Product Design: Performance vs Constraints

Every product starts out on the drawing-board with a set of objectives that define what the product must accomplish. Before clearly setting objectives for the design, it is critical to understand the constraints that may prevent it from achieving all the intended goals. Constraints inherently…

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Future of Condition Monitoring

The ultimate goal of condition monitoring is to increase profitability by lowering maintenance costs and minimizing downtime. The goal can be achieved by making required changes to make sure that equipment is more reliable. The machines should be monitored every period of time to detect…

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Spectral vs Waveform Data

Spectral data is displayed in the frequency domain while waveform data is in the time domain. Spectral information is obtained by applying a Fourier transform to waveform data; this converts the data to show that amplitude and phase of the vibration at different frequencies. Both…

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Vibration Meters

Vibration meters are handheld instruments which are connected to and receive a signal from a vibration transducer and have a capability to process data so as to give an indication of vibration parameters. They are sometimes made specifically to meet certain standard, for example, ISO…

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Vibration Caused by Misalignment

Misalignment can occur when the centerline of coupled shafts are not coincident. Misaligned shafts cause overloading and vibration in a system; this condition can be diagnosed by examining spectral data and looking for specific patterns. Two types of misalignment conditions are possible: • Parallel misalignment…

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Why do Machines Fail?

The source of machine failure can begin from drawing board to poor maintenance practices and machine operating conditions. Every step of how the machine is fabricated, assembled, installed, and overhauled contributes to the life of the machine. To identify potential problems of machine failure, we…

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Structural Vibration

Structures are often exposed to high-energy vibration sources that can have disastrous consequences. Many industries are emphasizing lighter structures that use less material and cost less too, however this has a downside; lightweight structures have inherently lower damping characteristics and resonances can cause extremely high…

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Types of Gears

Gears come in different shapes, sizes and types depending on their intended use. Some of the common type of gears include: • Spur gears • Helical gears • Beveled gears • Worm gears • Planetary gears Spur gears are probably the simplest form of gears with straight…

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