Nonparametric modeling of vibration signal features for equipment health monitoring

0-7803-7651-X/03/$17.00 © 2003 IEEE Abstract—Monitoring of the vibration characteristics of mechanical systems provides valuable insight into the health of the equipment. Evaluation of vibration features using standards derived from performance of new systems provides benefits in numerous applications. Analysis of the data stream is carried out either on-line or off-line, often utilizing Fourier analysis techniques at a constant rate of operation. In many applications, acquiring vibration data only while the monitored machinery is operating at a specific condition is a difficult limitation that often results in a scarcity of useful data. To ideally assess the health of the machinery in a reliable and timely fashion, it is advantageous to monitor vibration at variable operating states thus avoiding many of the afore-mentioned data collection difficulties. In addition, it is possible to capture valuable machinery health information that might otherwise be neglected, since developing faults might be expected to appear preferentially at some of the different operating conditions.