Vibration Analysis
The condition of machinery can be assessed by analyzing vibration levels, especially when the analysis is conducted at your facility under normal operating conditions. When you hire the House of Balance vibration analysts, you are investing in the longevity of your company assets. Our nationally certified technicians will come to your facility and collect vibration data with our CSI Portable Data Collector, on all the bearings associated with a particular assembly, in three planes (horizontal, vertical, and axial). After we collect data, we then download the vibration spectrums into our advanced computer system, where we analyze the vibration signatures to see if the vibration meets or exceeds industry standards. If the vibration exceeds industry standards, we document the root cause of the vibration, along with the measures required to eliminate that vibration, well before failure would occur. When you take a proactive approach toward maintaining the equipment that keeps your company running, you are saving yourself a significant amount of time and money down the line.
Since the mid 1950’s, the measurement and analysis of vibration has become an increasingly useful technique for controlling machinery conditions. It is natural for all machines to vibrate. Even machines in the best conditions will have some vibration because of minor defects as a result of manufacturing tolerances. Therefore, each machine, whether it’s a 10,000 RPM compressor, a steam turbine generator, a lathe, or a vacuum cleaner, will have a level of vibration which may be normal. You can associate the condition of a machine with the level of vibration or noise that it makes. If it shakes or rattles more than usual, you begin to suspect mechanical trouble. Machinery vibration levels just do not increase or become excessive for no reason at all. Something causes it:
- Unbalance
- Worn Gears or Bearings
- Loose Gears or Bearings
- Bent Shafts
- Misalignment
- Mechanical Looseness
- Bearing Failures
- Resonance
- Hydraulic and Aerodynamic Forces
- Gear Issues
- Belt and Drive Problems
- Soft Foot
Each mechanical defect generates vibration in its own way. This makes it possible to identify a mechanical problem by measuring and noting its vibration characteristics. We can read the machines vibration “signature” long before the defective component will fail. The success of a company often depends on the continued, safe, and productive operation of rotating machinery. Expert preventive maintenance determines how long the machines will run, how safe they are for the people working around them, and how productive the machine will be. House of Balance is known for providing steadfast expertise and a “customer first” attitude.