Vibration Analysis;

A Must-Have for
Your Motors
Vibration Analysis; A Must-Have for Your Motors

Industrial manufacturers must ensure that their machinery consistently functions well in order to stay productive.
Many companies do so using vibration analysis, a time-tested diagnostic tool that quickly and effectively identifies
faulty components and problem areas in facility equipment.

Vibration analysis measures the vibration levels and vibration frequencies of industrial machines and the individual
components that comprise them. Abnormal vibration magnitudes or frequencies may indicate that a piece of
machinery is currently experiencing or will soon experience a mechanical problem such as:

Misalignment Imbalance Bearing damage or failure Contaminated or insufficient lubrication Looseness

Excessive or anomalous vibration can result in reduced machinery life spans, poor or inconsistent product quality,
and in many cases, emergency shutdowns that cost time and money. Furthermore, workers who experience machine
vibrations may suffer from back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other physical symptoms if it goes unchecked. With
these issues at stake, it’s no wonder that manufacturers view vibration analysis as an essential part of preventative
maintenance.

The goal of any well-thought-out vibration analysis program should be reduced incidences of maintenance. The plan
must include root cause analysis of findings. Knowing a machine is misaligned is very different from knowing why
it was misaligned and fixing the root cause. Knowing your motor bearing is about to fail and planning ahead to pull
the motor out during a planned outage is great, but knowing why the motored failed is more important. Stop making
maintenance a routine and start fixing your maintenance routines!

Causes of Vibration and Machine Damage

Several possible issues can cause irregular machine vibration and subsequent damage, including:

yy Improper Installation
Improper installation is one of the most common causes of chronic machine vibration. It can occur both when
installing brand-new equipment and when tuning up or transferring existing machinery. Factors including
improperly fitted components, faulty power sources/electrical wiring, and machine misalignment or imbalance
can all contribute to unwanted vibration frequencies and magnitudes.

yy Insufficient Lubrication
Lubrication is the lifeblood of industrial machinery. Insufficient lubrication will increase the friction between
interconnected moving components, which may lead to increased wear and eventual failure. Contaminated
lubrication that hinders optimal viscosity will inflict similar damage on machinery.

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 v rms [inch/s] P re s s ure Fa n #1B \ Mo to r \ D E A xia l\ S ta nd a rd Mo to r T S 2000hz\ S p e c trum 2018-05-04 9:45:28 A M
0.50
0.45
0.40
Vibration spike at 1 times the rotor turning speed
0.35
yy Misalignment
0.30
frequency and sinusoidal waveform are
RPM : 1745 (29.08Hz)
Misalignment
0.25 occurs when the driving and indicators of unbalance.
0.20
driven shafts of an industrial machine do not
0.15
share
0.10 the same centerline. Think of a straight-
backed
0.05 wooden chair with one leg shorter
0.00
than the others: As you sit in the chair, it
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
undergoes slight, unintended rocking motion f [Hz]

thatv [inch/s]
results P refrom the
s s ure Fa unequal
n #1B \ Mo to r \ D length
E A xia l\ S and
ta nd a rd Mo to r T S 2000hz\ T ime S ig na l 2018-05-04 9:45:28 A M
1.0
alignment.
0.8 Similarly, an industrial machine’s RPM : 1745 (29.08Hz)

motor0.6 and shaft must be properly aligned,

0.4
or parallel,
0.2
or else excess or inaccurate
movement
0.0 will occur.
-0.2
-0.4
Misalignment
-0.6 can result from several issues,
including
-0.8 incorrect motor mounts (also
-1.0
known as “soft foot”), continued friction
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
in components that aren’t balanced across their counterparts, and thermal expansion. While small angles t [ms] of

The spectrum
misalignment above
may not posecontains
a serious a spiketoat
threat the1 machine’s
times turning speed
efficacy or 1 vibration
or longevity, per differences
large angular revolutioncan
cause severe damage if not promptly addressed.
of the motor indicating an Unbalance condition on the rotor/coupling/load.

Misalignment Spectrum and Waveform

v rms [inch/s] La k e rid g e P 2\ M o to r \ N D E H o riz\ S ta nd a rd M o to r T S 2000hz\ S p e c trum 2015-11-23 1:40:05 P M

0.18
RPM : 3544 (59.07Hz)
0.16
0.14
0.12
Vibration spike at 2 times the rotor turning speed
0.10
and saw tooth appearance in the waveform are
0.08
indicators of misalignment.
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
f [Hz]

v [inch/s] La k e rid g e P 2\ M o to r \ N D E H o riz\ S ta nd a rd M o to r T S 2000hz\ T im e S ig na l 2015-11-23 1:40:05 P M

RPM : 3544 (59.07Hz)
0.4

0.2

0.0

-0.2

-0.4

1480 1500 1520 1540 1560 1580 1600 1620 1640 1660 1680 1700 1720 1740
t [ms]

The spectrum
The spectrum abovea contains
above contains spike at 2 a spike
times at 2 times
turning turning
speed or speed
2 vibrations orrevolution
per 2 vibrations per of
indicative
revolution
a Misalignment indicative
between of aand
the motor Misalignment
the load. between the motor and the load.

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yy Imbalance
For industrial machines that rotate, it’s imperative that the shaft (or axis) balances equally. Just as a bent or
distorted axis on a car can result in rough rides and physical damage, the centrifugal force from an industrial
machine’s imbalanced axis will cause excessive and damaging vibrations.

Causes of machinery imbalance can include manufacturing defects or maintenance issues

such as dirty or worn components and missing balance weights.

Unbalance Spectrum and Waveform

v rms [inch/s] P re s s ure Fa n #1B \ Mo to r \ D E A xia l\ S ta nd a rd Mo to r T S 2000hz\ S p e c trum 2018-05-04 9:45:28 A M

0.50
0.45
0.40
Vibration spike at 1 times the rotor turning speed
0.35
0.30
frequency and sinusoidal waveform are
RPM : 1745 (29.08Hz)
0.25 indicators of unbalance.
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
f [Hz]

v [inch/s] P re s s ure Fa n #1B \ Mo to r \ D E A xia l\ S ta nd a rd Mo to r T S 2000hz\ T ime S ig na l 2018-05-04 9:45:28 A M

1.0
RPM : 1745 (29.08Hz)
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1.0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
t [ms]

The spectrum above contains a spike at 1 times turning speed or 1 vibration per revolution
The spectrum above contains a spike at 1 times turning speed or 1 vibration per revolution of the motor indicating an
of the
Unbalance motoronindicating
condition an Unbalance condition on the rotor/coupling/load.
the rotor/coupling/load.

Misalignment Spectrum and Waveform

yy Wear
v rms [inch/s] La k e rid g e P 2\ M o to r \ N D E H o riz\ S ta nd a rd M o to r T S 2000hz\ S p e c trum 2015-11-23 1:40:05 P M
0.18
Industrial machinery components wear down RPM : 3544 (59.07Hz)
0.16
through
0.14
repeated use over time. This can cause
chips and
0.12 gaps to form between bearings, gears, Vibration spike at 2 times the rotor turning speed
and 0.10
shafts. When that occurs, consistent misses and saw tooth appearance in the waveform are
indicators of misalignment.
or “jerks”
0.08 from the movement of the interlocked
0.06
components will cause machine vibrations. Even
0.04
though these gaps may start out relatively small,
0.02
they0.00
may cause vibrations that increase in severity
as the machine
0 wears200
down. 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
f [Hz]

v [inch/s] La k e rid g e P 2\ M o to r \ N D E H o riz\ S ta nd a rd M o to r T S 2000hz\ T im e S ig na l 2015-11-23 1:40:05 P M

RPM : 3544 (59.07Hz)
0.4

0.2
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0.0 4
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-0.2
 yy Loose Connections
Machines can also develop loose connections between components as they wear down over time. For instance,
bearings may gradually loosen from gears, leading to increased vibration as the loose bearings continue to absorb
stress from normal machine operations. Loose connections could quickly lead to highly damaging outcomes—in
some cases, loose mounts can cause machinery to roll or collapse, potentially resulting in financial loss and injury
to plant workers.

Rotating Looseness Spectrum and Waveform

Rotating Looseness Spectrum and Waveform
v rms [inch/s] A 1 MC Fa n\ Fa n\ N D E H o riz\ 6400hz\ S p e c trum 2019-04-01 10:55:33 A M
0.20
v rms [inch/s] A 1 MC Fa n\ Fa n\ N D E H o riz\ 6400hz\ S p e c trum 2019-04-01 10:55:33 A M
0.18 RPM : 3576 (59.60Hz)
0.20
0.16
0.18 Multiple vibration spikes of 1-10x harmonics of the rotor RPM : 3576 (59.60Hz)
0.14
0.16
0.12
turning speed
Multiple indicates
vibration spikesrotating
of 1-10xlooseness.
harmonicsMeaning
of the rotor
0.14
0.10
there isspeed
turning excessive clearance
indicates between
rotating the rotating
looseness. Meaningand
0.12
0.08 stationary
there elements
is excessive of the machine.
clearance between the rotating and
0.10
0.06
0.08 stationary elements of the machine.
0.04
0.06
0.02
0.04
0.00
0.02
0.00 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
f [Hz]
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
v [inch/s] A 1 MC Fa n\ Fa n\ N D E H o riz\ 6400hz\ T ime S ig na l 2019-04-01 10:55:33 A M f [Hz]
RPM : 3576 (59.60Hz)
v [inch/s] A 1 MC Fa n\ Fa n\ N D E H o riz\ 6400hz\ T im e S ig na l 2019-04-01 10:55:33 A M
1.0
RPM : 3576 (59.60Hz)
1.0
0.5

0.5
0.0

0.0
-0.5

-0.5
-1.0

-1.0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
t [ms]
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600
The spectrum above shows rotating looseness which contains spikes at multiples of turning t [ms]
The spectrum above
The shows
speed
spectrum rotating
or harmonics
above oflooseness
turning
shows which
speed
rotating and containscasespikes
in thiswhich
looseness was atspikes
multiples
a loose/worn
contains of turning
at pillow block
multiples speed or
of bearing.
turning
harmonics of turning
speedspeed and in of
or harmonics this casespeed
turning was aand
loose/worn
in this casepillow block bearing.
was a loose/worn pillow block bearing.
Bearing Fault Spectrum and Waveform
Bearing Fault Spectrum and Waveform
v rms [inch/s] S up p ly Fa n 2.1 \ D E V e rt\ 6400hz\ S p e c trum 2016-02-09 12:16:10 P M
0.20
0.18[inch/s] S up p ly Fa n 2.1 \ D E V e rt\ 6400hz\ S p e c trum 2016-02-09 12:16:10 P M
v rms RPM : 3583 (59.72Hz)
0.20
0.16
0.18
0.14 RPM : 3583 (59.72Hz)
0.16
0.12
High frequency spikes in the
0.14
0.10 spectrum may indicate a bearing
0.12
0.08
High frequency spikes in the
fault developing.
0.10
0.06 spectrum may indicate a bearing
0.08
0.04 fault developing.
0.06
0.02
0.00
0.04
0.02 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
0.00 f [Hz]

v [inch/s]
0 S up p ly Fa n 2.1 \1000
500 D E V e rt\ 6400hz\
1500 T ime2000
S ig na l 2016-02-09
2500 12:16:10
3000 P M 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000
2.0 f [Hz]
RPM : 3583 (59.72Hz)
v1.5
[inch/s] S up p ly Fa n 2.1 \ D E V e rt\ 6400hz\ T ime S ig na l 2016-02-09 12:16:10 P M
2.0
1.0 RPM : 3583 (59.72Hz)
1.5
0.5 Evidence of impacting (spikes) detected
1.0 in the waveform. In this case, the
0.0
0.5
-0.5
Evidence
effects of of impacting
electrical (spikes)
fluting detected
in the rolling
0.0
-1.0
in the waveform.
element duringInoperation.
this case, the
-0.5
-1.5
effects of electrical fluting in the rolling
-1.0 element during operation.
-2.0
-1.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800
t [ms]
-2.0
The0 bearing
50
fault
100
spectrum
150 200
above
250
contains
300
high frequency
350 400 450
spikes
500
and
550
elevated
600 650
noise
700
which
750
is 800
Indicative of bearing fluting caused by electrical currents running through the bearings. Further t [ms]
The bearing fault spectrum above contains high frequency spikes and elevated noise which is
the high frequency
The bearing faultIndicative
spectrum in the timehighwaveform indicates impacting at multiplenoise
pointswhich
typicalisofindicative
fluting
ofabove
bearingcontains
fluting caused by frequency
electrical spikes
currentsand elevated
running through the bearings. Further of bearing
caused
fluting caused bythe by
electrical common
currents mode current from the drive.
high frequency in running through the
the time waveform bearings.
indicates Further
impacting the high
at multiple frequency
points typical ofin the time waveform
fluting
indicates impacting at multiple
caused by common points
modetypical
currentoffrom
fluting caused by common mode current from the drive.
the drive.

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Benefits of Vibration Analysis
Performing regular vibration analysis comes with many benefits, including:

yy Increased efficiency:
With a clear idea of the precise locations of
problem areas in manufacturing systems, there
is no need to waste time diagnosing issues
through trial and error. Instead, experts are able
to promptly identify and fix snags in machinery
while allowing workers to dedicate more time to
revenue-generating tasks.

yy Data-driven change:
Vibration analysis can provide comprehensive
data that indicates where vibrations occur, how
severe they are, and when and how they’ll impact
operational efficiency. Armed with such knowledge,
teams can better allocate resources within plants
and anticipate maintenance delays. 

yy Less lost time:

Vibration analysis can help to prevent mechanical failure and the resulting financial losses caused by unplanned
facility downtimes.

yy Increased safety:
Fixing vibration issues in machinery will reduce the risk of workplace accidents caused by defective equipment,
and it will boost the health and comfort of workers who may otherwise experience chronic pain from vibrating
machinery.

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Vibration Solutions from Renown
At Renown Electric, we offer precision vibration analysis
that quickly identifies problem areas, quantifies the
type and severity of the issue, and allows you to make
informed maintenance decisions going forward. Our
skilled technicians follow a three-pronged approach
when testing equipment:

1. PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE

Our technicians start by looking at the basics. We check

whether:

55All machine bearings are properly installed

55All journal bearings or “shoulders” of a motor are smooth and burr-free

55Motors are not overly greased

We also ask questions such as:

55Are all the bolts on the machinery tight enough?

55Is the operating (hot) alignment good?

55Have any of the machine’s fan blades eroded or broken off?

If we determine that the machinery still has vibration issues after these initial procedures, we move to step 2.

2. VIBRATION ANALYSIS WITH i-ALERT®

Renown partners with i-Alert® to provide clients with the
manufacturing industry’s first Bluetooth-certified wireless vibration
transducer. This system combines three products into one:

1. Sensors installed in your equipment that continuously monitor

vibration levels and performance

2. An app that allows you to access machine-related data from your

phone or tablet

3. A unique AI platform that sends constant reports on your system’s

functionality

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i-Alert® measures critical machine factors including:

55Temperature

55Three-axis vibration

55Kurtosis (the sharpness of a peak in a frequency

distribution curve, which indicates vibration severity)

55Machine runtime counter

55Fast Fourier transform

55Time waveform

After resolving vibration issues, our technicians will return to

gather readings from the same points in the system to ensure
consistency and accuracy in our process.

The Renown Electric Advantage

Since 1984, Renown has provided top-quality predictive and preventative maintenance to manufacturing clients
across Canada and the U.S. Renown’s streamlined maintenance programs can cut costs, eliminate machine failures
and downtime, and benefit your bottom line.

Contact us today for more information on the advantages of working with Renown Electric.

Click on the Contact Renown

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