Present Instrumentation And Future Trends In Real Time Analysis Equipment

Abstract

In the past instrumentation available to the diagnostician for analysis of machinery problems was limited to swept narrowband filter systems and, less important, parallel narrowband filter systems. Although useful for analysis of noise and vibration problems, this equipment had the disadvantage of being relatively slow and requiring frequent adjustment. Presently available instrumentation operates in what is described as ''Real Time" i.e .., the analysis equipment uses various techniques that allow all available data to be analyzed and the results presented with no appreciable delay. A commonly used technique is the "time compression" technique where data is stored digitally, (compressed, and converted to a high frequency signal for analysis by conventional swept filter techniques. This approach has proved to be more and more popular in recent years. Reduction in the over-all size of these instruments, addition of desirable features, and improved reliability have all contributed to this growing popularity. These time compression spectrum analyzers are most frequently used in studying vibration problems.