Mechanical vibration Inspection
Technicians and operators every so often notice unusual vibrations or noises on the plant or shop floor where they work daily. In order to determine if a serious problem actually exists, they could proceed with a vibration analysis. Vibration analysis implies, state of a machine is identified on the basis of an analysis and study of vibration.
Successful application of vibration diagnosis requires in practice staff with considerable degree of knowledge and experience. Standard work of data gathering may be performed by skilled personnel without academic educations, but data assessment and processing of the machine condition is the task for an engineer who has expertise in different areas like mathematics, design of machines, dynamics, signal processing etc. and who is capable to use this expertise in context.
Why is Vibration Study and Analysis Important?
The vibration analysis is a very important technique, in terms of mechanical vibrations for machine diagnosis. It is based on the high information content provided by the machine vibration signals that are an indicator of machine condition, used for the diagnosis of faults. Vibration analysis in a predictive maintenance program, is widely used for monitoring and detection of initial and critical faults in machinery parts, like shafts, bearings, rotors, couplings, motors etc. Some problems that are usually detected by vibration analysis are: unbalance, misalignment, bent shaft, rolling bearing faults, eccentricity, resonance, looseness, rotor rub, fluid-film bearing instabilities, gear faults, belt/sheave problems.
Following are the reasons that makes vibration study and analysis important:
- Reduces equipment costs
- Reduces labor costs
- Reduces lost production time
- Increases safety
- Increases revenue
- Increases efficiency of employee time
What is Done During Vibration Study and Analysis?
The main objectives when performing a vibration study typically fall into one or more of three categories:
Capacity: Map the dynamic behavior of the machine from current to targeted speeds, yielding the most cost-effective approach by foreseeing problems.
Rebuild: Evaluate how rebuilds will affect the dynamic behavior of the machine and its consequences at current or increased speeds. Troubleshooting: Locate and eliminate vibration sources currently having a detrimental effect on the machinery or process. Vibration analysis are performed by Fourier transform (by its decomposition into Fourier series). All actions related to the study and analysis, given below is employed in analyzers that are utilized in vibration diagnostics.
There are different types of analyzers: operational or laboratory, with one or more channels – but the principle of their operation is always the same.