Vibration monitoring is gaining traction in many manufacturing settings.
A vibration monitor gives access to data about how a given machine or set of machines is doing in terms of efficiency and health. This technology relies on sensors that measure vibration or other attributes, import the data into a system, and alert the supervisor of issues.
The vibration data provides valuable insights as to how well a machine is performing. Say, for example, a fan has a certain frequency as the blades spin. Then one day, the weight of the fan shifted, resulting in a clunky sound.
The sensors “hear” that sound, prompting an alarm.
This technology can be helpful in identifying machine breakdowns and possible safety incidents, cutting back on liability, waste, and downtime in the process.
Rotor Kit Vibration Monitoring: In rotors, sometimes bad vibrations come from instability or unbalance. This can lead to cracks that throw the entire system out of what. A rotor vibration analysis can help monitor the behavior of the piece to avoid problems.
How Vibration Analysis is Conducted: Time and frequency are held against each other in a vibration analysis. How much does the machine vibrate in a certain time period? Is that at baseline, or no? If not, why not?
Calculating the Expected Vibration Spectrum: There is a target for vibration that is normal given the machine is operating as designed. For example, if we’re measuring a pump that always vibrates slightly when running, we need a machine that knows what is “normal.”
Digitize the Signal: This is where the magic happens. In the past, technicians and reporters went to the floor and listened to each machine one by one. Now the systems are digitized, so the machine vibration reports end up in one easy-to-read database or chart.
Convert to Frequency Space: Advancing technologies have brought forward the Fast-Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. It basically reads the wavelengths to digitalize the report via changes in frequency.
Phase Analysis: There are tools that specifically measure vibration analysis. If something on the reading seems serious, it should be noted during the phase analysis.
This technology allows businesses to ensure the technology is running as designed, has been installed correctly, and will not have a sudden breakdown. Rather than wandering the floor looking for fans that have heavy spots, the supervisor just logs into the system.
For this reason, vibration monitoring and condition monitoring systems are catching on in factories and production plans around the globe.
