Vibration analysis for condition monitoring of synchronous belts during operation

Abstract In this study the vibration behavior of synchronous belts with representative damages is investigated using a test bench and a design of experiments approach. A laser triangulation sensor is used to record the vibrations of undamaged belts and belts with artificially introduced tooth crack, tooth separation and cord damage. The vibration signals are evaluated in the frequency domain. A physics-based target value derived from the harmonics of the belt run frequency is proposed for damage detection. The subsequent analysis proves an effect of the damages on this target value, with sensitivity to the number of considered frequency components. In addition, the operating conditions affect the target value, with torque showing the greatest effect. In particular, the investigated damages are better detectable for low torque levels. These findings provide a basis for vibration-based condition monitoring of synchronous belts and highlight the importance of considering operating conditions when interpreting damage-related features.