Condition monitoring saves system operators a lot of money

inner race damage

The effects of damage processes on mechanical drives cannot be completely avoided. Minimal manufacturing tolerances, minor carelessness during assembly or sub-optimal operating conditions of a drive lead to initial damage that is initially completely harmless. However, if these are not recognized, they grow and lead to the failure of entire drive elements or even to secondary damage or even the total failure of entire production lines. In one specific case, the imperfect lubricant supply in the gearbox led to insufficient lubrication of the roller bearing, the breakage of which initially caused the pinion shaft to shift and ultimately the entire gearbox to block.

With the help of vibration diagnostic methods, minimal discontinuities can now be detected reliably and in good time. Modern methods work frequency-selectively, i.e. abnormal conditions are searched for and found in spectra. As this is automated in GfM's systems, no personnel are required up to this point.

GfM serves all phases of condition monitoring. We offer online systems that are permanently installed on a drive and monitor it continuously. This is usually the optimum solution for sensitive large drives in a central position on a production line. Mobile systems, on the other hand, are suitable for monitoring many drives in a complex production environment. Here, data acquisition is carried out manually in fixed cycles. GfM also offers a complete service, the ideal solution for interested parties who have little experience of their own.

Finally, seminars are offered. The two-day basic seminar “Condition monitoring on gearboxes and rolling bearings” provides a brief and clear overview of everything that is important for machine diagnostics. It shows how vibrations occur, how they propagate, how they can be measured and which tools can be used to analyze them. Finally, seminar participants will learn how to draw conclusions about specific damage from patterns in spectra. No previous knowledge is required. The next seminars will take place in Berlin in October 2025. Information on content, dates and prices can be found at https://maschinendiagnose.de/seminare.