The new Vibrostore 100 (photo) is a palm-sized device that provides vibration-level and bearing-wear monitoring for balance-of-plant machines at the push of a button. The lightweight device can be used single-handedly, and enables even untrained personnel to take vibration measurements and assess a semi-critical machine’s overall vibration condition. The instrument is equipped with a pre-set cable-connected Vibro acceleration sensor. Once the type and size of the machine (based on the ISO 10816 standard related to mechanical vibration) and its running speed are entered, a one-button push can perform the measurement. A traffic-light display immediately indicates the severity of the vibration based on the built-in ISO 10816 alarm limits (velocity in mm/s or in./s). The main screen also shows the rolling-element bearing condition in bearing damage units measurement (BDU) and total g (RMS acceleration). The display of the vibration level in frequency ranges indicates the most common machine faults, such as imbalance, misalignment or looseness. — Brüel & Kjær Vibro GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany
This palm-sized device monitors machine health
| By Mary Page Bailey and Gerald Ondrey