Vibration measurement flexibility provides cost-effective and enhanced protection
Published: 05 October, 2020
The advantages of applying vibration condition monitoring to rotating equipment is well established but this technique can only provide the maximum benefit when applying the correct measurement technique. So what is the correct measurement and how do I implement this?
What if I need to make a change to the measurement to optimise early fault detection? Whilst industrial vibration sensors offer a broadband performance suitable for most machines it’s the signal processing that makes the difference. Furthermore, the right hardware that provides a range of measurement algorithm options will maximise the return on investment and future proof the installation.
Typically the higher cost of more sophisticated vibration monitoring systems offering this type of flexibility can be difficult to justify for smaller machinery. This is why condition monitoring specialist Sensonics developed the DN26 G3 protection monitor to provide a more suitable stand-alone monitor to complement their successful range of rack-mounted products. The dual channel din rail mountable unit provides monitoring of bearing vibration, shaft vibration, or shaft position with fully programmable signal conditioning and with a range of measurement algorithms and sensor options.
The unit is designed for optimum flexibility; as a universal module (single hardware platform) it is field upgradable and fully programmable. Special protection options include slow rotation vibration monitoring down to 0.2Hz and narrow band filter measurements for specific vibration signatures. In addition the DN26 G3 offers a dedicated speed monitor channel which can also be utilised as a phase reference for further harmonic analysis of the vibration signals. The sensor interface is programmable to accept IEPE type accelerometers/ velomiters, proximity probes (API 670 standard), and active / passive speed probes.
All sensor signals are available via a buffered interface which provides the option of further detailed analysis if required. Three alarm relays are available as standard (expandable to up to seven relays via a digital interface), one dedicated to indicate module and sensor integrity. The other two relays are fully programmable across the alarm criteria selected and all three input channels measured values are available via a 4-20mA interface.
The unit is available with Ethernet communications as standard, permitting configuration either locally or remotely through the in-built webserver and offering Modbus over TCPIP for connecting measured data to other plant wide systems. The DN26-G3 features a built-in intuitive colour LCD display and menu drive facility providing various display modes and an alarm historian with real time logging capability.
