Title: Diagnostics of damage development of bearings and gears by acoustic emission method

Authors: Pavel Mazal; Libor Nohal; Lukas Komenda

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Republic

Abstract: The paper presents an overview of the contemporary applications of acoustic emission method for diagnosis and condition monitoring of anomalous situations that occur during the operation of machines with rotating parts (formation of contact damage, insufficient lubrication, etc.). The main attention is focussed on operational diagnostics of axial and radial bearings. The second part of the text also mentions the possibilities of utilisation of AE method for complementary diagnosis of real state of gears and gearboxes. This summary of selected published experimental works and used evaluation procedures is confronted with the outputs of the experiments carried out in the framework of several projects in the Laboratory of Acoustic Emission of the Institute of Machine and Industrial Design in Brno University of Technology. Based on this review, the significant potential of AE method for more accurate diagnosis of malfunction of machines with rotating parts is done.

Keywords: condition monitoring; contact fatigue; bearing damage; pitting; axial bearings; radial bearings; gears; acoustic emission; vibration; count rate; RMS; root mean square; fault diagnosis; damage development; gear damage; nondestructive testing; NDT; rotating machinery; gearboxes.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2014.066922

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2014 Vol.9 No.3/4/5, pp.433 - 447

Published online: 16 Jan 2015 *

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