Provide as much machine information as possible to get the best analysis possible
An important aspect of Vibration Analysis is frequency identification which requires an understanding of the forcing frequencies of the machine. “In vibration analysis, a forcing frequency refers to the frequency of an external force that is applied to a vibrating system. This external force can be a periodic input, such as a mechanical or electrical signal, that is applied to a structure or machine” (ChatGPT). That’s a pretty good definition, but you can think of it like all the vibration frequencies which we can expect to be generated by the machine components and environment in both ideal and nonideal circumstances.
In many cases, these forcing frequencies are fairly easy for a vibration analyst to identify even without much information about the machine. For example, if you only tell me the Augury endpoints are mounted on the motor of direct driven centrifugal pump, I will expect to see vibration generated by the following components and will likely be able to identify them in the spectral data should there be an issue of concern:
- The motor shaft - there will be a peak at the turning speed of the motor shaft.
- The motor rotor bars/stator slots - the windings actually vibrate according to the electrical current.
- The motor bearings - each component of the bearings will generate vibration frequencies that are non-synchronous to the motor shaft speed.
- The pump impeller - a vibration will occur at the frequency of the pump shaft multiplied by the number of vanes on the impeller.
As machines get more complicated, with more components and forcing frequencies, it becomes more difficult to identify the source of those frequencies without information about those components, especially if there are speed increases or reductions along the drive train. If we know there are belts, chains, and/or gearboxes, we expect those components to generate vibration but it becomes more difficult to be certain about the signature not only of them but also of the forcing frequencies of the components further downstream.
The more information you can provide us about these components the more accurate the diagnostic results we provide will be and the less questions you will receive from us. The following is a list of information which is helpful to both our algorithms and analysts (it is not fully exhaustive):
- Motor nameplate RPM
- Motor bearing part numbers
- Motor number of rotor bars (sometimes on the nameplate)
- Coupling type and number of teeth, if applicable
- Belt type
- Sheave sizes and the center to center distance between them
- Gearbox type, number of stages, and ratio
- Driven shaft RPMs (when the motor is running at 60 hz line frequency - we can calculate from there)
- Number of blades on a fan
- Number of vanes on an impeller
- Type and part number of driven bearings - Journal, Rolling element, flange, pillow block, split-case pillow block, etc.
- Model number of driven equipment - Different equipment, even from one model to the next such as lobed blowers, compressors, hammermills, chillers, extruders, and rolls each have different expected vibration signatures.
Other types of information are helpful to the diagnostic process as well. If any maintenance or cleaning is performed on your Augury monitored equipment, you should always log it on the machine page as a repair or observation. When maintenance or cleaning occurs but is not logged, it can result in changes in the data which may later be misinterpreted by the algorithms and/or analysts as a “normal” fluctuation, increasing the likelihood that you are not alerted in the future when similar symptoms arise. The following is an example list of additional information which is helpful to both our algorithms and analysts (it is not fully exhaustive):
- Replacement of any associated machine components - motors, bearings, couplings, belts, sheaves, driven components, VFDs, supply wiring, damper control devices, screws, piping, supports, and more
- Cleaning the motor cooling fins or other debris from the motor or other bearings
- Fan wheel cleaning or filter replacements
- Adding lubrication or oil changes to bearings, chains, or gears
- Tension adjustments to chains, belts, and conveyors
- Changes to Augury hardware - Endpoint remounting, replacement, orientation changes, or battery changes
- Anomalous/unexpected operational issues - the piping was clogged, the float switch failed and the tank overflowed, the product was mixed incorrectly, etc.
As you can see almost anything that happens to your equipment is helpful information for our algorithms and analysts. Even with no information, Augury can provide value, but the maximum value is achieved through a maximum partnership between us. Integration with your CMMS can reduce the burden of manually logging information. For mass transfer of forcing frequency information, consider adding it to a spreadsheet and sharing it with your Customer Success Team.