Ird Mechanalysis, Inc.

Dean T Davis

Donn V Stoutenburg

Robert S Morrow

Edwin D Sisson

Kenneth E Hays

Apparatus for collecting vibration data in accordance with a predetermined schedule. Operable in either a data input or program mode, the apparatus is coupled with a vibration transducer which is located at predetermined coded positions and the data collected are stored in memory. Additionally, visual inspection data may be entered in the memory in the form of a numerical code along with units designations and the like. In a data input mode of operation, the apparatus operates in conjunction with a scheduling facility which offloads the schedule during a transfer mode into the apparatus at the commencement of any given maintenance round. The schedule serves to prompt the operator as to the sequence of data collection locations, additionally providing units, alarm threshold levels and like information. At the end of the scheduled rounds, the data may be offloaded to the processing facility. The apparatus includes logic which permits the analysis of the type of transducer and the requested units signal treatment as well as the automatic carrying out of alarm level comparisons.

Apparatus for collecting scheduled maintenance data

Apparatus and method utilized in carrying out vibrational analysis wherein the output of a vibration monitoring transducer is treated by filtering in stepped fashion over a broad spectrum of frequencies. The stepped filtering is provided utilizing minimum dwell intervals at lower frequencies as determined by the number of steps involved per given bandwidth. A readout form of continuous printing provides a histographic analysis of amplitude and frequency and, optionally, an amplitude readout with respect to elapsed time. For the histographic readout, amplitude is plotted as a series of characters in linear form commencing with half peak amplitude and extending toward peak. Test and calibration procedures are provided for facilitating on site testing as well as servicing calibration procedures.

Vibration analyzing apparatus and method

A rotating body, through appropriate pickup devices, generates one pulse for each rotation. The pulses are delivered to a phase locked loop which generates 2.sup.n pulses for each input pulse and selects every 2.sup.n th pulse for comparison with the generated pulse. The 2.sup.n pulses are counted in a multistage binary counter having n outputs to deliver a sequence of ordered binary-coded signals comprising a digital representation of the instantaneous angular position of the rotating body. In a further embodiment of the invention, the digital representation of the angular position of the rotating body is converted through read-only-memory (ROM) units and digital-to-analog converters into rectangular coordinate representations of the instantaneous angular position of the rotating body. With suitable multipliers, that rectangular coordinate representation can be combined with an instantaneous vibration manifestation signal derived from the rotating body to generate quadrature signals which uniquely identify the amount and location of instantaneous vibration manifestation of the rotating body.

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Columbus, OH, United States of America

Dean T Davis