SUPERCHARGE

Your vibration
program
Are You Extracting the Full Value
From Your Vibration Analysis
Program?

Special Report
10 Critical Elements for Successful PdM | 1
 Operators have a much better
connection with the machine and
the process, and its in their interests
to detect faults before they become
potentially dangerous.
V ibration programs are filled with potential. Its often initiated with very good intentions. Some-
times those intentions are triggered by a critical failure that caused injury or that affected the
plants production. Unfortunately, many programs fail, but only because of a misunderstanding of
proper preparation and implementation or a lack of dedication of proper resources. Many programs
follow a common path to demise, normally occurring in the first year or two. The key is to super-
charge your program before it sputters into the abyss.
Unfortunately, the most critical and complicated machines are typically chosen as the first
machines to add to the database. Without proper understanding of vibration analysis, default data
collection settings are used and basic tests are made, which often are inadequate, especially for the
complex machines selected for the program startup. Some alarm limits are set, but improper under-
standing results in false alarms that are soon ignored. Faults are detected in their late stages, causing
repair work to remain urgent and reactive. The first steps down the road to failure have been taken.
The path continues as analysts cant explain their reports, so stakeholders question diagnoses.
Emphasis is made on bearing faults, and other problems are ignored. Catastrophic failures still
occur, and skepticism grows. Finally, resources are pulled from the program; either consultants are
brought in or its scrapped all together. We have arrived at our destination disaster.
Vibration analysis is a proven condition monitoring technology. Unproductive or marginally
productive programs are usually a result of improper planning and implementation or placing trust
in under-qualified analysts. Analyzing machine fault conditions from the vibration spectra is just a
small part of the whole job. Training is incredibly important. Management must:
understand and hold close the greater objectives of condition monitoring and predictive main-
tenance
be able to recognize and understand the relationship of qualified analysts to the programs health
understand why you detect to prevent
understand the importance of performing root-cause analysis and correcting inherent faults.
Whose vibration is it anyway?
The first step toward embracing vibration monitoring and analysis in an appropriate way is to
understand how to assign vibration responsibilities within the plant. If an organization is starting
a vibration analysis program, then chances are high that the maintenance department will be in
reactive mode, explains Jason Tranter, managing director and founder of Mobius Institute (www.
mobiusinstitute.com).
The maintenance department will be in fire-fighting mode, and therefore their priorities will be
associated with fixing todays breakdowns, explains Tranter. If the vibration analysts dont have
100% focus on the vibration monitoring program, then they will be constantly distracted; their data
collection routes will be delayed more and more, and thus the program will be ineffective.
Supercharge Your Vibration Program | 2

If the vibration analysts dont
have 100% focus on the vibration
monitoring program, then they
will be constantly distracted.
If the organization has a reliability group, then hopefully that means that the organization is
thinking about improving the future, continues Tranter. Condition-based maintenance is all about
fixing tomorrows problems so they dont become todays problems, he explains. The maintenance
department will hopefully be better able to deal with a condition monitoring program if it believes in
reliability improvement. But, if the maintenance department is in fire-fighting mode, it isnt a good
place for a condition monitoring team, unless they have the independence to do the job properly
and the support to have their recommendations acted upon.
In an ideal world, the vibration analysts would have enough time to test all machines with suffi-
cient frequency to detect faults at the earliest stage and monitor the progression of the fault. Spend-
ing a lot of time with the machines has numerous benefits, says Tranter. But, if the budget doesnt
support this effort, then a very good solution is to involve operators in the program, he suggests.
Operators have a much better connection with the machine and the process, and its in their inter-
ests to detect faults before they become potentially dangerous. If the operators detect a change in
vibration by using a simple meter or ultrasound, then they can call for the vibration analyst to come
and perform a complete analysis.
It is interesting to categorize vibration analysts in three ways, says Tranter, who explains the ana-
lyst types in detail.
Type One analysts recognize fault conditions because theyve seen them many times before on the
same type of equipment, and they rely on that experience.
Type Two analysts rely on cookie-cutter patterns that are seen on wall charts. This group also
includes OMG analysts OMG, the vibration is high. Wed better stop the machine and find out
whats wrong!
Type Three analysts understand the machine and can determine the condition of the machine by
using a combination of knowledge and experience.
Type One Analysts
Many analysts have a tremendous amount of experience and can diagnose faults quickly. They either
rely on experience alone, or they understand the machine and tools and know why the vibration
changes. The first group comprises Type One analysts, while the second group is Type Three.
Type One analysts work on the same type of machines, perhaps even the same machine, for
many years, says Tranter. Some 10-year analysts have one year of experience repeated 10 times.
They can remember how the vibration changes as the fault develops, and theyre valuable to have on
staff, but theyre hard to find.
It takes a lot of trial and error to become a Type One analyst. It takes the support of a patient
manager/supervisor to accept the trial and error not that any analyst is perfect, but when you rely
on experience alone, you have to experience success and failure to learn.
Supercharge Your Vibration Program | 3

For large machines, the transmission
of high-frequency vibration is greatly
attenuated through the machines
structure and might be difficult
to detect.
Type One analysts typically dismiss the need for training and certification. You cant teach 10
years of application-specific knowledge, and you cant test people on the specifics. Training and
certification have to be broad-based.
Type Two Analysts
Most managers dont believe in the principles of predictive maintenance. Unless the bearing is about
to fail, they wont take any corrective action. Fault conditions such as unbalance, misalignment, and
other conditions that will ultimately damage the machine are ignored unless the vibration levels are
very high.
As a result, vibration analysts can take a very simple approach. Rather than focusing on bearing
fault detection at the earliest stage and rather than making the effort to determine whether the ma-
chine has a fault condition that will result in premature failure of the bearing or other component,
most analysts try to stay one step ahead of the guy who listens to the bearing with a screwdriver,
says Tranter.
If you identify vibration changes, whether its the result of the bearing failure or not, and the
machine can be stopped before it fails catastrophically, then that vibration program is avoiding
downtime and resulting secondary damage, including potential injury or environmental harm. But
such a program may not garner the greatest benefits of the vibration monitoring technology.
These vibration analysts may evolve into Type One vibration analysts, given enough time, says
Tranter. They begin to recognize some of the tell-tale signs of a developing problem. If theyd taken
the time to find out what was actually wrong with the machine during earlier failures, then that expe-
rience may be put to good use.
Most Type Two vibration analysts wont look at the bearing after its removed from the machine
to determine how severe the damage was, says Tranter. They wont ask the craftspeople what was
actually wrong with the motor when it was removed from service, he explains. Type Two vibration
analysts will just continue monitoring the vibration and looking for the next problem.
In defense of Type Two vibration analysts, theyre often not given the opportunity to do a better
job. They need management support, so they can see that their contributions are valued.
They need to work in an environment where condition-based maintenance and reliability is a
priority, and they should be given adequate training more than a three-day course on how to oper-
ate the equipment and run the software, explains Tranter.
The vibration analyst needs to fully understand why the settings of the vibration analyzer are im-
portant, what the failure modes of the machine are, and how the vibration changes with the various
failure modes.
Type Three Analysts
These are the best analysts. They have experience and training, and theyll seek out the tough jobs,
Supercharge Your Vibration Program | 4
 utilize all the tools, and leave no stone unturned when trying to diagnose a fault. Type Three analysts
will also give the clearest diagnosis and recommendation.
Being a Type Three analyst requires the right type of training. Focusing on detecting bearing faults
alone, or focusing on cookie-cutter patterns isnt enough. Type Three analysts:
understand the machine failure modes
Condition-based maintenance is all understand how the vibration of the machine will change as the fault develops
about fixing tomorrows problems so understand how and where to measure the vibration to get the best data
understand the analyzer and the analysis options well enough to be sure theyre capturing and
they dont become todays problems. seeing all the details revealed by the machine
understand why the vibration changes the way it does so they can reverse-engineer what is going
on inside the machine.
The wall charts can remind an analyst of what the patterns might mean, but relying on them is
the equivalent of guessing what is wrong with the machine, explains Tranter.

Machine Vibration and Failure Modes

Machines vibrate in three dimensions, explains Tranter. The nature of the fault and the nature of
the machine dictate how much. Whether the machine is vibrating in the vertical, horizontal, or
axial direction, the nature of the fault, or the failure mode, dictates whether a spectrum can pro-
vide the information that will allow an analyst to diagnose it.
When an impact, rub, cavitation, or turbulence occurs, the time waveform will reveal key infor-
mation, explains Tranter. And with a large number of fault conditions where there are directional
driving forces, phase measurements provide key information. With a different group of fault condi-
tions, very high frequency data will reveal the earliest and most comprehensive details of the fault
condition.
At each point on the machine, the vibration depends which type of bearing for example, sleeve
bearing, deep groove bearing, thrust bearing, floating bearing is being tested; how the vibration
is transmitted from the rotating elements to the measurement location; how the sensor is mounted;
and the type of sensor. The data is only as good as whats collected.
Type Three analysts ensure the data, with the exception of phase data and other special test
data, is collected properly, says Tranter. They also understand the value of just standing next to the
machine and using their senses to understand the machine condition.
Sometimes, a machines vibration changes from one rotation to the next. The story it tells can
involve noise, short-duration events such as impacts, or high-frequency or low-frequency sounds. All
relevant data must be collected so the analysis is both comprehensive and repeatable.

Detect to Prevent
From vibration readings taken on rotating machinery, analysts can detect all manner of fault

Supercharge Your Vibration Program | 5

conditions. They can tell if the machine is misaligned; they can tell if a pump is cavitating; and
they can even tell if there is damage on the inner race of a rolling element bearing, says Tranter. A
successful vibration monitoring program can decrease maintenance costs through reduced down-
time, minimized secondary damage, reduced labor costs, and improved safety, he says. If faults
are detected in the earliest stages, maintenance can be planned when its most convenient.
However, many vibration analysis programs dont achieve their full potential because they only
detect faults that in the machine. They dont improve reliability. A true measure of reliability im-
provement should be a reduction in the faults that develop in the machines. Vibration analysts
shouldnt detect misalignment that results from poor alignment practices, says Tranter. Vibration
analysts shouldnt detect cavitation. And vibration analysts shouldnt detect faults in rolling element
bearings, unless the bearing has been installed for a very long time.
Some fault conditions will develop over time due to normal wear, but many fault conditions
develop because the machine was transported, installed, operated, lubricated, or aligned incor-
rectly, or because it wasnt ideally suited to the application. Rotating machinery and the individual
components are often selected based on price, not reliability. Total cost of ownership isnt taken into
consideration.
To achieve the greatest reduction in maintenance and operating costs, the vibration analysts job
shouldnt be limited to the detection of fault conditions. The analyst should be involved with reli-
ability improvement.

Initial Design and Purchase

When a specification is put together for a new piece of equipment, achieving high reliability
should be a key goal. The vibration analyst should be consulted when rotating equipment is to
be purchased, says Tranter. In an ideal world, machinery with easy-to-access monitoring points
would be selected.
Dont assume components, lubricants, and the machines themselves are in perfect condition
when theyre purchased. This isnt always the case. Bearings may not be transported or stored cor-
rectly and may suffer from false brinelling, explains Tranter. Lubricants may not meet cleanliness
standards. Rotating machinery may suffer from resonance or other conditions when operated under
normally. Rarely is rotating machinery designed with energy efficiency and reliability in mind.
Acceptance testing provides a way to test that machines and components are in good condi-
tion before theyre installed. It puts pressure on the supplier to deliver quality. Acceptance testing
guidelines can include specifications on a number of parameters, but, from the vibration analysts
perspective, the key standard is to set vibration limits that may not be exceeded. Tests may be
performed at the OEMs workshop or after being installed on-site, says Tranter. The conditions for
the test, including RPM, load, and mounting, must be clearly specified.
Acceptance testing should be performed when repair and overhaul work is performed, too. This

Supercharge Your Vibration Program | 6

 can include motor rewinds, rotor balancing, and pump rebuilds. Numerous ISO standards provide
WEBINAR
guidance for acceptable vibration limits when equipment is new or overhauled, and a number of
Condition Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance
specifications exist in the public domain, as well.
http://www.ilearn-online.com/promomovies/CBM-Benefits/CBM-Bene-
Many vibration analysts are involved with field balancing and shaft alignment. Balancing reduces
fits_controller.swf
rotating forces that can damage bearings and the machine structure. And shaft alignment reduces
This one hour presentation that sum-
the stress on bearings, couplings, and the shaft itself. Even if the vibration analyst doesnt perform
marizes four maintenance strategies then
the shaft alignment or balancing function, vibration readings should be taken before and after the
looks more closely at condition monitoring
work to ensure its done right.
and predictive maintenance. The benefits of
Set targets when performing shaft alignment and field balancing, recommends Tranter. Stan-
precision maintenance are described and then
dards from the ISO, API, and the U.S. Navy are readily accessible and provide an indication of bal-
illustrated. Along the way the presentation discusses the famous
ance quality, he says. While the G 6.3 standard is recommended in ISO 1940, G 1.0 should be the
bathtub curve and introduces OEE.
target, if precision maintenance is your goal. The equivalent API standard is G 0.7.
Rotating-machinery OEMs will often provide shaft alignment tolerances, and the laser alignment
PRECISION MAINTENANCE
manufacturers will provide guidelines. One standard that shouldnt be used is the specification
Introduction to Field Balancing
provided with certain flexible couplings, warns Tranter. These very loose specifications provide an
http://www.ilearn-online.com/promomovies/balancing-small/An%20intro-
indication of what the coupling may survive but they dont provide an indication of whats best for
duction%20to%20field%20balancing_controller.swf
the long-term operation of the machine.
One of the keys to improving reliability
Resonance occurs when a machine generates vibration at a frequency close to a natural frequency
is to ensure that machines are precision
of the rotor or structure. Resonance increases the vibration amplitude, and a high vibration ampli-
balanced. Balanced machines generate less
tude reduces the life of the bearings and the machine structure.
vibration, which therefore means less wear
The vibration analyst can identify the source of the vibration thats exciting the natural frequency
and tear on the machine and structure, fewer
and seek to reduce that vibration amplitude. For example, if theres unbalance thats exciting the
bearing failures, better product quality (where applicable), less
natural frequency, then one solution is to balance the machine.
vibration for surrounding machines and people, and they pose a
The vibration analyst also can help by performing tests that identify the natural frequencies and
lower safety risk.
then proposing modifications to the structure so the natural frequencies no longer correspond to the
frequencies being generated by the machine. The most common situation occurs when the running
PRECSION MAINTENANCE
speed of the machine corresponds with the natural frequency; however, other sources of vibration
Introduction to Shaft Alignment
such as the pump vane rate or blade passing frequencies can excite natural frequencies. It may be
http://www.mobiusinstitute.com/mi/Sample-Videos/Mobius%20Intro%20
necessary to increase the stiffness of the structure to increase the natural frequency, so that its no
to%20Shaft%20Alignment%20JT/player.html
longer excited by the vibration generated by the machine, recommends Tranter.
Performing precision shaft alignment
will minimize bearing wear and allow the
Root-Cause Analysis
machine to operate longer between overhaul
Unbalance, misalignment, incorrect belt tension, poor lubrication practices, incorrect machine
cycles. This presentation will provide an
operation, and resonance are common root causes of failures in rotating machinery, but many
introduction to misalignment and describe
others exist. When the vibration analyst detects a fault in the machine, the root cause should be
how to use vibration analysis to detect the
determined so measures can be taken to eliminate it, says Tranter. The ability to detect a bear-
condition. It also summarizes the entire alignment process.
ing defect is clever, but not if the same bearing exhibits the same fault condition months later.

3 Steps to Vibration Success | 7

MOBIUS INSTITUTE
ISO/IEC 17024 Accredited Vibration
Analysis Certification per ISO 18436
http://marketing.mobiusinstitute.com/acton/
attachment/2278/f-009e/0/-/-/-/-/file.pdf
Mobius Institute provides unique and
easily understandable vibration analysis
training and certification to Predictive
Maintenance (PdM) technicians and
Reliability Engineers, allowing companies
to operate at higher levels of availability and profitability.
VIDEO
Learn About Mobius Institute Training
& Certification
http://youtu.be/UlvaK54thMQ
Learn about Mobius Institute range of
training programs and products for vibration
analysis, shaft alignment, balancing,
and machine condition monitoring.
VIDEO
Become Vibration Analysis Certified
per ISO 18436-1 and ISO 18436-2
via the Internet
http://youtu.be/K_sjpLX9IcQ
Mobius Institute provides Distance Learning (web-based)
training courses and certification according to ISO 18436-1 and
18436-2 standards for Category I, II, III and IV vibration analysts.
Learn and get your certification without any travel cost or time
away from your home and job.
Sponsored by
Mobius Institute provides unique and easily understandable vibration analysis training and
certification to Predictive Maintenance (PdM) technicians and Reliability Engineers, allowing
companies to operate at higher levels of availability and profitability.
Mobius delivers vibration analysis and precision maintenance training through classroom
and onsite courses via Authorized Training Centers and through Web-based distance learning
courses. Training is also available through its line of computer-based iLearn products.
Mobius key advantage is its use of highly visual 3D animations and advanced simulation
tools that make complex concepts easy to understand and remember. Mobius Institute Board
of Certification is ISO 9001 certified and is an ISO/IEC 17024 accredited certification body that
provides globally recognized certification to personnel in accordance with ISO 18436-1 and
18436-2. More than 9200 analysts from 126 countries have been trained since 2005.
Mobius Institute has offices in Australia, the United States and Costa Rica, and Authorized
Training Centers in more than 50 countries. For more information, call (615) 216-4811 (GMT
-5), email us at learn@MobiusInstitute.com or visit www.MobiusInstitute.com.
WORLDWIDE HEADQUARTERS: U.S.A. and CANADA:
280 Myers Road, Merricks North, Post Office Box 11216
Victoria, 3926, Australia Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Tel: +61 3 5989 7285 Toll Free: (877) 550-3400
Fax: +61 3 5989 7393 Tel: (615) 216-4811
Fax: (206) 299-4411
www.MobiusInstitute.com
Produced by
555 W. Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143
630-467-1300 | www.PlantServices.com