Disclaimer and Acknowledgements

The primary purpose of this is to fulfill the need of a more comprehensive reference on vibration analysis as it relates to predictive maintenance and vibration diagnostics. It is my sincerest wish that the light-hearted approach used in this document will not divert attention from the serious study of this field. It is a challenging task to successfully perform these functions and this document has been compiled from the many notes I have written to keep my feeble mind from forgetting.

Authors who feel that some content is copied or derived from their works are invited to comment and indeed their input is valued. My intent was to simply reinforce the validity and need of relevant and useful knowledge in this great field.

This reference is dedicated to my family and friends for tolerating my obsession for exploring the realm of frequency analysis. I have mentioned from time to time the "glazed-eye syndrome". This occurs when someone is overly enthusiastic about something that those around could care less about. My relief comes when I visit Reliability Magazine where vibration, balancing and alignment are an obsession.

The term customer is used throughout this reference since every maintenance and engineering group has a customer whether by contractual obligations, in-plant operators or production personnel. The word is used loosely to refer to the parties that benefit from increased reliability of machinery.

Not every question about Predictive Maintenance can be answered in just one concise document due to the overwhelming amount of information available. It is hoped that this text is found to be a convenient reference for all levels of skill from entry-level to the experienced individuals.

This text is intended to be a narrative reference for those directly involved in machine vibration diagnostics. While the complex mathematics associated with this field is relative, the author has circumvented most math processes for the purpose of simplicity.

A peculiar characteristic of human nature appears when an unknown word or concept is introduced. So if you catch your mind wandering, back up, find the part you last understood and grab the dictionary.

I encourage everyone to strive to learn more today than they learned yesterday, your mind is the most powerful tool you will ever possess. Learning and growing are central to human development and necessary for every aspect of life.

The consultant lifestyle involves motels and fast food. Life on the road is not easy, especially for those of us with families. The stress from that combined with the demands of customers can, and has, crushed many good people. Every consultant I know would enjoy only contracts at local facilities, but economics dictate that we must go where needed. I have traveled North America for the purpose of meeting customer needs. I enjoy traveling to new places and meeting new people. I have become accustomed to this lifestyle and would wither in a factory. I always appreciate the generous job offers made by customers, but I know I am where I belong ...

Terms of use of this document: This document is free for unlimited distribution, provided it is unmodified. No warranty of this information is expressed or implied Payments to Christopher for the effort involved in compiling this information is greatly appreciated. Formatted for viewing on 800 X 600 resolution. All graphics were designed and created by Christopher Olsen, use of these graphics for purposes other than this document is prohibited.

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Last updated: November 24, 2002