Experimental and Theoretical Application of Fault Identification Measures of Accuracy in Rotating Machine Diagnostics

Model-based diagnostic techniques can be used successfully in the health analysis of rotormachinery. Unfortunately, a poor accuracy of the model of the fully assembled machine, as well as errors in the evaluation of the experimental vibrations caused only by the impending fault, can affect the accuracy of fault identifications. This can make difficult to identify the type of the actual fault as well as to evaluate its severity and its position. This paper shows some methods that have been developed to measure the accuracy of the results obtained with model-based techniques aimed to identify faults in rotating machines. The testing of the capabilities of these methods is carried out using both machine response simulated with mathematical models and experimental data on a real machine. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.