route
construction often involves clustering the
This application note assumes that a machine machines into groups based upon their locations
list has been developed which defines each relative to each other. Other items such as
machine, the measurement points for each enclosures, access panels, or piping may
machine, and the measurement parameters for influence the route layout. After the route has
each point. See the application note "PM been created a practice walk through may
Program - Part 1" for information regarding identify adjustments that may be required.
machine list development.
Data collection in the pump room begins with
ROUTES Pump #3. Due to the proximity of Pump #2 and
Pump #3 the data collection progress from one
Once the list of machines, the measurement pump to the other with Pump #1 being the last
points, and measurement parameters have been machine to monitored in the pump room. Notice
tabulated a data collection route can be created. that for Pump #3 and #2 the data is collected
A plant layout diagram will be necessary to from the pump towards the motor while the data
determine the progression from machine to is collected in the reverse order for Pump #1.
machine and point to point.
Also, notice that the motor inboard
A plant with a large machine list may be split into measurement of the compressor machine train
several routes. Each route will be a logical was taken on the south side instead of the north
progression from measurement point to side. If no interfering structures were present
measurement point. The progression may not this reading could have been obtained on either
necessarily flow from one machine to the next in side, whichever side has the easiest access.
a consistent way. Certain routes may have the
data collected based upon the proximity of the Data collection in the fan room follow the same
measurement points, while other routes may be sequence for each fan with this route ending at
created which encompass machines on a single the south exit door of the fan room.
floor or part of the plant.
Route Checklist
When a route has been developed it should be
walked through. This means following the route
instructions exactly, progressing from each point 1. Machine List
to the next. This walk through will determine 2. Route(s) Developed
whether the route is efficient for data collection
or requires slight modifications. It will identify 3. Practice Walk Through
other requirements such as required access
clearances or ladders needed to get to each
measurement point.