Introduction to Vibration

Chapter 1
Introduction
VIBRATION is the language of the machine which is to be understood in right
context. When you fall ill you go to the Doctor and he checks your Heart Beat, Pulse,
Temperature and Blood Pressure and diagnoses the disease and prescribes a right
medicine. Before we fall ill, we can as well carry out periodic check up as per the
idiom “Prevention is better than cure”. In a similar context, Vibration Analysis
Diagnostic studies are in the modern terms “Health Condition Monitoring” becomes
essential to diagnose machine’s health condition, well in advance to avert major
break down. It is a prediction to cure. This is the main aspects of Modern
Maintenance Practices to achieve Zero Break Down.

Vibration Analysis and Diagnostic Studies are being effectively implemented on all
machines for exactly assessing the quality of the machine and to identify the
problems/defects/ inaccuracies if any. Based on such analysis corrective actions can
be implemented to solve the existing problems. The basis of the Vibration Study is
the measurement and interpretation of the following characteristics: -
1. Displacement
2. Velocity
3. Frequency
4. Phase

From these characteristics the following things can be interpreted:

What are the existing vibration amplitudes at different critical locations? From the
measured amplitudes it can be assessed whether the machine health condition is
falling in GOOD/ SATISFACTORY / JUST SATISFACTORY / UNSATISFACTORY
ZONES. If the health condition is not satisfactory the causes of the existing vibration
have to be identified. This state of the analysis is known as the diagnostic procedure.
Once the causes are identified the exact defective location/ locations are to be
pinpointed so that corrective actions can be implemented with minimum downtime.
Rotating or reciprocating machines can vibrate due to inaccuracies or defects such
as unbalance in rotating parts, misalignment, mechanical looseness, rubbing,
excitation of resonance’s, improper matching and fixing, spring back, flow induced
forces, distortion, magnetic or electrical forces, bearing / gear defects, etc., The
diagnostic procedures by employing the vibration study can exactly identify the
problems in the system. As the capital cost of modern machine increases, in terms of
output the need for efficient diagnosis of malfunction, if any has become of
paramount importance.
The probability of failure occurring in new designs of machinery is uncomfortably
high at present times; however, because of the complexity and deviation in modern
machinery, it would be Presumptions if not impossible to lay down hard and false
rules for fault diagnosis. Experience has shown that each system must be treated on
its own merits based on the general guidelines. So the aim of the malfunction
diagnosis should be to collect data about the behaviour, correlate the first line
information with theoretical considerations and thus to find out the health condition of
machinery.

AIM OF THE ANALYSIS:

The aim of the vibration analysis is to identify the exact health condition of the critical
machines and to pinpoint areas of improvement if any.
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES:
Data about the equipment’s behaviour was collected in the form of vibration
characteristics and the same has been compared with the operating details.
Frequency Analysis and Amplitude Analysis have been employed to diagnose the
health condition. Amplitude analysis and Frequency analysis were carried to the
supplement the data.
STANDARD and CODES for VIBRATION TOLERANCE LEVELS:
Vibration tolerance levels on the external surface; the manufacturers of machines
sometimes specify generally bearing housing. Rathbone did pioneering work in
statistically generalizing the machinery vibration levels and the classifications of
severity grades in 1939. In 1949, Yates considered vibration energy as the criterion
for severity and he formulated the Yates chart with bone chart and Yates chart, which
are machinery vibration charts Presented as curves, describe the condition of the
machine in adjective ranging from “very smooth” to very rough”. Federn table shows
representative unbalance per kilogram of rotor weight (mm gm/kg) hick is equivalent
to the displacement of the centre of gravity. In the Federn table, rotating machines
are classified under five quality groups, from A to E in increasing order of permissible
Residual unbalance.
Later ISO recommendations No. 1940 was published giving quality grades based on
residual unbalance in rotating machines. With the vibration quality judgment criteria
have been suggested by various engineering and standard organizations
recommendation no. VDI 2056 of 1964 which sets out as a table of the suggested
quality grades for rotating machinery, dividing them into four quality classes I to IV.
Based on the VDI recommendations the standard DIN 45665, ISO 2372 1971 was
published.
VIBRATION LEVELS:

Associations of German Engineers (VDI) have brought out a useful and practical
standard for the acceptance level of vibration of different equipments. This VDI 2056
standard has got the worldwide acceptances. Most of the machines of your following
table give the vibration tolerances values for different machines at different RPM’S .
Limits of Vibration Amplitudes for Fans and their Motors:
Note: “Machine Group G”(Class III) is applicable for machines on solid concrete
foundation in ground floor.” Machine Group T”(Class IV) is applicable for machines,
which have dampening mass in its frame and the rotor assembly mounted on spring
isolators and isolator base firmly fixed to foundation and for machines at elevated
level.
Note:

Velocity in mm/sec – Pk

Displacement in microns – Pk-Pk

Limits:

Good Satisfactory Just Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

Class – III

Group - G < 2.5 2.5 - 6.3 6.3 - 16 > 16

Class – IV

Group - T < 4.0 4.0 - 10 10 - 25 > 25

Each and every aspect of the content of this course will be elaborated in the
following chapters