Rotating machines such as fans, angle grinders, driveshafts, and compressors vibrate when they are operating. The vibration can be captured by a transducer (displacement, velocity, or acceleration). In order to understand vibration, we can start with a simplified problem. Let’s take an example of a fan that rotates on it’s…
read moreDisplacement transducers, which are also known as eddy current probes or proximity probes are non-contact transducers used to measure relative movement between the shaft and the tip of the sensor. They are typically drilled into journal bearing or sleeve bearing. Hence they are difficult and…
read moreImperfections during manufacturing usually impact the balance in rotating machinery. It is expected that the center of rotation and the center of mass will not coincide perfectly, causing a mass imbalance in the system. Manufacturers currently overcome this issue by using specialized machinery to detect…
read moreDetermining the cause of vibration can be a complicated task and it is always important to consider the machine which is being analyzed. Vibration can be associated with various sources such as: Bearing faults Mass imbalances Damaged gears Loose belts Electrical faults Hydrodynamic instabilities Knowing…
read moreHand-arm vibration has become a concern in the workplace because of the longterm effects of exposure to vibration, and several forums and regulatory bodies exist to address the issues of hand-arm vibration. I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the Hand-Arm Vibration conference…
read moreTrying to decipher raw vibration data without additional tools can be extremely complicated; the vibration signal will be a waveform that can be a summation of various independent sources vibrating at different frequencies. Thankfully, the waveform can be mathematically converted into spectral data using a…
read moreWe can feel vibrations of all types of rotating equipment. However we do not know what causes the vibrations in the systems. Vibration data taken from transducers (displacement, velocity, and acceleration) display vibration magnitude versus time, which is known as time domain. Time domain contains…
read moreCompressors are a widely used product that come in various sizes and shapes. They are implemented in several commonly used applications such as: Refrigeration systems Air conditioning units Compressed air filling systems The purpose of a compressor is to increase the pressure in a predetermined gas…
read moreBoat propellers are mostly cast and made from various alloys. Porosity and shrinkage are usually formed during casting processes, and foreign materials or inclusions are often observed in cast propellers. These manufacturing defects generate mass imbalance in the propellers. Static balancing is required to balance the propellers by…
read moreMachines are typically balanced in one plane or two planes by adding or removing material. The previous article titled “Balancing in Manufacturing“, mentioned different types of imbalance in rotating machinery, and the importance of why machines have to be balanced. The question is: How do…
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