Kelm

Engineering, LLC
Turning theory into practical solutions
907 S. Friendswood Dr.
Suite 202
Friendswood, TX 77546
(281) 993-3717
(979)319-4165 FAX

u.Learn.Vibration Advanced (Category 3)
u.Learn.Vibration Advanced (Category 3)
Basic Motion Understanding Free Vibration Topic: Basic Motion (B)
Natural frequencies can be easily excited by a variety of sources. When the source includes a periodic
force such as unbalance or other harmonic input, the vibration response is a periodic waveform with
steady amplitude. If the source is a transient event such as a shock, the response will be a transient
reaction that is called damped free vibration.

Possible sources of transient events that can produce shocks may include:
Impact events due to damaged anti-friction bearings (causes the angelfish look in time
waveforms)
Cavitation of pumps
Surge of compressors
Start/stop of the machine or adjacent machines
Impacts used in bump testing or modal test

A mechanical system will respond to a transient jolt with a decaying cycle as shown in figure 1. The jolt
can come from any source. Figure 1 shows the response due to an impact by a modal test hammer
where the vibration prior to impact was zero, and the response decays to near zero by the end of the
time waveform.

Although this simplistic waveform does not often occur on running machinery, it is not uncommon to
see similar types of response due to impacts such as bearing faults (anti-friction bearings). When the
bearing fault is present, it is expected to see transient jolts as the rolling elements hit defects in the
races or roll over failure debris. When this occurs, the jolt will be much like the impact test except that
multiple frequencies are often excited with a decaying waveform look.

An example of a bearing impact is shown in figure 2. When this sort of impact occurs, the rate of decay
is determined by the damping in the system. The frequency that it rings at will be available (and
excitable) natural frequencies. The impact will many times have multiple frequencies excited, with
several different natural frequencies excited.

Figure 3 shows more detail of the frequency content of the impact. In this case, primarily two natural
frequencies were excited by each impact. The frequency content near one of the natural frequencies is
shown in figure 3, which demonstrates the center frequency (natural frequency) as well as running
speed sidebands. The side bands are caused by the periodic impacts in the time waveform where the
impact occurs at some (in this case not all) shaft rotations at the same shaft position.

Kelm
Engineering, LLC
Turning theory into practical solutions
907 S. Friendswood Dr.
Suite 202
Friendswood, TX 77546
(281) 993-3717
(979)319-4165 FAX

u.Learn.Vibration Advanced (Category 3)

Figure 1 - Time Waveform

Figure 2 - Example of Bearing Impact
Decaying Response
Impact
Kelm
Engineering, LLC
Turning theory into practical solutions
907 S. Friendswood Dr.
Suite 202
Friendswood, TX 77546
(281) 993-3717
(979)319-4165 FAX

u.Learn.Vibration Advanced (Category 3)

Figure 3 - Bearing Fault Example

In the time waveform in figure 1, what controls the rate of decay of the waveform?

A. Stiffness of the system
B. Available damping
C. Moving mass
D. Intensity of the impact

Correct answer is B

Natural Frequency
Side bands due to
periodic impacts with
side band spacing
equal to shaft speed
Marks show shaft rotations