Feature extraction of rolling bearing based on adaptive variational multi-harmonic mode extraction

Variable multi-harmonic mode extraction (VMHME) not only has the advantages of high computational efficiency and extraction accuracy similar to variational mode extraction (VME), but also could extract the multi-harmonic components of periodic narrowband impulse signals in frequency band as wide as possible, making it very suitable for feature extraction in the event of rolling bearing failure. VMHME needs to accurately estimate the fault characteristic frequency of rolling bearing as its prior parameter, and small errors in estimating the fault characteristic frequency will cause significant deviations in the target extraction components. At present, the theoretical fault characteristic frequency of rolling bearings is commonly used as the estimated fault characteristic frequency. However, due to the installation deformation of rolling bearings and the random sliding between the rolling elements and the raceway during operation, it can cause a deviation between the actual fault characteristic frequency and the theoretical fault characteristic frequency. The most scientific and effective method is to enable VMHME to adaptively obtain the fault characteristic frequency based on the characteristics of the analyzed signal itself. Therefore, this paper introduces the envelope harmonic product spectrum (EHPS) theory into VMHME and proposes an adaptive VMHME (AVMHME) method to effectively extract the multi harmonic components of the periodic narrowband impulse signal when rolling bearings fail. Feasibility of the proposed method is verified through simulation and rolling bearing’ early weak fault experiment, and its superiority is also verified through comparative analysis.