Multi-Unit Data Analyzer

• US 20140121996A1
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Azima Holdings Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Azima Holdings Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Piety, Kenneth Ralph, Martin, Dana Kendrick, Raber, Robert Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,927,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/33
• 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

Abstract

A vibration analysis system including a sensor to be coupled to a machine to measure vibration data, a data acquisition and processing unit to communicate with the sensor to receive the measured vibration data from the sensor and to perform test operations on the received vibration data to calculate vibration parameters, and at least one control unit to transmit operation requests instructing the data acquisition and processing unit to start receiving the vibration data from the sensor, to perform test operations, and to transmit corresponding vibration parameters over a wireless communication link to the control unit. The data acquisition and processing unit includes a data management unit such that when the communication link is broken, the data acquisition and processing unit continues to perform the test operations, and when the communication link is reestablished, the data management unit transmits the vibration parameters to the control unit.

Claims

1. A vibration analysis system, comprising:

a sensor to be coupled to a machine to measure vibration data;

a data acquisition and processing unit to communicate with the at least one sensor to receive the measured vibration data from the at least one sensor and to perform a plurality of test operations on received vibration signals to calculate vibration parameters of the received vibration data; and

at least one control unit to transmit at least one operation request instructing the data acquisition and processing unit to start receiving the vibration data from the sensor, to perform one or more of the plurality of test operations, and to transmit at least one corresponding vibration parameter over a wireless communication link to the control unit;

wherein the data acquisition and processing unit includes a data management unit such that when the communication link is broken, the data acquisition and processing unit continues to perform the one or more test operations, and when the communication link is reestablished, the data management unit transmits the at least one vibration parameter to the control unit.

2. The vibration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit performs the test operations asynchronously.

3. The vibration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit stores any portion of the at least one vibration parameter not transmitted before the communication link is broken, and transmits the stored portion when the communication link is reestablished.

4. The vibration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a triaxial sensor, and the calculated vibration parameters correspond to three orthogonal axes of vibration.

5. The vibration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is a portable computing device.

6. The vibration analysis system of claim 5, wherein the control unit is a personal digital assistant (PDA), cell phone, tablet computer, or laptop computer.

7. The vibration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit receives control instructions from a user exclusively through the control unit.

8. The vibration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit selectively communicates with a plurality of control units.

9. The vibration analysis system of claim 8, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit selectively transmits the measured vibration data and/or the calculated vibration parameters to a selected one of the plurality of control units.

10. A multi-unit portable vibration analysis instrument, comprising:

a sensor to be coupled to a machine to measure vibration data;

a data acquisition and processing unit to communicate with the at least one sensor to receive the measured vibration data from the at least one sensor and to perform a plurality of test operations on the received vibration signals to calculate vibration parameters of the received vibration data; and

two or more control units with physical characteristics adapted to specific use cases to transmit at least one operation request instructing the data acquisition and processing unit to start receiving the vibration data from the sensor, to perform one or more of the plurality of test operations, and to transmit at least one corresponding vibration parameter over a wireless communication link to the control unit.

11. The vibration analysis system of claim 10, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit selectively transmits and acts as web server and interfaces with control units executing standard browser applications.

12. A portable vibration analyzer used in condition monitoring programs to collect data from a predefined set of machines on a route comprising:

a sensor to be coupled to a machine to measure vibration data;

a data acquisition and processing unit to communicate with the at least one sensor to receive the measured vibration data from the at least one sensor and to perform a plurality of test operations on the received vibration signals to calculate vibration parameters of the received vibration data; and

a control unit to transmit at least one operation request instructing the data acquisition and processing unit to start receiving the vibration data from the sensor, to perform one or more of the plurality of test operations, and to transmit at least one corresponding vibration parameter over a wireless communication link to the control unit;

wherein the data acquisition and processing unit is physically separated from the control unit and the data acquisition unit and attached sensors are carried in a belt pouch or some other pocketed position on the body of the operator separate from the control unit.

13. The vibration analysis analyzer of claim 12, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit can be set down by a machine-under-test and where the operator can acquire measurement data from the data acquisition and processing unit while standing with the control unit at distances of 30 feet or more from the machine.

14. The vibration analysis analyzer of claim 12, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit and all associated sensors and sensor cabling are completely enclosed in belt pouch so that no cables are exposed creating a safety hazard when traversing from one machine to another on the route.

15. The vibration analysis analyzer of claim 12, wherein the data acquisition and processing unit is mounted in a pouch such that the cable or the pouch will break away from the operator if the sensor or cable are snagged creating a safety hazard.

16. A method of vibration analysis, the method comprising:

coupling a sensor to a machine to measure vibration data;

placing a data acquisition and processing unit in close proximity to the machine, the data acquisition and processing unit being in electrical communication with the sensor, to receive the measured vibration data from the vibration sensor and to perform a plurality of test operations on the received vibration signals to calculate vibration parameters of the received vibration data;

controlling the data acquisition and processing unit, from a location remote from the machine, with a portable control unit that transmits at least one operation request instructing the data acquisition and processing unit to start receiving the vibration data from the sensor, to perform one or more of the plurality of test operations, and to transmit at least one corresponding vibration parameter over a wireless communication link to the control unit;

wherein the data acquisition and processing unit includes a data management unit such that when the communication link is broken, the data acquisition and processing unit continues to perform the one or more test operations, and when the communication link is reestablished, the data management unit transmits the at least one vibration parameter to the control unit.