Development of a Low-Cost Vibration Measurement System for Industrial Applications

Abstract

Vibration-Based Condition Monitoring (VBCM) provides essential data to perform Condition-Based Maintenance for efficient, optimal, reliable, and safe industrial machinery operation. However, equipment required to perform VBCM is often relatively expensive. In this paper, a low-cost vibration measurement system based on a microcontroller platform is presented. The FRDM K64F development board was selected as the most suitable for fulfilling the system requirements. The industrial environment is highly contaminated by noise (electromagnetic, combustion, airborne, sound borne, and mechanical noise). Developing a proper antialiasing filter to reduce industrial noise is a real challenge. In order to validate the developed system, evaluations of frequency response and phase noise were carried out. Additionally, vibration measurements were recorded in the industry under different running conditions and machine configurations. Data were collected simultaneously using a standard reference system and the low-cost vibration measurement system. Results were processed using Fast Fourier Transform and Welch’s method. Finally, a low-cost vibration measurement system was successfully created. The validation process demonstrates the robustness, reliability, and accuracy of this research approach. Results confirm a correlation between signal frequency spectrum obtained using both measurement systems. We also introduce new guidelines for practical data storage, communications, and validation process for vibration measurements.

Keywords

• data acquisition
• vibration analysis
• machine diagnosis
• vibration-based condition monitoring (VBCM)
• condition based maintenance (CBM)
• Fourier transform
• Welch’s method
• software
• firmware
• microcontroller