Vibration Monitoring Measurement and Analysis

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Vibration monitoring can be used in many applications involving either static or rotating machinery and is a means of determining if equipment is operating within safe and acceptable limits. These acceptance zones, especially for non-rotating structures such as bearing housings and motor housings are defined by the manufacturers in accordance with international standards. Some of the objectives of carrying out vibration monitoring are highlighted below:

• Detect problems early

• Avoid catastrophic failures

• Enhance operations

• Extend equipment life

• Improve safety for personnel

• Improve maintenance procedures

• Increase equipment protection

As well as having technical knowledge and capability to be able to perform vibration monitoring on equipment and machinery, it is important to have the expertise to analyse and understand the significance of results. In addition to understanding if equipment is vibrating beyond the acceptance limits, FFT spectral analysis techniques can be used as a condition monitoring and fault diagnosis tool, which allow the following to be determined:

• Imbalance

• Misalignment

• Wear/damage to fluid film or rolling element bearings

• Gear or coupling defects

• Rubbing/mechanical looseness

• Cracks in critical components

• Fluid flow disturbances, Transients in electrical machinery

• Operational transients

ESR have used their vibration monitoring experience in a number of industrial applications including water and waste treatment, chemical production, rotating test equipment and building design.

One project involved a rotating secheur unit in a lime grit plant which was found to be inducing a resonant frequency that could be felt by staff traversing a walkway. The effect of the rotating machinery was determined by measuring the natural frequency of the equipment over a range of operating speeds and production cycles. The structure was evaluated and redesigned to eliminate the damaging resonances.

Testing and analysis was on a water treatment plant found a dynamic interaction between several rotating mixers and a chemical supply hopper, which was inducing vibrations during certain types of operation. This was found to be the result of resonant transition speeds. The resulting vibrations were found to be below critical limits and therefore considered to be within the operating parameters.

If you require vibration monitoring and analysis or have any questions please contact Rory Taylor on 01925 843459 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..