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Gear Vibration
When gear teeth go into and out of mesh, they create cyclic
forces and vibrations. These vibrations occur at the gear mesh
frequency (GMF), which is given by:
GMF N
where N is the number of teeth and is the angular velocity. For
example, a 40 tooth gear mounted on a shaft rotating at 3600
rpm would have a GMF of (40×3600/60) = 2400 Hz. These
periodic forces produce harmonics in the spectrum according to
the Fourier series. Therefore, vibrations are expected to occur
not only at the GMF, but also at its harmonics.
Amplitude modulation. This occurs in gears with excessive backlash or eccentricity. The result
is a high-frequency vibration signal (carrier wave) whose amplitude is varying at a lower
frequency (modulating wave), as shown below:
1.5
0.5
-0.5
-1
-1.5
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
These sidebands also occur at the harmonics of the GMF, and the entire spectrum may appear as
indicated below.
Furthermore, when two or more events occur during each revolution (such as tooth-to-tooth
spacing errors or eccentricity errors), the modulating frequency will be two or more times the
speed of rotation of the faulty gear, resulting in a family of sidebands around the GMF and its
harmonics.
Bearing Faults
Damage may occur in the inner ring, rolling element or outer ring. Discrete faults give rise to a
series of bursts at a rate corresponding to the contacts with the rolling elements. The pulse
patterns are shown below. Note that inner race faults rotate in and out of the loaded zone giving
amplitude modulation.
These faults are distinguished by their frequency of occurrence. Consider a rolling bearing
having a fixed outer ring, as shown below.
Rb
Rs
s
Ro
From kinematics, Rs s 2Rb b , since we are assuming rolling without slipping. The angular
velocity of the cage is related by Rs Rb c Rb b . If there is a defect on the outer race, it
happens at a frequency of
Rb Rs Rs
d Nc N s N s
Rs Rb 2Rb 2 Rs Rb
where N is the number of balls in the bearing. If there is a defect on the inner race, then it will
appear at a frequency of
2 Rs Rb Rs Rs 2 Rb
d N s c N s N s
2 Rs Rb 2 Rs Rb
If there is a defect on the ball, the calculation is a little more difficult. When the defect makes a
complete rotation with respect to the outer race, it will have rotated an angle of
2Rb R R Rb
2 2 2 1 b 2 o
Ro Ro R0
and it will generate 2 pulses as it contacts the inner and outer races. Accordingly, we have 2
R Rb Ro Rb
pulses every o revolution of the ball, or one pulse every revolution,
R0 2 R0
therefore the frequency of a defective ball is
2Ro Ro Rs R 2Rb Rs
d b s s s
Ro Rb Ro Rb Rb Rs Rb Rb
Misalignment
When the signals from two proximity probes are combined together in a two-channel
oscilloscope or vibration analyzer, the orbital motion of the shaft can be observed. Misalignmetn
appears not only at the 1X frequency but also at 2X and 3X.