- IO-Link vibration monitoring
- Applications and installation
VVB IO-Link vibration sensor: Applications
ifm’s VVB vibration sensor is used for permanent, real-time monitoring of vibrations in simple industrial machinery. Even minimal deviations from the ideal machine condition will affect the vibration pattern. This makes it possible to detect imminent machine damage at an early stage. Plant operators can act with foresight and anticipate maintenance needs to avoid costly production downtimes.
Measurements and monitoring methods
The VV design aims to simplify the primary categories of machine failure. Unlike typical single measurement systems, the VV vibration meter simultaneously monitors equipment for the five categories of machine problems: impact, fatigue, friction, severity, and temperature. The embedded IO-Link technology provides this data in real time, giving the VV sensor the capability to predict pending failures and mitigate catastrophic damage.
| Example fault conditions |
Blades hitting Ingested object Struck by moving object Improper sequence timing |
Misalignment Unbalance Belt issues Loose footing Structural issues |
Failing bearing Rubbing impeller Dragging blade Cavitation |
Damaging condition Instability |
Loss of lubrication Loss of coolant flow Electrical issues Excessive load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fault category | Impact Crashes Striking |
Fatigue Mechanical issues Assembly issues |
Friction Rubbing Grinding |
Severity Uncontrolled forces Impulses |
Temperature Over heating |
| Sensor measurement | Acceleration peak (a-Peak) |
Average velocity (v-RMS) |
Average acceleration (a-RMS) |
Crest factor (a-Peak / a-RMS) |
Degrees Celsius (C) |
The crest factor is a leading indicator of damaging fault conditions. It measures the severity of impacts relative to the normal operating state of the machine. It filters out the influence of rotational speed to simplify setting alarm limits. Crest factor values in the 4...8 range indicate potential machine problems.
Typically, we recommend mounting sensors radially to shaft rotation to detect the greatest level of movement and located mechanically as close to the target as possible. The orange dots in the images indicate approximate sensor location for smaller machines. If the mounting location is greater than 80 cm (30+ inches) apart, we recommend adding additional sensors as shown by the grey dots in the images.
Note: All sensors are capable of measuring all alarm conditions and identifying root causes.
| Machine | No. of sensors | Sensor location | Alarms | Root issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Axial fan |
Primary: 1 Optional: 1 |
Radial H-DE motor Radial V-NDE motor |
a-Peak v-RMS a-RMS Temp |
Impact Looseness Friction (bearing) Overheating |
|
Legend: a = acceleration, v = velocity, H = horizontal, DE = driven end  It is suggested that mounting locations greater than 80cm apart also use the optional location. |
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| Machine | No. of sensors | Sensor location | Alarms | Root issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Radial direct drive fan |
Primary: 1 Optional: 1 |
Radial H-DE motor Radial V-NDE motor |
a-Peak v-RMS a-RMS Temp |
Impact Looseness Friction (bearing) Overheating |
|
| Legend: a = acceleration, v = velocity, H = horizontal, V = vertical, DE = driven end, NDE = non-driven end It is suggested that mounting locations greater than 80cm apart also use the optional location. |
|||||
| Machine | No. of sensors | Sensor location | Alarms | Root issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Radial indirect driven fan |
Primary: 1 Primary: 1 Optional: 1 Optional: 1 |
Radial H-DE motor Radial V-DE fan Radial V-NDE motor Radial H-NDE fan |
a-Peak v-RMS a-RMS Temp |
Impact Looseness Friction (bearing) Overheating |
|
| Legend: a = acceleration, v = velocity, H = horizontal, V = vertical, DE = driven end, NDE = non-driven end It is suggested that mounting locations greater than 80cm apart also use the optional location. |
|||||
| Machine | No. of sensors | Sensor location | Alarms | Root issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Centrifugal pump |
Primary: 1 Primary: 1 Optional: 1 Optional: 1 |
Radial H-DE motor Radial H-DE pump Radial V-NDE motor Radial V-NDE pump |
a-Peak v-RMS a-RMS Temp |
Impact Looseness Friction (bearing) Overheating |
|
| Legend: a = acceleration, v = velocity, H = horizontal, V = vertical, DE = driven end, NDE = non-driven end It is suggested that mounting locations greater than 80cm apart also use the optional location. |
|||||
| Machine | No. of sensors | Sensor location | Alarms | Root issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Electric motor |
Primary: 1 Optional: 1 |
Radial H-DE motor Radial V-NDE motor |
a-Peak v-RMS a-RMS Temp |
Impact Looseness Friction (bearing) Overheating |
|
| Legend: a = acceleration, v = velocity, H = horizontal, V = vertical, DE = driven end, NDE = non-driven end It is suggested that mounting locations greater than 80cm apart also use the optional location. |
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| Machine |
No of |
Sensor location | Alarms | Root issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Speed reducer |
Primary: 1 Optional: 1 |
Radial H-DE reducer Radial V-NDE motor |
a-Peak v-RMS a-RMS Temp |
Impact Looseness Friction (bearing) Overheating |
|
| Legend: a = acceleration, v = velocity, H = horizontal, V = vertical, DE = driven end, NDE = non-driven end It is suggested that mounting locations greater than 80cm apart also use the optional location. |
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When applying real-time continuous monitoring, 3-axis measurements are typically not needed. 3-axis techniques are typically used in traditional route-based analysis methods where only a snapshot of the machine health is recorded. In some cases where machine design implements axial loading, a second axial sensor may be necessary.
For a more detailed comparison of single-axis vs. multi-axis measurements, please visit our technology page.