Page 1 Time_vs_Freq.

ppt 9/21/99

Time vs. Frequency
September 21, 1999


Ron Denton
Page 2 Time_vs_Freq.ppt 9/21/99

What is the Time Domain ?
How is the Time Domain Measured ?
What is the Frequency Domain ?
How is the Frequency Domain Measured ?
What does this have to do with Vibration ?
How are the two domains related ?


Time Domain vs. Frequency Domain
Page 3 Time_vs_Freq.ppt 9/21/99

The Time Domain (for our use) is . . .
A graphical representation of the change of some value
with respect to time
Time moving forward ------>
V
a
l
u
e

o
f

s
o
m
e

v
a
r
i
a
b
l
e
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How the Time Domain is Measured
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The Frequency Domain
(for our use) is . . . .
A graphical representation of the amount of energy present
in a signal at each of many frequencies
Frequency increasing ----->
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
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The Frequency Domain amplitude is
usually measured in RMS or Peak
The frequency domain values are really just a series of
sinusoidal equivalents, so amplitudes are usually
represented the same as in the time domain.
The frequency domain is usually derived by computing a
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of a time domain signal.
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What does this have to do with
Vibration ?
Transducers, such as accelerometers, convert mechanical
energy into electrical signals
The electrical signals are measured with various devices
Most of these devices record the time data
The time data is converted to the frequency domain within
these devices
Vibration analysts use the time and frequency domain data
to interpret machinery condition

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The Time and Frequency Domains
are related by . . . .
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e

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Sinusoidal Signal Examples
Multiple Sine Waves
Time
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e1 cycle
2 cycle
4 cycle
8 cycle
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Sinusoidal Signal Examples
Complex
Time
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
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Sinusoidal Signal Examples
Complex Frequency
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0
0
.
4
0
.
8
1
.
2
1
.
6 2
2
.
4
2
.
8
3
.
2
3
.
6 4
4
.
4
4
.
8
5
.
2
5
.
6 6
6
.
4
6
.
8
7
.
2
7
.
6 8
8
.
4
8
.
8
9
.
2
9
.
6
1
0
Frequency
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
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Sinusoidal Signal Examples
Square from Sines
Time
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
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Sinusoidal Signal Examples
"SQUARE" WAVE
Time
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
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Sinusoidal Signal Examples
"Square" Wave
0
0
.
8
1
.
6
2
.
4
3
.
2 4
4
.
8
5
.
6
6
.
4
7
.
2 8
8
.
8
9
.
6
Frequency
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
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These examples illustrate that . . .
The time and frequency domains are related
A sinusoid in the time domain has a unique value in the
frequency domain
Complex combinations of time domain sinusoids can be
separated and displayed in the frequency domain
Signals other than sinusoids can be represented in the
frequency domain accurately


Page 16 Time_vs_Freq.ppt 9/21/99

A practical example to wrap up
A customer is using an accelerometer to measure
sinusoidal vibration . . . . .
You receive a phone call . . . . .
Your accelerometer is all out of whack! I have a simple
signal and your accelerometer is generating all kinds of
harmonics.
You look around and cant find an application engineer . . .
(Panic grips you !) What do you do ?
Page 17 Time_vs_Freq.ppt 9/21/99

A practical example to wrap up



Tell them to check the gain range (amplifier setting) on
their equipment !
Their time domain signal probably looks like this . . .

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A practical example to wrap up



If the amplifier range of the
measuring system is not set
correctly, it will clip the signal
and chop off the highest and
lowest parts of the signal.
This is not good !
It means you are trying to turn a
sine wave into a square wave.
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Clipping Time signals will cause a
penalty and cost you data
Just as clipping is
illegal in football -
in data acquisition,
clipping the time
data will cost you
by causing invalid
data (spurious
signals) in the
frequency
spectrum.
Clipped vs. Original
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0
0
.
3
0
.
6
0
.
9
1
.
2
1
.
5
1
.
8
2
.
1
2
.
4
2
.
73
3
.
3
3
.
6
3
.
9
4
.
2
4
.
5
4
.
8
5
.
1
5
.
4
5
.
76
6
.
3
6
.
6
6
.
9
7
.
2
7
.
5
7
.
8
8
.
1
8
.
4
8
.
79
9
.
3
9
.
6
9
.
9
Frequency
A
m
p
l
i
t
u
d
e
Original Signal
Attenuated Signal
Spurious Signals Added
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The moral of the example ?
Dont be a square !


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Questions ?