® SKF Reliability Systems
Why Synchronous Time Averaging
The standard FFT process includes each
successive spectrum ensemble to display
the final ensemble sum divided by the
number of averages taken. The Microlog
indicates the final sum by annotating
DONE at the top of the LCD screen.
The difference between Average Mode:
Finite and Average Mode:Continuous in
the Spectrum Setup screen is that in
Average Mode:Continuous, averaging
continues beyond the Number of Averages
chosen in the Spectrum Setup screen. The
new ensemble is added to the old average
according to the equation:
(N-1) Enew
Anew = Aold +
N N
where Aold = old average
Anew = new average
Enew = current ensemble, and
N = the number of averages chosen
Thus, where finite averaging allows you to
look at a snapshot in time, continuous
averaging produces a trend.
In both finite and continuous frequency
averaging, input noise averages to some
level below the amplitudes of the
predominant rotational frequencies. The
advantage of using synchronous time
averaging rather than frequency averaging
is that in synchronous time averaging noise
Application Note
CM3016 Figure 1. A time domain display of a sine wave embedded in noise.
tends to zero to provide a better signal to
noise ratio for spectrum analysis.
Synchronous time averaging is a time
domain average method that requires an
external signal to be synchronous with the
zero sample of the time domain buffer.
The effect is that vibration high spots
appear in the time display always
positioned at the same delay from the
trigger zero time. Noise on the other hand
will be random for each sample–sometimes
negative or positive. The time average is
obtained by adding each sequential time
buffer until the selected sum is reached at
which time the FFT is performed. Since
the signal is enhanced by successive
summations while noise tends to zero, the
final FFT is able to display spectrum
amplitudes of weak signals above the noise
threshold.
Figure 1 shows a time domain display of a
sine wave embedded in noise.
Figure 2 shows the frequency domain
averaging display of a sine wave imbedded
in noise and also shows a signal to noise
ratio of about 30 to 1.
Figure 3 shows a time domain display of a
sine wave synchronously time averaged
which clearly shows the decrease in noise
from Figure 1.
 ®

"Why
Synchronous
Time Averaging"

Figure 2. A frequency domain averaging display of a sine wave embedded in noise.

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Figure 3. A time domain display of a sine wave synchronously time averaged.

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property of their respective Figure 4. A time synchronous averaging display of a sine wave embedded in noise.
owners.

CM3016 (Revised 11-99)
Copyright © 1999 by
SKF Reliability Systems
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Figure 4 shows a frequency display after
synchronous time averaging and also
shows a greatly increased signal to noise
ratio of about 300 to 1.
A major application of time averaging is to
isolate the vibration measurements of one
machine from a machine nearby running at
approximately the same speed. Since the
nearby machine’s running speed is non-
synchronous to the machine under test, its
vibration signals will tend to be incoherent
with the time averaging function and will
approach an averaged minimum while all
signals coherent with the machine
reference trigger are enhanced.
It is easily seen that the signal relative to
the noise has been enhanced by the time
averaging process.