Boost Hydraulic System Efficiency by Monitoring Vibration Essay

Boost Hydraulic System Efficiency by Monitoring Vibration
Regardless of the type of hydraulic system you may have, monitoring its ongoing health is crucial to a healthy system. Fine particles are the enemy of many hydraulic systems, causing major issues in production as well as equipment handling. Rotating parts in fans, pumps and motors are at greatest risk of a decrease in operational efficiency due to the build-up of fine particles.
Even if vulnerable components are protected by a cover or sealed to industrial standard, the ingress of particles can still occur, affecting lubricant efficiency, as well as the integrity of hydraulic seals and other components. When this happens, intolerances start occurring internally. Left unchecked, these intolerances can manifest themselves as mechanical imbalance and ultimately, vibration.
Vibration Sensors
Also known as an accelerometer, a vibration sensor is a combination of a piezoelectric crystal that's been bonded to a mass. Whenever vibration occurs in the mass, the crystal is compressed. When this happens, an electrical signal is produced. This signal, proportional to the force applied is then amplified and processed into something that's able to be measured.
A vibration sensor can be mounted in any location where vibration occurs, and can then be read with a data collector. The collector can either be hand-held for real-time vibration analysis or the data routed to another location via switch boxes if continuous monitoring is desired.
Proper Installation
The proper installation of vibration sensors is vital if the goal is to get information that is accurate. Therefore, installing more than one type of sensor will likely be necessary. But in addition to choosing the right sensor type, it's also important to ensure that a model is chosen that can withstand the conditions at each particular point. For example, areas where more debris may be being produced may require a cover on the sensor in order to prevent damage.
Choosing the right Vibration Sensor
In order to know which vibration sensor will work best in any particular location, the level of vibration as well as the frequency of vibration must be known. As well, environmental conditions like temperature and the presence of corrosive chemicals must also be confirmed.
Following this, other factors including any weight constraints, as well as whether or not the atmosphere poses a combustible risk must also be identified.
Ensure Correct Sensor Performance
After a sensor or series of sensors has been installed, working with the supplier can help ensure that all sensors are performing properly. One important thing to remember is that, although vibration sensors are easy both to install and to use, their usefulness depends entirely upon the person who is responsible for them. A sensor that has not been installed properly or that has been poorly maintained will not offer the precision nor the longevity that is required.
A vibration monitor must be mounted properly to ensure stability, so that the data collected is from the vibration in the hydraulic system only, and not from the vibration of the