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Is It Mechanical or Electrical?
Analyzing vibration data can be a difficult job. Using VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) motors can make it even more difficult. Pattern recognition is a huge part of this process. However, diagnosing between electrical and mechanical vibration patterns can be challenging. Is it a Mechanical or Electrical Problem? First, a straightforward way to distinguish between…
Read MoreLearn to Hold Down Your Equipment!
During a recent balancing class, I was requested to help the customer balance a couple of fans. Typically, our services team does this, but I agreed to help. When we got to this rooftop penthouse, I noticed a few things: The fan wheel, housing, and shaft were coated in a fairly thick coat of rust…
Read MoreHow Many Times Do I Need to Align This Machine?
A customer called me recently with concerns about a pump alignment job he completed about six months earlier. He had checked the alignment again and found that the alignment values changed. He was concerned that he had done something wrong. I explained to him that he was performing the alignment correctly, however, the machine could…
Read MoreClosing the Loop in Reliability
The Journey of Reliability A machine is identified by the vibration analyst and recommendations are made for repair, the planner orders the parts, management gets together and determines when the repairs are made, and the maintenance team carries out the plan to replace the defective component. Success! We averted disaster once again! … And the…
Read MoreV-Belt Sheave and Groove Gauges
V-belts are cheap, right? That’s what most people in industry think, but a dumpster full of worn-out belts represents a good amount of money. Not only that, but the time required to change belts, along with any downtime, can be significant. Make Belt Drives Efficient Belt drives need four things to make them efficient: Proper…
Read MoreWhy V-Belt Tension Gauges Matter
An often-overlooked precision maintenance tool is the V-belt tension gauge. Many maintenance technicians believe they can just go by “feeling” for what proper belt tension should be. In our Reliable Precision Maintenance (RPM) course, we often let mechanics tension the belts to what they “feel” is correct. Then we check the tension with a V-belt…
Read MoreKeep It Simple: Common Vibration Problems to Master
Over the years when training “new” vibration analysts, I stress for them to keep it simple. Many analysts believe that you must review time waveform data to analyze all machinery problems. This is not true. However, some problems are impossible to diagnose without it. Common Machinery Problems in Industry A majority of plant machinery…
Read MoreRCFA: Another Acronym but an Important One
There sure are a lot of acronyms around and it seems like new ones come out every day. Not sure about you, but I have a hard time keeping track of them. There are times when I attempt a conversation with someone, and they are spewing out so many acronyms it is hard to decipher…
Read MoreUnderstanding Thermal Growth Target Inputs
Acoem alignment systems allow the user to input thermal growth (offline to running) targets prior to performing a precision shaft alignment. Using targets allows the alignment to be completed to tolerance and the thermal growth will be compensated for. The real key to success, of course, is determining good targets. These are best obtained via…
Read MoreBasics of Centrifugal Pumps – Know Your Machines
Centrifugal pumps are common in industry. They are used to move various liquids from one place to another. This work is performed using a rotating pump wheel, or “impeller”, with a number of “vanes” on it. The wheel acts against the pump housing internals, which are either a volute or diffuser style, and produce the…
Read MoreResonance in Equipment Reliability
Resonance, critical speed, and natural frequency are all very similar terms and refer to the same phenomenon. An increase in equipment vibration, not relating directly to a specific component, is oftentimes caused by one of the many component natural frequencies that are present on every system or object that exists in the known universe. It…
Read MoreDoes Your Maintenance Program Need Maintenance?
Does your maintenance program need some… well, maintenance? A “good” maintenance program involves keeping equipment in peak condition and mitigating failure. Getting to this result takes the proper balance of strategies, people, and resources. Between changes in management, the revolving door of employees, and unreliable contractors, it can be relatively easy for an organization’s program…
Read MoreGood Vibration Data vs Bad Vibration Data
It is important in vibration analysis to know whether the vibration data you are looking at is actually “good data”. Below is a review of the causes and symptoms of junk data, as well as some tips to improve data quality overall in the future. Reasons for Bad Data A poor electrical connection is…
Read MorePerforming Shaft Alignment on a Caterpillar!
Aligning motors to pumps, fans, compressors, etc., it’s what we do. But occasionally we get to assist a customer perform some real “millwright” work! Case in point – a 1000HP Caterpillar engine, driving a backup floodwater pump for a large municipality in the southeast US. This pump is critical to prevent flood water from mixing…
Read MoreWhy an ISO Vibration Certification Matters
As a Reliability Practitioner: If you have attended training performed to a standard that is certified by ISO (International Organization for Standardization), this guarantees that you will receive instruction and material that is documented to meet an international standard of knowledge from a certified trainer. When you pass the test to receive your registered ISO…
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