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Orbit and Timebase Plots

The document describes various types of plots used in machinery vibration analysis. It explains that orbit plots show the path of a shaft centerline using signals from two orthogonal proximity probes, and timebase plots show vibration with respect to each probe. It also summarizes several other common plots like trend plots, average shaft centerline plots, spectrum plots, waterfall plots, and more.

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856 views16 pages

Orbit and Timebase Plots

The document describes various types of plots used in machinery vibration analysis. It explains that orbit plots show the path of a shaft centerline using signals from two orthogonal proximity probes, and timebase plots show vibration with respect to each probe. It also summarizes several other common plots like trend plots, average shaft centerline plots, spectrum plots, waterfall plots, and more.

Uploaded by

Anonymous w6TIxI0G8l
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Orbit and Timebase Plots

• The Orbit plot shows the path of the shaft centerline.

• The rotor vibration is sensed by two orthogonally mounted


(XY configuration) Proximity probe transducers. The X and
Y transducer signals shown in the Timebase plot show the
vibration with respect to the individual transducer. When
the two timebase signals are combined, a two dimensional
picture of the path of the shaft centerline (Orbit) is
generated.

• The Orbit plot is one of the most powerful machinery


management plots, because it combines vibration
amplitude, phase and frequency into a single plot that is
easy to interpret.
Orbit and Timebase Plots

• The Orbit plot shows the path of the shaft centerline.

• The rotor vibration is sensed by two orthogonally mounted


(XY configuration) Proximity probe transducers. The X and
Y transducer signals shown in the Timebase plot show the
vibration with respect to the individual transducer. When
the two timebase signals are combined, a two dimensional
picture of the path of the shaft centerline (Orbit) is
generated.

• The Orbit plot is one of the most powerful machinery


management plots, because it combines vibration
amplitude, phase and frequency into a single plot that is
easy to interpret.
Trend Plots

• A presentation in Cartesian format of a measured variable


versus time.

• The correlation of process related information (flow, load,


pressure, tank level, etc.) with vibration and position
information can be a very powerful machinery diagnostic
tool.

• In many cases the ability to determine the fundamental


cause of a machine malfunction depends upon process
information.
Average Shaft Centerline Plots

• This plot is constructed from the dc (position) component


of the Proximity probe signal.

• Two XY Proximity probes are necessary for this two


dimensional, radial position, measurement.

• Correlation of shaft position measurements: stopped


versus at speed, cold versus hot, no load versus normal
load, is an important diagnostic tool.

• This is a very effective indicator of bearing wear and


changes in the machines alignment state. When the orbit
plot for a selected point is added to its corresponding dc
position then a correlation can be made between orbit
shape changes and the dc position change.
Average Shaft Centerline Plots

Orbit

• When the orbit plot for a selected point is added to its


corresponding dc position then a correlation can be made
between orbit shape changes and the dc position change.

• Some applications allow the Shaft Centerline plots to


provide the option to create Orbit plots for selected points
and to display these on top of their corresponding DC
points. This illustrates how the orbit changes as the DC
position changes.
Half Spectrum Plots

• Commonly a presentation of a signal's frequency


components versus amplitude.

• The Spectrum Plot shows the frequency content of a


signal. This plot is useful in determining which frequency
components are included in a complex vibration signal
Full Spectrum Plots

• An enhanced spectrum plot produced by using the


timebase waveforms from XY transducers to calculate the
amplitudes of the forward and reverse (backward)
frequency components.

• This plot is very effective at determining the direction of


precession for various frequency components.
Half Spectrum Waterfall Plots

• The Waterfall Plot is generated from a series of spectrum


plots taken over a period of time or changing load
conditions.

• The vertical axis is usually time (can be load) and the


horizontal axis shows the vibration frequency.

• The Waterfall Plot is useful in determining changes to


various frequency components.
Full Spectrum Waterfall Plots

• The full spectrum waterfall plot is constructed from the


output of two orthogonally mounted Proximity Probe
transducers.

• It shows the forward and reverse frequency components


over a time range.

• The Waterfall Plot is generated from a series of spectrum


plots taken over a period of time or changing load
conditions.

• The vertical axis is usually time (can be load) and the


horizontal axis shows the vibration frequency.

• The Waterfall Plot is useful in determining changes to


various frequency components.
Half Spectrum Cascade Plots

• The Spectrum Cascade Plot is a series of spectrum plots


taken over a speed range, usually at set speed intervals.

• It is a useful plot to determine frequency relationships


over a speed range.
Full Spectrum Cascade Plots

• The Full Spectrum Cascade is constructed from the output


of two orthogonally mounted Proximity Probe transducers.

• It shows the forward and reverse frequency components


over a speed range.
Polar Plots

• Polar format presentation of the locus of the shaft 1X (or 2X,


nX…) filtered vibration amplitude and phase lag from a single
vibration channel as a function of shaft rotative speed.

• The data used in this plot is identical to the data used in the
Bode plot.

• The polar plot is generated usually during machine startup or


coast down (transient operation).

• This plot is sometimes incorrectly called a Nyquist plot.

• This plot is useful in determining the slow roll vector, slow roll
speed range, balance resonant frequencies, synchronous
amplification factor, heavy spot location and rotor mode
shape.
Acceptance Region Plots

• Trend information of the 1X or 2X vibration vectors (amplitudes


and phase lag angles) presented in polar or Cartesian format,
or the shaft average centerline position in Cartesian format.
• The user defines the normal Acceptance Region for each shaft
radial vibration or position measurement on the machine,
based on historical data or the machine under all normal
operating conditions.
• If the vibration vectors or shaft position go outside the
Acceptance Region hardware and/or software alarms should
indicate a possible problem. Alarm set points should be set
independently for maximum and minimum values of
amplitude, phase and position.
• Acceptance Region information is an important indicator of a
shaft crack and other machine malfunctions.
APHT Plots

• An APHT acronym used to describe the trend plot of


filtered vibration amplitude and phase angle data.

• This data may be presented in both Cartesian and polar


formats.

• Commonly used for 1X, 2X and nX vibration data. Under


constant operating conditions a machine’s vibration
amplitude and phase lag usually does not change
appreciably.

• A change in amplitude and phase lag under constant


operating conditions indicates that something has
changed inside the machine.
Bode Plots

• A pair of graphs in Cartesian format displaying the 1X


vibration vector (phase lag angle and amplitude) as a
function of shaft rotative speed.
• The Y axis of the top graph represents 1X phase lag angle,
while the Y axis of the bottom graph represents 1X
amplitude. The common X axis represents shaft rotative
speed. This plot is also used for 2X, 3X, etc. vibration
vectors.
• The data used in this plot is identical to the data used in
the Polar plot.
• This plot is useful in determining the slow roll vector, slow
roll speed range, balance resonant frequencies,
synchronous amplification factor, heavy spot location and
rotor mode shape.
Campbell Plots

• A diagram used in rotating machinery design.

• A tool for selecting and checking shaft operational rotative


speeds and other possible forcing function frequencies
against the spectrum of natural frequencies to avoid
resonances.

• The X axis represents the various possible excitation


frequencies, i.e., rotative speed (1X), oil whirl (.40X to .48X),
blade or vane passing frequencies, gear mesh frequencies,
etc.

• The Y axis represents the rotor lateral and torsional


natural frequencies.

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