Machinery distress is often manifested in the form of vibration or a change in vibration pattern. Vibration analysis is a powerful diagnostic tool and method of predictive maintenance method, allowing early problem detection in rotating machinery such as gearboxes, fans, motors, compressors, pumps and other active machinery.

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Machinery vibration is measured using accelerometers, which generate voltages corresponding to the level and frequency of the vibration. Non-contact laser-based sensors can also be used. The data is recorded as either amplitude vs. time (known as time waveform), amplitude vs. frequency (known as fast Fourier transform), or both. The data is analyzed by software algorithms, and interpreted by trained engineers to determine the health of the machine and identify potential problems, including:

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• Imbalance

• Critical speeds

• Mechanical looseness

• Misalignment

• Electrical motor faults

• Bearing failures

• Gearbox failures

• Empty space or bubbles (cavitation) in pumps

• Bent shafts

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Vibration monitoring can be implemented in a reactive way, to determine what's wrong with a piece of equipment or machinery, but can be proactive, catching issues before they cause significant downtime. Using vibration analysis and monitoring enables you to look quantitatively into structural weakness or looseness and optimise performance. This proactive approach can also help to avoid downtime caused by unnecessary maintenance.

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With Go Monitor, you can continuously monitor vibration readings on various equipment in real time, viewing the data on your custom dashboard.