Long term history of high cost, unexpected fan bearing failures in milk processing plant. “but we’ve got an online vibration monitoring system?”

We have installed a monitoring system that utilises more appropriate technology for the bearing type fitted.

• Relative shaft vibration vs. absolute casing vibration.
• When is either of these “the right technology”?
• The installation of an online displacement based relative shaft position system.
• The data comparison from each technology.
• What this tells us specific to failure modes.
• How this is expected to help us avoid unexpected failures in the future.

3 Key Learnings:

1. Understand the difference between absolute and relative shaft vibration.
2. Online systems data. If you don’t trust it, it can be worse than useless.
3. Failure modes and machine type should guide all monitoring systems. -one size does not fit all, even though it sells well?