® SKF Condition Monitoring

Questions and Answers About

Enveloping …
… Using an Accelerometer severe due to smoothing of crater edges with a
corresponding improvement in lubrication flow.
Transducer
Q. On What Applications Should
Q. What Does Acceleration Acceleration Enveloping
Enveloping Technology Measurements Be Performed
Detect? and On Which Ones Can It Not
Be Done?
A. Enveloping technology detects rotational
A. Enveloping measurements are most
impact defect signals. It enhances
significant on gear tooth fractures and
repetitive phenomena such as:
repetitive bearing defects of the impact type–
• Bearing Defects especially with low-force impacts. Enveloping
• Gearbox Defects measurements do not reflect significant
• Cavitation readings in applications which look at other
• Flow (solids in liquids) things besides impact defects, such as
misalignment, gear backlash, and applications
Since enveloping enhances repetitive signals on very slow speed machinery.
of the impact type, it allows early warning of
developing component damage. Q. In Which Applications Does An
Acceleration Enveloped
Q. What Bearing Damages Signal Give Sufficient
Generate An Acceleration Information About Rolling
Enveloped Signal? Element Bearing Condition
A. Bearing problems such as: and In Which Applications Is
Enveloping Not Enough?
• Holes • Cracks
• Spalls • Dirt A. Since enveloping measurements are
vibration measurements and since
Other defects in: enveloping enhances repetitive impact
phenomena, enveloping gives excellent
• Belts • Felts information in the early warning stages of
• Felt Rollers • Chains bearing defects. If these measurements
Chipped teeth in gears. indicate an incipient failure, an enveloping
spectrum analysis would confirm the
Q. Can Acceleration Enveloped diagnosis. Acceleration enveloping
Readings Be Trended? measurements are not sufficient with very
large (stiff) machinery, such as large gear
A. Yes, keeping in mind that amplitude
boxes, which give too small vibration readings.
readings may decrease as damage
(Use a SEE™ sensor for early warning on these
becomes severe due to smoothing of crater
types of machines.) (SEE™ Spectral Emitted
edges with a corresponding improvement in
Energy Technology.)
lubrication flow. At the early stages of
damage, however, readings should be Q. How Should Acceleration
trendable. Enveloping Measurements
With A Fixed Sensor Be
Q. Do Larger Acceleration
Performed?
Envelope Readings Imply
Higher Impact Force? A. Place the sensor in the load zone of the
bearing under test–radially for a radial
A. A larger enveloped reading implies a bearing and axially for a thrust bearing.
stronger impact force than a smaller
Application Note reading. Again, keep in mind that amplitude Consider the stiffness of the machine so as to
CM3013 readings may decrease as damage becomes select the best axis for the measurement. The
 sensor should be installed in an approved, fundamentals and the fundamentals of the
workmanlike manner (solidly and to a clean equipment, such as signals in which frequency
®
surface). More important is that the sensor content is important, how to be consistent,
surface should conform to the machine what envelope readings mean, trending,
surface. Many test POINTs have machine limitations of the technology, and so on.
surface flats to obtain optimum vibration
Subscribe to, and read, as many industry
coupling.
"Questions and publications as you can. Attend as many
Q. How Should Acceleration industry sponsored conferences and seminars
Answers About as you can.
Enveloping Measurements
Enveloping … With A Hand-Held Sensor Be
Your return on the use of this acceleration
Using an Performed?
enveloping tool is directly proportional to your
Accelerometer A. Enveloping measurements with a hand- efforts to learn about it.
Transducer" held sensor must be consistently applied Q. How Do Acceleration
to achieve consistent readings. A stable point Envelope Readings Correlate
measurement requires a constant pressure With Normal Vibration
(2.2 lbs or 1 kg force) of the sensor against the Measurements?
machine, the same angle of attack (90°,
± 10°), consistent type of probe coupling A. Normal vibration measurements allow
(magnetic vs. non-magnetic), clean you to isolate low frequency vibration
measurement area (surface dirt and paint can signals for predicting machine problems in the
be a problem), and at the same place on the 1x to 10x range. In the early stages of bearing
SKF Condition Monitoring
machine each time. and gear problems, enveloping will provide
Area Centers
indications of some defective performance. In
Q. Is There A Difference Between the more advanced stages of bearing and gear
North and South America Hand-Held and Fixed Sensor
4141 Ruffin Road
degradation, normal spectrum analysis might
Acceleration Envelope reveal some insight as to the extent of
San Diego, California 92123 Readings?
USA damage.
Telephone (858) 496-3400 A. Yes. Because the efficiency of the Because acceleration envelope and normal
FAX (858) 496-3531 coupling interface for hand-held and fixed vibration measurements have different goals,
Web: www.skfcm.com sensors differ, their amplitude readings may they measure different things. You should use
differ by a factor of 2 or 3. However, absolute both technologies in your predictive
Europe, Middle East, Africa amplitudes are not as significant as changes in maintenance program to maximize your ability
Postbus 2091 amplitude measured over time by the same to predict problems and to maximize your cost
5300 CB Zaltbommel sensor (trend). The readings for both the SEE savings.
The Netherlands and Accelerometer sensor are very much
Telephone (+31) 418-681818 dependent on the transmission path. If the If your normal vibration measurements
FAX (+31) 418-681800 measurement is performed within normal correlate very strongly all the time with your
statistical variation of parameters such as enveloping readings, you should be suspicious
Asia, Pacific of your envelope filter setting. The low-end
pressure direction and coupling efficiency then
Kawasan Perindustrian Nilai filter setting should be above 10x rotational
statistical trending is a viable method without
P.O. Box 26, 71807 Nilai speed. The high-end filter setting should be 6
regard to absolute levels.
Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus orders of the outer race frequency (about 200x
Malaysia Q. What Training and Knowledge rotational speed).
Telephone (+60) 6-799-2713 Is Required To Take
FAX (+60) 6-799-2407 Measurements and To Q. What Bearing Defects
Interpret Acceleration Generate Only Low-
Envelope Readings? Frequency Signals?

A. Virtually no training is required to take A. Non-impact type bearing signals, such

the readings except to minimize the as pure tone/waviness types, generate
variables such as care and consistency in only low-frequency signals and are not
setting up and taking measurements: location candidates for enveloping technology.
of points on the machine to be measured, Q. What Sensitivity Is Required
direction to hold the sensor, and pressure of For An Acceleration
the sensor against the machine. Experience Enveloping Sensor?
and practice will insure measurement
accuracy and stability. A. The recommended accelerometer
sensor sensitivity to optimize the signal-to-
The interpretation of envelope spectrums noise ratio lies in the range from 10 to 500 mv/
requires a knowledge of machine components G (centered around 50-100 mv/G). Higher
CM3013 (Revised 4-00) and their defect frequencies. You could plan sensitivities are needed in very low frequency
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SKF Condition Monitoring, Inc.
to attend a formal training session by SKF applications such as in the slow rollers of a
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED where you will learn basic bearing paper machine.