MODAL ANALYSIS

SLEUTHS OUT
HIDDEN CAUSES
By Stanley R. Bognatz, P.E.

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 MANAGEMENT / PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Experimental modal analysis (EMA) and operating deflection shape (ODS)

analysis have been used for many years to solve vibration problems. Todays
compact, lightweight data collection hardware coupled with efficient modeling
soft ware allows analysts to gather large amounts of data and accurately model
complex deflection patterns. These dynamic models provide a visual representa-
tion of structural motion that analysts use to modify a structure to control vibra-
tion and improve its reliability.
Here is how EMA and ODS analysis were used to better understand the dy-
namics of two specific machinery problems that were difficult to visualize using
standard vibration analysis techniques. Youll see how building accurate and
detailed models helped to fully capture complex dynamic activity and was used to
determine proper corrective actions.

STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES CAUSE MACHINERY FAILURES

In the first case, a pharmaceutical firms fleet of vertical centrifuges (Figure 1) had
maintenance costs in excess of $500,000 per year because of mechanical failures.
The components involved are:
A vertical box frame with a THE STARTING POINT
swing-arm assembly bolted to it.
Swing arm
A centrifuge bowl (15,700 Spindle
rpm) inside a cooling assembly bearing
barrel; the bowl is suspended assembly
from a spindle shaft. The
spindle shaft rides in bear- Motor
ings mounted on top of the
swing-arm. A stub shaft on the
bottom of the bowl extends
into a flexibly mounted guide Bowl and
bushing. cooling
A drag-link and bushing as- assembly
sembly limits bowl deflection.
The bushing is a small ring of Frame
glass-like material retained in Drag-
Drag-
link
the drag-link assembly. link
bushing
bushing
A motor mounted beneath the
assembl
assembly
swing-arm drives the spindle y
via a flexible belt; the belt
assembly is located on top of
the swing-arm (belt drive not Figure 1. The computer model of the vertical centrifuge.
shown).
Pareto analysis indicated that spindle and bushing failures formed a significant
part of the maintenance costs. Also, the frames flat panel sections kept cracking.
Understanding the machinery dynamics required an initial study that measured
frame, swing arm, and cooling assembly vibration. We also used laser vibrometers
to measure bowl deflection. Several observations arose from that testing:
Moderate wear on the drag bushing (0.015 in. oversize) allowed excessive bowl
deflection and chaotic bowl vibration, eventually resulting in spindle damage as
the spindle contacted the swing arm bushing during startup and shut down.
Variations in the frame mounting and hold-down bolt torque produced no-
ticeable vibration changes.
The dominant vibration component occurred at 2,100 cpm, suggesting the
source was a structural mode.
Swing-arm vibration correlated loosely with bowl vibration.

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 Management / predictive technologies

Adding it up time went on, there were diminishing returns. It was appar-
ent that other reliability problems had yet to be identified.
We then explored structural vibration looking for
problematic vibratory modes using EMA on a spare cen-
trifuge combined with ODS testing of several units in the
production area.

Figure 2. A shop modal test overlay of 435 frequency response
functions (FRFs) over a 300 Hz frequency span showed several
structural modes in the operating speed range.
Based on the testing, the plant modified its operational
procedures and replaced the bushings more frequently
to keep clearances tighter. Other changes included bet-
ter maintenance procedures to minimize soft-foot and
frame strain, along with operational changes around bowl
handling, swing-arm tightness, belt tension, and drag-link
maintenance.
These relatively simple changes reduced monthly mainte-
nance expenditures nearly 50% within a few months. But, as
Our first
multimeter with
Shop testing
Modal testing on the spare unit developed and fine-
tuned the model, optimized the data, and captured the
detail necessary for accurate results. This was important
because any testing in the production area would be
at temperatures below 35F, where working conditions
wouldnt be as favorable.
The model shown in Figure 1 was constructed using
150 test points (degrees of freedom, or DOFs). These cap-
tured the structures global bending and twisting modes
and any localized modes of individual components and
frame plate sections.
A control study established baseline responses. In prep-
aration for the test, the frame was mounted, the soft-foot
at each corner was reduced to below 0.005 in. through
shim adjustment, and hold-down bolts were equally
torqued. The bowl was filled with weights to simulate the
product mass.
After establishing driving (reference) points, a force
hammer and tri-axial accelerometer captured single input,
multiple output (SIMO) data to generate frequency response

a detachable functions (FRFs) at the selected DOFs. The FRF is a complex

ratio of the output and input signal as a function of frequen-
display is here. cy; measured in g/lbf for impact testing.

Bending steel

Figure 3. Shop modal test showing the 43-Hz torsional frame

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 Management / predictive technologies

From a different angle Another starting point

Blower

Motor

Frame

Figure 4. A 203-Hz bending mode caused large vertical swing-arm Figure 6. Computer model of the air blower.
deflection at the spindle bearing.

The control test revealed several significant structural frequencies changed somewhat, but that the fundamental
modes in the operating speed range (Figure 2). These bending and torsional frame modes remained.
included an 11-Hz frame cantilever rocking mode, a pro-
nounced 43-Hz torsional mode around the vertical axis, Production area testing
and several combined bending/torsional modes at higher We chose a reliable centrifuge as a control unit for
frequencies. production-area ODS testing, using a roving tri-axial and
Figure 3 shows the 43-Hz torsional mode front-view. a stationary reference accelerometer. We collected cross-
From above, the swing-arm pivoted around the vertical spectral data from a majority of the DOFs used in the
(Z) axis very near the center of the frame, with significant
lateral movement at the spindle bearing. This mode would
increase the likelihood of contact between the spindle and
its bushing. The contact contributed to the known failure
mode characterized by surface galling defects from frame
bushing contact that caused spindle failure.
Additional tests were then performed with soft-foot and
hold-down bolt torque variations to gain better understand-
ing of how mounting variations affected the structural
responses. Overall, we noted that the mode shapes and
And here.
Comparing notes

Figure 5. A comparison of cross-spectral data showed that unreliable

centrifuges had a much broader array of mode activity, and the
relative responses at most frequencies were considerably higher.
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 MANAGEMENT / PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
impact testing. The testing revealed several significant
bending and torsional modes:
The bowl operating-speed response (262 Hz) produced
lateral spindle bearing deflection.
Distinct modal side-bands occurred at +/- 60 Hz cen-
tered around 262 Hz. These sidebands are analogous to
sideband activity in gearbox vibration, where the side-
band frequency helps identify an underlying cause.
The 203-Hz bending mode caused large vertical swing-
arm deflection at the spindle bearing (Figure 4).
A torsional frame mode at 178 Hz caused lateral spindle
motion, similar to that in the shop model.
The lowest mode at motor speed (60 Hz) showed front-
to-rear frame rocking and upper frame torsion.
We then performed ODS testing on two unreliable cen-
trifuges. Both machines had numerous spindle and drag
bushing failures throughout the previous year. The data
showed fundamental frequencies at 60, 178, 203, and 262
Hz, but with greater swing arm motion. We saw motor-
related 60-Hz sidebands around the structural modes fre-
quencies of 178 and 262 Hz. Figure 5 is a comparison of the
And here.
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SHAKING FROM THE BOTTOM UP
Figure 7. Blower frame showing the 59.7 Hz (operating frequency)
lateral mode shape.
cross-spectral data from the three machines. The unreliable
centrifuges showed a much broader array of modal activity,
and the relative responses at most frequencies were consid-
erably higher.
Overall, the data from the shop and production areas
showed primary bending and torsional modes that aggra-
vate spindle shaft deflection. That increases the likeli-
hood of damage through contact with the frame bushing.
More localized modes that contributed to the overall
vibration were present on the swing arm, motor mount,
and side panels. Without the benefit of modal analysis,
these dynamics wouldnt have been revealed and reliabil-
ity would continue to suffer.
The plant is now investigating several alternatives to
increase the lateral and torsional frame sti ness and swing
arm bending stiff ness.
HIGH-PRESSURE AIR BLOWERS
A pair of 60-Hz motor-driven, skid-mounted air blowers
(Figure 6) at a power plant had proven troublesome since
plant startup during the early 1990s. Blower #1 always was
sensitive to minor alignment changes, balance condition,
and frame soft-foot. Eorts to shim, precision level, and
anchor the frame provided only marginal improvement.
Although the units are rated at just 150 hp, they supply
boiler combustion air and are considered critical equipment.
The loss of blower air results in a boiler and turbine-gener-
ator shutdown and the loss of 140 MW electrical generation
revenues for the plant.
Blower #1 was rebuilt in 2008, but vibration levels at
operating speed (59.7 Hz) exceeded 1 in/sec, and the unit
was placed in emergency standby until the problem could be
resolved. Transient speed vibration analysis revealed several
structural resonances, with one occurring directly at operat-
ing speed. (Additional information about transient speed
vibration analysis is available at www.mbesi.com/down-
loads/downloads.htm.) We used a modal analysis of the unit
to determine how the frame could be best modified to alter
the resonance and reduce the units sensitivity.
After constructing the model, we identified the resonanc-
es and their mode shape through impact testing. We were
mainly interested in determining the mode shape of the
10/28/09 2:00 PM
 Management / predictive technologies

resonance that coincided with the operating speed, as that shapes of interest.
more resources at www.plantservices.com
was the most troublesome vibration frequency. However,
background noise from the adjacent Blower #2 made the TOPIC SEARCH
FRF data at 59.7 Hz too noisy to be useful, despite averaging Vibration and alignment Measuring your vibes
of multiple FRFs. The data outside of the operating speed Integrated maintenance Fix me
range showed more typical modal activity. Condition monitoring New tools for PdM
Because the two units both operate at 59.7 Hz, it stood to Vibration analysis Condition monitoring
under control
reason that the background vibration from Blower #2 could
PdM trends New tricks
be used as an excitation source for Blower #1.
Because there was sufficient vibration present on Blower #1, For more, search www.PlantServices.com using the
the background vibration would serve as a shaker tuned at keywords bearing, deflection, and resonance.
precisely the frequency needed to provide the excitation for
what we called the non-operating ODS. A roving triaxial and a
stationary reference accelerometer provided the cross-spectral Excessive vibration from resonances near running
data from 117 DOFs on the frame, motor, and blower. speed, or those excited during transient speed operation,
The non-operating ODS data in Figure 7 indicated the can reduce reliability. Modal analysis can be used to
frame was subject to a significant lateral (horizontal) reso- determine corrective actions.
nance at 59.7 Hz, causing it to flex in an S shape. This lateral
resonance and mode shape clearly explained the vibration Stanley R. Bognatz, P.E., is president, M&B Engineered Solutions,
sensitivity of Blower #1 to any changes in alignment, frame Inc. in Carbondale, Pa. Contact him at SRB@mbesi.com and (570)
position, and balance quality. With the resonance being 282-4947.
coincident with operating speed, any changes in these vari-
ables directly affected the units 1X vibration response in a
non-linear manner.
To correct this situation, 1 in. thick baseplates were
installed beneath the motor and blower. The blower base-
plate, 30.5 in. wide x 88 in. long, added 740 pounds to the
structure. It eliminated the resonance and the added mass

After constructing the model,

we identified the resonances
and their mode shape by means
of impact testing.

decreased the blowers background vibration, which de-

creased false brinnelling of the rolling element bearings that
was occasionally noted in the past.
These two cases were difficult to solve using typical vibra-
tion analysis techniques (additional examples are high-
Imagine
magine the
lighted at www.mbesi.com/services/modal_analysis.htm).
Modal and ODS analysis provided excellent insight into
possibilities.
ossibilities.
the machinery dynamics and helped solve some perplex- Be in two places at once with the Fluke 233
ing reliability problems. Some important points are worth Remote Display Multimeter. For more information
remembering: about this revolutionary new meter go to
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 onstruct an accurate model with sufficient complexity www.fluke.com/remote_display_meter
or call 1-800-44-Fluke.
to depict both global and local modes accurately.
C
 ontrol tests performed on reliable machinery can serve
as baselines for comparison with unreliable machines.
O
 DS analysis shows deflection shapes at operating speed
and can be used to manage 1X vibration.
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 odal analysis shows the resonances and deflection.
M

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