A vibration-based diagnostic tool for analysis of superimposed failures in electric machines

This paper presents a generalized approach for health monitoring of electric machines based on the measured vibration data. In this methodology the source of the vibration can be detected through data analysis in frequency domain measured by accelerometer sensors attached to the surface of the machine's stator. This method can separate and distinguish the source of vibration in the case of multiple and superimposed failures on a typical electric machine. Although, the analysis have been performed on a 200W, 4 poles, three phase induction machine, this easy to use technique can be expanded to other types of electric machines as well. The results are proving that the accelerometer data can be used to detect the source of failure even if the failures have occurred in the electrical part of the machine.