Gearbox Input Shaft Bearing Fault Detection
A deviating picture around 95 Hz led to the replacement of the NDE-bearing of the input shaft of a gearbox. A Root Cause Analysis will be performed to determine the cause of the damage and prevent future occurrences.
Catch of the week!
This case proves that data analysis involves more than just correlating the measured levels with the applicable standards, trending parameters based on historical measurements or just theoretical knowledge.
Despite the relatively low levels (in both acceleration and velocity), one of our reliability engineers (Luc Bens) noticed a deviating picture around 95 Hz. On the advice of AVT Reliability (EU), the NDE-bearing of the input shaft of this gearbox was replaced within two weeks.
The relatively large damage to both inner ring and rolling elements is clearly visible. A Root Cause Analysis (RCA) yet to be performed will provide more insight into the occurrence of this specific damage and what possible corrective actions will be taken to prevent such damage in the near future.
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