Conditional Maintenance by Vibratory Analysis: An Overview of Some Methods

Rotating machines such as motors, reducers, compressors, pumps or alternators are used in various fields of industrial production. These machines are subject to forces of mechanical origin generated by the moving parts. These forces can cause vibrations that can propagate throughout the machine. As a result, vibrations can be used as a tool to detect defects in machines in order to guarantee productivity, reduce maintenance costs and ensure the proper functioning of the machines. Today, more and more machines are monitored by sensors (acceleration, temperature, sound, etc.) that deliver signals on the internal state of the machine’s vibration. The signals are analyzed to detect or diagnose failures. Several analysis methods exist, including acoustic analysis, temperature analysis and vibration analysis. In this work, we focus on the vibration analysis of signals delivered by an accelerometer placed at a preferred location on the machine. These signals can be analyzed in the temporal domain or in the frequency domain. The objective of this work is to provide an overview of the existing methods in the field of vibration analysis monitoring and show the limits and progress made in this field.