Cross correlation diagnostics tool for vibration analysis

• US 20060122810A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Clarke, Burton R., Allgaier, Ryan P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/185
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations

Abstract

A system and method for detecting and analyzing anomalies in a machine during operation. The system and method includes at least one sensor associated with a component on the machine, a transducer configured to be positioned about the component, and a test station for receiving signals from the at least one sensor and the transducer, and correlating the signals to determine a source of an anomaly.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and analyzing anomalies in a machine during operation, comprising:

at least one sensor associated with a component on the machine;

a transducer configured to be positioned about the component; and

a test station for receiving signals from the at least one sensor and the transducer, and correlating the signals to determine a source of an anomaly.

2. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the anomaly is a vibration.

3. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a plurality of components, each component having at least one associated sensor.

4. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one sensor for sensing an anomaly.

5. A system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one sensor for sensing vibrations.

6. A system, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the transducer is an audio signal transducer.

7. A system, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the audio signal transducer is a microphone.

8. A system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the microphone is a directional microphone.

9. A system, as set forth in claim 1, further including a processing hub in communication with the test station, and wherein the processing hub includes:

a plurality of neural networks to receive signals from the at least one sensor; and

an expert system to receive output data from the neural networks and responsively analyze machine operation for anomalies.

10. A method for detecting and analyzing anomalies in a machine during operation, comprising the steps of:

receiving sensed signals from the machine;

receiving audio signals from a transducer positioned about components on the machine;

correlating audio signals received with respect to each component with corresponding sensed signals associated with each component;

cross-correlating all correlated signals; and

determining a location of an anomaly based on the cross-correlation.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein determining a location of an anomaly includes the step of determining a location of a vibration emanating from a component.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein receiving sensed signals from the machine includes the step of receiving sensed signals indicative of a vibration.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein receiving audio signals from a transducer includes the step of receiving audio signals from a transducer as the transducer moves in relation to a component.

14. A method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein correlating audio signals with corresponding sensed signals includes the step of correlating audio signals with corresponding sensed signals to find a location of a strongest correlation between the audio and sensed signals.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, wherein cross-correlating all correlated signals includes the step of determining a location of a strongest cross-correlation, the determined location being indicative of a component being a source of the anomaly.