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"Of all the parameters that can be measured non-intrusively in industry today,
the one containing the most information is the vibration signature.
Art Crawford
Imbalance
Misalignment
Looseness
Belt Problems Rolling Element Bearing Defects Gear Problems
Resonance
Electrical Problems
Rubs
Oil Whirl
Sleeve Bearing Problems
Oil Whip
Vane Pass
Flow Prolems
Blade Pass
Cavitation
Lubrication Problems
Pipe Strain
VIBRATION ANALYSIS IS USED TO IMPROVE PROFITABILITY IN EVERY MAJOR INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD
Probe Type
Displacement
Velocity
Acceleration
Line frequency related peaks commonly exist on every AC driven machine and are
present to some extent at 2 x of line frequency.
See chart Electric Motor Problems and Diagnostics Techniques for more complete
discussion of electric motor issues.
CAPTURED
WAVEFORM
Pk-Pk
mils Pk-Pk
mm/s (RMS)
in/s (Peak)
Peak g's
Peak g's
Every machine will vibrate when excited by a forcing function. Each machine has one or more natural or resonant frequencies. When any forcing function is near the
natural frequency, the resulting vibration will be significantly amplified and could cause premature failure.
A critical speed is when the rotating element is turning at a speed which excites resonance in the machine
Many times a forcing function (such as from a rotating shaft) excites a resonant frequency in another part of the same or nearby machine.
This resonant frequency may be identified by an impact test, typically when the machine is off; the machine structure may be rung like a bell.
Changing a structures stiffness, mass, damping, operating speed and/or reduction of the forcing function will effect the resonance issue and may help solve the
problem.
Resonance is becoming more of a problem in industry because:
Machines are now often run at higher speeds without properly considering natural or resonant frequency of equipment
Both Spectrum and Waveform provide useful data. Machinery faults often occur at specific frequencies and are most easily identified in the spectrum.
Trend plots show changes in a measurement over time.
English
Units
Frequency may be
expressed in either:
Cycles Per Minute
Hertz
Orders
Circle Plot
Imbalance
V
E
L
O
C
I
T
Y
Looseness
Bearing Band 1
Amount of
Eccentricity
Centers of
rotation are
offset
A combination of these
problems is most common
Mechanical Looseness
Typical waveform
Outer Race
characteristics:
Inner Race
Periodic but non-sinusoidal
impacting
Excessive g swing with
sharp impacting spikes
often resembling an angel
fish pattern
Periodic characteristic
diminishes with advanced
degradation
Depending on bearing type
and location, the
measurement in one
direction (horizontal, vertical
or axial) may be more useful
for analysis than either of
the other directions. For
most standard radial loaded
ball or roller bearings, radial
(horizontal or vertical)
location measurements are
best. Axial may be best for
tapered cup and cone and
thrust bearings.
Bearing spectrum
characteristics:
Commonly first appears
as high frequency / low
amplitude nonsynchronous peaks
Harmonics of the nonsynchronous peaks
Often show turning
speed sidebands
appearing around the
race defect frequency
Broad band energy
mounds or grass
(advanced degradation)
An outer race defect normally shows little or no modulation in the waveform, thus no sidebanding about the
BPFO frequencies in the spectrum.
SUMICO
Technologies (Pvt) Ltd
Running speed sidebands are typically displayed in an inner race defect spectrum about BPFI frequencies as
illustrated in the plot. These sidebands are caused by the defect passing in and out of the load zone at the TS of
the shaft. The associated waveform displays modulation which appears as sidebands in the spectrum.
Bearing ID Interpretation
Bearings are built to world
standards, ensuring consistent
availability worldwide.
Note: Because most motor
bearings are listed on motor tags
as AFBMA or ABMA numbers,
you may be able to calculate the
common bearing number from
the equipment nameplate.
Identification resources are
available from:
Interchange, Inc.
Interchange Inc.
P.O. Box 47596
Plymouth, MN 55447
For rolling element defects, cage frequency sidebands are typically displayed in a spectrum
centered around 1 or 2 times BSF fault frequency as illustrated in the plot. These sidebands are
caused by the defect passing in and out of the load zone at the TS of the cage. The associated
waveform displays modulation at the cage TS which appears as sidebands in the spectrum.
The spectrum (expressed in orders) demonstrates extensive impacting at gear turning speed. Recurring
periods of high spiking appear in the waveform each time the cracked tooth passes through engagement.
Worn or mismatched belts produce sub-synchronous and sometimes non-synchronous peaks and harmonics. The 2 x belt frequency typically
dominates, and multiples of the 2 x appear throughout the spectrum, because the defective belt passes over 2 sheaves. ASK BILL DAVIS
The highest amplitudes typically occur in the radial direction, specifically in line with the belts.
To resolve belt frequency in the spectra, it is necessary that
An eccentric sheave produces radial vibration at 1 x TS of the sheave
the time block of data includes at least 6 revolutions of the
Misaligned sheaves create axial vibration at 1 x TS of the sheave
belt (further references are available in Art Crawfords books)
These plots demonstrate an advancing fault. The trend shows a deteriorating bearing defect. As it advances, increased
high frequency broadband energy indicates rapid deterioration exhibited in the waveforms.
Belt Defects
Bearing Band 2
GEAR
EARLY
2 X GM
0.12
0.06
1 X GM
0
0
500
1000
1500
Frequency in Hz
2000
GEAR
WEAR
TOOTH
TOOTH
WEAR
(Use
same
scale)
WEAR
Contact Imran Ahmad: +92 42 531 5540-43 Cell:+92 321 427 6092
2500
LATER
GEAR
RMS = .2125
LOAD = 100.0
RPM = 1319. (21.98 Hz
0.18
TOOTH
Routine Spectrum
16-Oct-02 16:04:23
0.24
RMS Acceleration in G-s
Misalignment
Angular
Problem
RESONANCE
SEISMIC VELOCITY PROBES are no longer commonly used in industry except in high-temperature applications and are best for
low-amplitude, low-frequency measurements (1Hz - 2 KHz)
Stud mounting is preferred but common only with inaccessible situations and online
systems
More care is necessary when mounting higher frequency range accelerometers
Adhesive mounting is second in performance to stud mounting
Magnetic mounting is most commonly used for route-based monitoring
Hand-held probes yield poorest performance and are not recommended but are
sometimes necessary because of access restrictions or safety concerns
RESULTING
SPECTRUM
English
LINE FREQUENCIES
Metric
Units
Non-contact eddy
current probe
(requires signal
converter)
Spring-loaded mass,
sensitive to heat and
humidity
(no power required)
Piezoelectric crystal,
extremely robust
(requires external
power)
Units*
Metric
(Expanded
Spectrum)
Gears demonstrating wear over time. Note changes in amplitude from early stage wear to more
advanced tooth wear and increasing side bands
Emerson
Process Management
Freq: 681.25
Ordr: 31.00
Spec: .02673