Classification: General Business Use

VIBRATION MEASUREMENT & TESTING

Prepared by: Mohamed Yehia

Classification: General Business Use

What is “Vibration”?
Vibration is defined as the motion of the equipment or its part to and from its rest (static) condition.
Why do we need vibration monitoring?
It is essential to monitor critical machines in the plants for increasing their efficiency and reliability. Hence, real
time vibration monitoring is the key to reduce frequent failures of machinery & keep high uptime.
What causes vibrations?
Unbalance of shaft, bearing problem, cracking of the rings, Fluid coupling problem, Shaft misalignment, Oil whirl
and other dynamic instabilities
What is online monitoring of vibrations?
Time Based Maintenance System (TBM) is called preventive maintenance. One can extend the life of the
machines by monitoring these online in a cost-effective way.
Vibration Monitoring and Analysis is the easiest way to keep machines healthy and efficient in the long run and
increase the overall efficiency of the plant. It reduces the overall operating cost as well as the downtime period.
Vibration sensors are used to predict faults in a running machine without dismantling it and give a clear
indication of the severity by showing the amplitude of vibration.
What are the types of sensors for vibration monitoring?
The three principal vibration sensor types are displacement, velocity, and accelerometer.
The displacement transducer is an eddy current device, the velocity transducer is often a spring held magnet
moving through a coil of wire or piezo velocity sensor, and the accelerometer is a piezoelectric device
somewhat similar to ultrasonic transducers.
Explain following with their sensitivity (output) and the measuring units:
Radial:
A vibration measurement across the radius of a rotating shaft. It is measured in terms of Micron. The sensitivity of a radial
vibration pickup (eddy probe) is 200mv DC/mill (refer to the drawings for the exact parameters).
Velocity:
It is defined as the rate of change of distance traveled by the equipment. Velocity measurement is generally used for
measuring the equipment body vibration. The sensitivity of a velocity pickup is 500mv DC/inch/sec (refer to the
manufacturer drawings for the exact parameters).
Acceleration:
It is defined as the rate of change of velocity. Acceleration measurement is generally used for measuring the equipment
body vibration. The sensitivity of a velocity pickup is 100mv DC/inch/sec2 (refer to the manufacturer drawings for the exact
parameters).
Classification: General Business Use

Types of Sensors used in Vibration Measurement

DIFFERENT SENSOR TYPES USED FOR VIBRATION MEASUREMENTS
1. VELOCITY SENSORS
Electromagnetic linear velocity transducers:
Typically used to measure oscillatory velocity. A permanent magnet moving back and forth within a coil winding induces
an emf in the winding. This emf is proportional to the velocity of oscillation of the magnet. This permanent magnet may be
attached to the vibrating object to measure its velocity.
Electromagnetic tachometer generators:
Used to measure the angular velocity of vibrating objects. They provide an output voltage/frequency that is proportional to
the angular velocity. DC tachometers use a permanent magnet or magneto, while the AC tachometers operate as a
variable coupling transformer, with the coupling coefficient proportional to the rotary speed.
2. ACCELERATION SENSORS
Capacitive accelerometers:
Used generally in those that have diaphragm supported seismic mass as a moving electrode and one/two fixed electrodes.
The signal generated due to change in capacitance is post-processed using LC circuits etc., to output a measurable entity.
Piezoelectric accelerometers:
Acceleration acting on a seismic mass exerts a force on the piezoelectric crystals, which then produce a proportional
electric charge. The piezoelectric crystals are usually preloaded so that either an increase or decrease in acceleration
causes a change in the charge produced by them. However, they are not reliable at very low frequencies.
Potentiometric accelerometers:
Relatively cheap and used where slowly varying acceleration is to be measured with a fair amount of accuracy. In these,
the displacement of a spring mass system is mechanically linked to a viper arm, which moves along a potentiometric
resistive element. Various designs may have either viscous, magnetic or gas damping.
Reluctive accelerometers:
They compose accelerometers of the differential transformer type or the inductance bridge type. The AC outputs of these
vary in phase as well as amplitude. They are converted into DC by means of a phase-sensitive demodulator.
Servo accelerometers:
These use the closed loop servo systems of force-balance, torque-balance, or null-balance to provide close accuracy.
Acceleration causes a seismic mass to move. The motion is detected by one of the motion-detection devices, which
generate a signal that acts as an error signal in the servo-loop. The demodulated and amplified signal is then passed
through a passive damping network and then applied to the torquing coil located at the axis of rotation of the mass. The
torque is proportional to the coil current, which is in turn proportional to the acceleration.
Strain Gage accelerators:
These can be made very small in (size and mass). The displacement of the spring-mass system is converted into a change
in resistance, due to strain, in four arms of a Wheatstone bridge. The signal is then post-processed to read the
acceleration.
3. PROXIMITY SENSORS
Eddy Current Sensor Probe:
Eddy currents are formed when a moving (or changing) magnetic field intersects a conductor, or vice-versa. The relative
motion causes a circulating flow of electrons, or currents, within the conductor. These circulating eddies of current create
electromagnets with magnetic fields that oppose the effect of the applied magnetic field. The stronger the applied magnetic
field, or greater the electrical conductivity of the conductor, or greater the relative velocity of motion, the greater the
currents developed and the greater the opposing field Eddy current probes sense this formation of secondary fields to find
out the distance between the probe and the target material.
Classification: General Business Use

An eddy probe resistance should be between 5-8 ohms.

Capacitance Proximity Sensors:

Capacitive sensors use the electrical property of “capacitance” to make measurements. Capacitance is a property that
exists between any two conductive surfaces within some reasonable proximity. Changes in the distance between the
surfaces change the capacitance. It is this change of capacitance that capacitive sensors use to indicate changes in
position of a target. High-performance displacement sensors use small sensing surfaces and as result are positioned close
to the targets.
For more details, follow this link

How Vibration sensors work?

Sensors used to measure vibration come in three

basic types: displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
Displacement sensors measure changes in distance
between a machine’s rotating element and its
stationary housing (frame). Displacement sensors
come in the form of a probe that threads into a hole
drilled and tapped in the machine’s frame, just above
the surface of a rotating shaft.

Velocity and acceleration sensors, by contrast,

measure the velocity or acceleration of whatever
element the sensor is attached to, which is usually
some external part of the machine frame.

A design of displacement sensor manufactured by the Bentley-Nevada Corporation uses electromagnetic eddy current
technology to sense the distance between the probe tip and the rotating machine shaft. The sensor itself is an encapsulated
coil of wire, energized with high frequency alternating current (AC). The magnetic field produced by the coil induces eddy
currents in the metal shaft of the machine, as though the metal piece were a short-circuited secondary coil of a transformer
(with the probe’s coil as the transformer primary winding). The closer the shaft moves toward the sensor tip, the tighter the
magnetic coupling between the shaft and the sensor coil, and the stronger the eddy currents. The high-frequency oscillator
circuit providing the sensor coil’s excitation signal becomes loaded by the induced eddy currents. Therefore, the oscillator’s
load becomes a direct indication of how close the probe tip is to the metal shaft. This is not unlike the operation of a metal
detector: measuring the proximity of a wire coil to any metal object by the degree of loading caused by eddy current
induction. In the Bentley-Nevada design, the oscillator circuit providing sensor coil excitation is called a proximitor. The
proximitor module is powered by an external DC power source and drives the sensor coil through a coaxial cable. Proximity
to the metal shaft is represented by a DC voltage output from the proximitor module, with 200 millivolts per mil (1 mil = 1
/1000 inch) of motion being the standard calibration.

Since the proximitor output voltage is a direct representation of distance between the probe’s tip and the shaft’s surface, a
“quiet” signal (no vibration) will be a pure DC voltage.
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A technician adjusts the probe such that this quiescent voltage

will lie between the proximitor output voltage range limits. Any
vibration of the shaft will cause the proximitor output voltage to
vary in precise step. A shaft vibration of 28.67 Hz, for instance,
will cause the proximitor output signal to be a 28.67 Hz
waveform superimposed on the DC “bias” voltage set by the
initial probe/shaft gap.

An oscilloscope connected to this output signal will show a

direct representation of shaft vibration, as measured in the axis
of the probe.

In fact, any electronic test equipment capable of analyzing the

voltage signal output by the proximitor may be used to analyze
the machine’s vibration: oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers,
peak-indicating voltmeters, RMS-indicating voltmeters, etc.
Photographs of a Bentley-Nevada displacement sensor
(sensing axial vibration on a “ring” style air compressor) and
two proximitor modules are shown here:

It is customary to arrange a set of three displacement probes at

the end of a machine shaft to measure vibration: Two radial
probes and one axial (or thrust) probe. The purpose of this tri-
axial probe configuration is to measure shaft vibration (and/or
shaft displacement) in all three dimensions:

It is also common to see one phase reference probe installed

on the machine shaft, positioned in such a way that it detects
the periodic passing of a keyway or other irregular feature on
the shaft. The “key phasor” signal will consist of one large pulse
per revolution:

The purpose of a key phasor signal is two-fold: to provide a

reference point in the machine’s rotation to correlate other
vibration signals against and to provide a simple means of
measuring shaft speed. The location in time of the pulse
represents shaft position, while the frequency of that pulse
signal represents shaft speed.

For instance, if one of the radial displacement sensors indicates

a high vibration at the same frequency as the shaft rotation
(i.e., the shaft is bowed in one direction, like a banana spinning
on its long axis), the phase shift between the vibration’s
sinusoidal peak and the phase reference pulse will indicate to
maintenance machinists where the machine is out of balance.

This is not unlike automatic tire-balancing machines designed

to measure imbalance in automobile tire and wheel assemblies:
the machine must have some way of indicating to the human
operator where a balancing weight should be placed, not just
how far out of balance the tire is.
Classification: General Business Use

In the case of machine vibration monitoring equipment, the key

phasor signal and one of the axial displacement signals may be
simultaneously plotted on a dual-trace oscilloscope for the
purposes of determining the position of the imbalance on the
machine shaft.

Gap Voltage of Bentley Nevada Vibration Probe

Gap voltage (VDC) is a direct representation of distance between the probe’s tip and the shaft’s surface. This
quiescent voltage needs to be adjusted between the proximitor output voltage range limits. Any vibration of the shaft will
cause the proximitor output voltage to vary in precise step.

Vibration Probe Gap Voltage

Gap voltage of Bentley Nevada vibration probe is usually set at -10V.

Reason for setting at -10 volt is, as we know, proximitor allows probe to work
from -2 volt to -18 volt.

So, voltage difference of 2 to 10 and 10 to 18 is 8 volts. When setting at -10-volt,

probe can equally measure vibration at both sides, (I mean when shaft is going
away from probe or towards probe).

Suppose we adjust probe at -9 volt. Can the probe detect vibration?

Yes, it can detect vibration, but its one side will be margin of 7 volt and other side margin of 11 volt. At 11-volt margin,
probe will detect vibration excellent but at other side, 7-volt side, it has limitation, when more vibration it may not detect.

How to do calibration checks of vibration Probe, extension cable and vibration monitor

Calibration Procedure:
1. Physical check of vibration probe and extension cable for any damages, if there is any, please replace with same one.

2. Check the resistance of vibration probe, it should be 5Ω to 9Ω and continuity of extension cable should be 5Ω to 20 Ω.
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3. Use this equation and get reading for calibration of vibration

probe.

4. Connect test equipment.

5. Adjust the spindle micrometer on the TK-3 test and

calibration kit shown 0.51 mm (20mils) (0.0254mm=1mils)

6. Insert the probe in to the TK-3 probe holder adjust the probe in the holder until the digital multi-meter shows -3.00 ±0.10
VDC.

7. Adjust the micrometer to 0.20mm (8mils) indication and the back it out again to the 0.25mm (10mils) indication backless
in the micrometer forced the o/p voltage and record it.

8. Increase the gap in 0.25 (10mils) increment by adjusting the micrometer record the voltage indication at each increment.

9. For each gap increment, subtract the voltage at the high gap from the voltage at the low gap divide the result by in a system
incremental scale factor of 7.87 ±0.79 V/mm (200 mv ±20 mv/mils).

10. Subtract the 0.25 mm (10mils) voltage (-5Vdc) from the 2.28 mm (90mils) (+11Vdc) and divided by 2.03 mm (80mils). The
result should be in a system average scale factor (ASF) of 7.87 ±0.43 V/mm (200 mv ±11 mv/mils).

Bentley Nevada Vibration Probes Functional Testing

To check the characteristics and healthiness of vibration

probes. Proximity transducers use Eddy Current principle
to measure the distance between the probe Tip and the
surface to be observed. The proximitor generate a low
power radio frequency (RF) signal. This RF signal is
connected to a coil of wire inside the probe tip by the
extension cable. When no conductive material is within
the range of RF signal, which surrounds the probe tip,
virtually all the power released to the surrounding area is
returned to the probe. When a conductive surface
approaches the probe tip, the RF signal sets up small
eddy currents on the surface. These eddy currents create
a measurable power loss in the RF signal. When vibration
tip nearer the target the greater the power loss. The
system uses this power loss to generate as output
voltage. The output voltage of the proximitor is linearly
proportional to gap over a wide range.

Required tools are Multi-meter, Micrometer and TK-3.

Procedure: Follow the following steps

1) Physically check the vibration probe and extension cable for any damages, if it is please replace with new one.
Classification: General Business Use

2) Check resistance of vibration probe and continuity of extension cable it should be in between 5 To 9Ω and 5 to 20 Ω
(resistance value varies from model to model).

3) Place the vibration probe on TK-3 spindle, adjust to the target plate surface, and make sure the scale is zero.

4) Connect multi-meter on proximitor common and Vout terminals. Apply input voltage.

5) Measure the output voltage (multi-meter reading) and increase

the target distance in the TK-3 calibrator and follow the same
steps as per given table and note down the output voltages at
different displacements (gaps).

6) After this make a graph which shows the relation between gap
and voltage.

7) If graph is linear in between 10 mils to 80 mils then probe is in

good condition.

Note: Change in gap is within 80 mils Linear Range that is in between 10 mils and 90 mils

For more details, Q&A’s about vibration topic, follow this link
Classification: General Business Use

What is TK-3 Calibrator?

TK-3 Calibrator instrument provides a reference mechanical motion for

calibrating and performance testing of machinery protection systems.
The two models of the instrument have identical functions but different
power sources.
1. The TK3-2e is electrically powered and
2. TK3-2g is powered by pressurized air.

TK-3 Calibrator

The instrument includes two basic calibration units: A wobulator (which is

used in conjunction with a dial indicator) and a spindle micrometer. The
spindle micrometer is used to check the voltage versus distance
characteristics of the probe and proximitor. It is also used to calibrate
thrust position. The wobulator generates a precise vibration and key-
phasor reference. The peak-to-peak vibration is controlled by manually
operated swing arm and checked with dial indicator included in the kit.
The rotating speed of the wobulator is controlled by adjusting the speed
control knob. If a probe has been permanently installed in a machine or is
otherwise inaccessible, a probe with identical electrical characteristics can TK3-2E
be substituted for calibration purposes. A complete vibration monitoring
system can be checked by applying a known mechanical input to the
probes and observing the meter indication or by measuring the monitor
output.

Principle

The TK-3 Calibration Instrument simulates shaft vibration and position for calibrating Bentley Nevada monitors and
checking the vibration probes. It verifies the operating condition of the monitor readouts as well as the condition of the
proximity transducer system.

A properly calibrated system ensures that the transducer inputs and the resulting monitor readings are accurate. It verifies
the operating condition of the monitor readouts as well as the condition of the proximity transducer system.

A properly calibrated system means that the monitor readings and transducer inputs are accurate and both readings will
be matched. A spindle micrometer is used to check the transducer system and position monitor calibration.

A probe-mounting adapter provided with the TK3-2 holds the probe while the target is moved toward or away from the
probe tip in calibrated increments.

The output from the Proximitor® Sensor is recorded using a voltmeter. Vibration monitors are calibrated using the motor-
driven wobble plate. A swing-arm holder is located over the wobble plate to hold the proximity probe in place. The holder
and probe are adjusted to a position where the desired amount of mechanical vibration is found.