Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VIBRATION ANALYSIS UNIT FOR A VIBRATING MACHINE,
METHOD FOR DISPLAYING VIBRATIONS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM
The invention relates to a vibration analysis device, comprising an attachment
fixture, for ana-
lyzing the behavior of a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating conveyor
or vibrating
screen. The invention furthermore relates to a method for displaying vibration-
induced output
information for analyzing the behavior of a vibrating machine, in particular a
vibrating conveyor
or vibrating screen. The invention also relates to a computer program for
carrying out certain
steps that run on a computer system.
A so-called stroke card is already known from the prior art, which is used to
evaluate the vibra-
tion behavior of a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating conveyor or
vibrating screen. The
stroke card is designed as a (paper) card, which may be fastened to a
vibrating machine, in
particular a vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, where it is usually
fastened to a side plate.
A pen is disposed in such a way that its tip rests on the stroke card and
places a marking at its
contact point with the stroke card. Conclusions as to the vibration behavior
may be drawn
based on the markings which are recorded during the operation of the vibrating
machine.
Different measuring systems also exist, which are designed in such a way that
they measure
and analyze a machine behavior with the aid of mounted sensors.
In addition, a Vibroscope software application exists for mobile devices
having an iOS operat-
ing system, which is designed to measure and analyze the level of vibrations.
Low-frequency
vibrations are measured and visually output in real time via an acceleration
sensor. The accel-
eration values may be displayed as numeric values, in waveform as a function
of time and as
two-axis vectors. The vibrations may be evaluated by means of rapid Fourier
transformation.
The application is designed to measure vibrations and accelerations of an
automobile and its
components or a train, or to check the equilibrium of a vibrating body. The
implementation of
this older idea, in particular, has not proven to be successful even in the
area for which it is
provided, namely in the area of a motor vehicle.
Moreover, the prior art always has the disadvantage that meticulous attention
must be paid to
the orientation when attaching a stroke card or a measuring system so that the
results may be
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correctly evaluated. Up to now, moreover, not all parameters characterizing
the vibration are
able to be completely ascertained and displayed.
The object of the invention is therefore to eliminate or at least to mitigate
the disadvantages of
the prior art. In particular, all information relating to the vibrations of
the vibrating machine, in
particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, is to be ascertained
cost-effectively and
using simple means. The information should also be able to be stored so that
it may be further
processed and archived. The object of the invention is also to be able to
evaluate the vibration
data preferably independently of the attachment orientation.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in a generic fixture by a
vibration analysis
unit having an attachment fixture, which is coupled with a sensor designed to
detect motion
and/or to detect acceleration, the sensor being provided to transmit signals
based on meas-
ured data to an arithmetic unit, the attachment fixture having at least one
means to be detach-
ably fastened to a housing of a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating
conveyor or vibrat-
ing screen, an optical device being provided, which is prepared to output the
data further pro-
cessed by the arithmetic unit.
The sensor may wirelessly transmit the data based on measured data to an
arithmetic unit.
This has the advantage that, except for the sensor, no other equipment must be
fastened to
the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating
screen.
Alternatively, the vibration analysis unit may be equipped with an attachment
fixture, which is
coupled with an arithmetic unit, the arithmetic unit having at least one
sensor designed to de-
tect motion and/or detect acceleration, the attachment fixture having at least
one means to be
detachably fastened to a housing of a vibrating machine, in particular a
vibrating conveyor or
vibrating screen, an optical device being present, which is prepared to output
the data de-
tected by the sensor and further processed in the arithmetic unit. Motion
profiles of the vibrat-
ing machine are output on the optical display devices, based on path-time
diagrams, so that
the trained observer is able to assess the vibration behavior of the vibrating
machine with re-
gard to possible errors.
This has the advantage that meaningful information about the vibration
behavior of the vibrat-
ing machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, may now
by provided,
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which may be used for further technical examination. Due to the fact that the
arithmetic unit
and the sensor are coupled with the attachment fixture and are fastened
directly to the vibrat-
ing machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, no
painstaking orientation
of the vibration analysis is necessary. In the approach according to the
invention, the sensor
may automatically calculate the horizontal reference plane and display the
vibrations in rela-
tion to the reference plane as well as in relation to the plane in which the
sensor is attached.
Advantageous specific embodiments are claimed in the subclaims and are
explained in
greater detail below.
It is thus advantageous if the attachment fixture is designed as a sleeve,
housing or (angle)
plate. The attachment fixture may be easily and particularly cost-effectively
manufactured
thereby. It is also possible to add a fixture to existing sleeves in such a
way that they may be
fastened to the housing of a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating
conveyor or vibrating
screen.
It is also advantageous if the arithmetic unit is preferably detachably
fastened in the sleeve or
in the housing or on the (angle) plate. The arithmetic unit and the attachment
fixture may thus
be manufactured and used separately. One attachment fixture may therefore also
be used for
multiple arithmetic units, and an existing arithmetic unit may be fastened to
the vibrating ma-
chine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, by coupling
with the attachment
fixture without a great deal of additional structural complexity.
A favorable exemplary embodiment is furthermore characterized in that the
arithmetic unit is
designed as a smartphone or tablet. Many potential users are familiar with the
use of
smartphones and/or tablets, so that the operability of the vibration analysis
unit is high, and no
great amount of training effort and/or no extensive descriptions is/are
needed. In addition, only
very low manufacturing costs and minimal additional procurement costs arise,
since a
smartphone and/or tablet is/are already available to many potential users and
function as the
vibration analysis device by installing a software application and by coupling
with the attach-
ment fixture. Since potential users often continuously carry a smartphone
and/or tablet on their
person, the vibration analysis unit is always within reach whenever needed.
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It is additionally advantageous if the means for fastening the attachment
fixture to the housing
of the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating
screen, is designed
as an fixture establishing a form fit and/or a force fit. A fixed seat of the
arithmetic and the sen-
sor on the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or
vibrating screen, may thus
preferably be ensured, which does not limit or reduce the evaluation capacity
of the vibration
behavior.
One or multiple fixtures are furthermore preferably designed for the purpose
of clamping
and/or magnetic attachment and/or gluing. As a result, the vibration analysis
unit may be fix-
edly attached to the housing of the vibrating machine, in particular the
vibrating conveyor or
vibrating screen, without an additional fixture being present on the housing
of the vibrating ma-
chine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen. The vibration
analysis unit may
also thus be easily and in particular detachably attached in multiple
different locations.
In addition, it is advantageous if the sensor is designed to detect at least
one parameter from
the group: motion direction, position, velocity, acceleration and travel.
These parameters, in
particular, are good options, since they meaningfully characterize the
vibration behavior and
since additional evaluation-relevant parameters may be calculated from these
parameters.
It is also favorable if the arithmetic unit is designed to detect and process
data, so that an an-
gle of the main vibration direction, the distance traveled by the vibrating
machine, in particular
the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, the velocity, the acceleration, a
vibration frequency,
a deviation from a setpoint vibration direction and/or an image of a vibration
profile (over time)
may be displayed by the display device. This has the advantage that, due to
this meaningful
raw and further processed data, it is possible to evaluate whether the
vibration behavior of the
vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen,
corresponds to or
deviates from a setpoint behavior. Since the information is present not only
graphically but
also as numeric values, an automatic evaluation of the vibration behavior may
also be made.
It is furthermore advantageous if the processed data items are output
separately from each
other and/or as a resulting vector depending on the x, y and z axes of a
Cartesian coordinate
system. As a result, either the total amount and the overall direction of the
vibration or a partic-
ular direction component of the vibration may be read out.
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A favorable exemplary embodiment is also characterized in that the arithmetic
unit has an-
other sensor designed to detect the ambient temperature. The vibrating
machine, in particular
the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, may be damaged in particular at
excessively high
or excessively low ambient temperatures. An elevated temperature of the
vibrating machine
itself is also an indicator of an irregularity in the setpoint vibration
behavior. It is therefore ad-
vantageous to regularly check the temperature at the vibrating machine.
A transceiver unit for communicating with one or multiple peripheral units is
advantageously
present in the arithmetic unit. This makes it possible to decouple the display
device from the
arithmetic unit and to have the vibration data also output to other devices.
The data may also
be automatically transmitted to and stored on an external storage medium. The
vibration anal-
ysis unit may also be operated and monitored by remote control via the
transceiver unit, so
that a vibration checker does not necessarily have to be on site. The
measurements may fur-
thermore be synchronized, so that, for example, multiple vibration analysis
units are fastened
to different points on a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating conveyor
or vibrating screen,
the data is evaluated in a synchronized manner and a statement may this be
made on the
overall motion of the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor
or vibrating screen.
The invention also relates to a method for displaying vibration-induced output
information for
analyzing the behavior of a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating
conveyor or vibrating
screen, a sensor designed to detect motion and/or to detect acceleration being
fastened to a
housing of the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or
vibrating screen, via
an attachment fixture, the sensor detecting data which is further processed in
an arithmetic
unit connected to the sensor, and the further processed data being output in a
display device.
It is this advantageous if the data for displaying the vibration-induced
output information is out-
put as a graphic or as a numerical value. The vibration behavior may be
evaluated thereby op-
tically, for example by an expert or comparison with a setpoint vibration
graphic, as well as
mathematically, for example by comparison with a tolerance range.
It is furthermore advantageous if the data relates to at least one parameter
from the group:
travel, velocity, acceleration, vibration frequency, angle of the main
vibration direction, devia-
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tion from the setpoint vibration direction and/or an image of the vibration
profile. These param-
eters advantageously completely and meaningfully classify a vibration, and
additional parame-
ters may be calculated therefrom.
A favorable exemplary embodiment is also characterized in that the data
detected by the sen-
sor and/or the data processed by the arithmetic unit is sent to an external
peripheral unit. The
data may be advantageously output on the external peripheral unit or be
synchronized with
data of other vibration analysis units. Statements on the overall motion of
the vibrating ma-
chine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, may be easily
made thereby or
compared with historic data which is stored, for example, in a database or on
a storage me-
dium. For example, Bluetooth, LAN or WLAN may be used to communicate with the
peripheral
unit.
It is also advantageous if a smartphone or tablet having the arithmetic unit
and the sensor as
well as the display device is coupled to the attachment fixture before or
after the latter is fas-
tened to the housing of the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating
conveyor or vibrating
screen. Since an arithmetic unit, a display device and sensors are built as
standard into many
smartphones and/or tablets, the snnartphones and/or tablets may be
advantageously used to
detect and further process the vibration data only by equipping them with the
additional soft-
ware application and an attachment fixture.
It is furthermore advantageous if the attachment fixture is fastened to the
housing. The
snnartphone or the tablet, including the arithmetic unit and the sensor, is
thus fixed directly on
the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating
screen, so that no rela-
tive movement is possible between the vibrating machine and sensor, and the
sensor vibrates
together with the vibrating machine. The detected data may be used to analyze
the vibration
behavior without any additional computational transformation.
The invention also relates to a computer program for carrying out certain
steps when they are
run on a computer system, the steps being designed as follows: detecting raw
motion and/or
acceleration data with the aid of a sensor; forwarding the raw data to an
arithmetic unit; further
processing the raw data into processed data in the arithmetic unit; forwarding
the processed
data to a display device; and outputting the processed data with the aid of a
display device.
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These steps should preferably be carried out in this order, although another
sequence is also
conceivable, for example, parallel execution of individual steps is possible,
It is advantageous if the raw data is stored on a storage medium in a step
after the forwarding
of the raw data and/or after the further processing of the raw data. The data
may be archived
thereby and easily compared with data of the same vibrating machine obtained
later on or with
data of other vibrating machines. The historic development of a vibrating
machine may also be
better evaluated in this way.
It is furthermore advantageous if, in one step, the data processed is
mathematically and/or
graphically compared with earlier data, which preferably facilitates an
evaluation over a longer
period of time and reveals a deviation from the setpoint vibration behavior.
The processed data is also advantageously linked with machine information,
such as location,
date and type, in a step in which data is input manually. The data may thus
also be precisely
assigned to a vibrating machine, in particular a vibrating conveyor or
vibrating screen, at a
later point in time.
The processed data is preferably optically output in one step. This enables
the user to quickly
determine whether the vibration behavior is all right, whether it is in a
critical tolerance range
or whether it is impermissible.
The invention may also be designed as a vibration analysis unit for a
vibrating machine, in
particular a vibrating conveyor or a vibrating screen, which includes an
arithmetic unit having a
camera. Information may be displayed for the user on the optical display
device connected to
the arithmetic unit. The arithmetic unit is configured in such a way that,
viewed over a period
of time, image information captured by the camera, which is obtained by
filming a target ob-
ject, which is prepared for visual capture and which is fastened to the
vibrating machine, in
particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen. This image information
is evaluated and
transmitted to the display device in such a way that information relating to
the vibration of the
vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen,
is displayed.
The invention is explained below with the aid of a drawing, where:
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Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a vibration analysis unit in a
state in which an
arithmetic unit has not yet been inserted into a sleeve;
Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the vibration analysis unit,
including a trans-
ceiver unit for communicating with a peripheral unit; and
Figure 3 shows a flowchart representation of a computer program, which is
provided and
configured to run on the arithmetic unit;
Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a vibrating machine in the form
of a vibrating
screen, including a vibration analysis unit.
The figures are only of a schematic nature and are used exclusively for the
sake of under-
standing the present invention. Identical elements are provided with identical
reference numer-
als. The features of the individual exemplary embodiments are interchangeable
with each
other.
A vibration analysis unit 1 is illustrated in Figure 1, which has an
attachment fixture 2, which is
coupled with an arithmetic unit 3. Arithmetic unit 3 includes at least one
sensor 4, which is de-
signed to detect motion and/or detect acceleration. At least one means 5 is
present at attach-
ment fixture 2, with the aid of which vibration analysis unit 1 is detachably
fastened to a hous-
ing of a vibrating machine, which is not illustrated, in particular a
vibrating conveyor or vibrat-
ing screen. An optical display device 6 is also present, which is either
integrated into arithme-
tic unit 3 or designed to be separate therefrom. Display device 6 is prepared
to output data de-
tected by sensor 4 and further processed by arithmetic unit 3.
Arithmetic unit 3 of vibration analysis unit 1 to be coupled with attachment
fixture 2 is illus-
trated schematically according to Figure 1. Arithmetic unit 3 is designed as a
conventional
smartphone or tablet, which is prepared by an additional software application,
also known as
an app, to detect multiple parameters of a vibration behavior of the vibrating
machine, in par-
ticular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating screen, with the aid of a built-in
motion and/or accel-
eration sensor 4, to further process the detected data and to optically output
it with the aid of a
display device 6.
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Arithmetic unit 3 may be coupled with an attachment fixture 2. According to
Figure 1, attach-
ment fixture 2 is designed as a sleeve, into which arithmetic unit 3 may be
inserted. Attach-
ment fixture 2 is preferably manufactured from silicone or from another
elastic material, so that
arithmetic unit 3 may be inserted into the preferably form-fitting sleeve. In
other exemplary em-
bodiments, attachment fixture 2 may also be designed, for example, as a
housing or (angle)
plate.
Means 5 as illustrated in Figure 1 are present in attachment fixture 2, which
are fastened to
the vibrating machine, in particular the vibrating conveyor or vibrating
screen housing, by
means of their magnetic attraction force. Means 5 are disposed in the corners
of attachment
fixture 2. A magnetic attachment offers the advantage that it adheres to most
metals without
any additional fastening and is particularly easy to detach. In another
exemplary embodiment,
means 5 of attachment fixture 2 may be designed as a clamping fixture or an
adhesive fixture.
According to Figure 1, display device 6 is integrated into arithmetic unit 3
and is prepared to
optically output the detected and further processed data. An angle of the main
vibration direc-
tion, a distance traveled by the vibrating machine, in particular the
vibrating conveyor or vibrat-
ing screen, a velocity, an acceleration, a vibration frequency, a deviation
from a setpoint vibra-
tion direction and/or an image of a vibration profile over time may be
displayed on display de-
vice 6. Depending on the setting in the application, the vibration parameters
are output sepa-
rately from each other and/or as a resulting vector depending on the x, y and
z axes of a Car-
tesian coordinate system.
Arithmetic unit 3 also includes a temperature sensor 7 according to Figure 1,
which is de-
signed to detect the ambient temperature. The data detected by temperature
sensor 7 may
processed and/or output in the application for the vibration analysis or in a
separate applica-
tion or processing/output unit.
As illustrated in Figure 2, a transceiver unit 8 is present in arithmetic unit
3, which preferably
may communicate with one or multiple peripheral units 9 via Bluetooth, LAN or
WLAN. For ex-
ample, the vibration information may be displayed, synchronized with other
measured data or
stored in the peripheral unit.
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Figure 3 shows a computer program 10, which carries out multiple steps one
after the other. In
a first step 11, raw motion and/or acceleration data is detected with the aid
of a sensor 4. In a
second step 12, which takes place at a later point in time, the raw data is
forwarded to an
arithmetic unit 3. Alternatively, the raw data may first be stored before it
is forwarded to arith-
metic unit 3. In a third step 13, the raw data is then further processed into
processed data in
arithmetic unit 3. The processed data is then forwarded to a display device 6
in a fourth step
14. In this case as well, the further processed data may alternatively first
be stored before it is
forwarded to display device 6. In a fifth step 15, the processed data is
optically output with the
aid of a display device 6.
Figure 4 shows a possible specific embodiment of a vibrating machine 16 in the
form of a vi-
brating screen, in which vibration analysis unit 1 may be used. Vibrating
screens are used to
sieve, to separate and/or to transport bulk material of different sizes.
Vibrating machine 16
comprises a screen deck 164, on which screen linings having predetermined
openings are sit-
uated, through which the smaller bulk material falls, while the larger
material remains on
screen deck 164. Vibrating machine 16 is supported on steel springs 162 on its
four corners
and is fastened to an insulating frame 165. Vibrating machine 16 is placed in
motion by a vi-
bration exciter 163 having eccentrically arranged weights. The vibrating
screen may vibrate at
up to 1,000 rotations per minute and with a load of more than five times the g-
force (5g).
Due to this load, the recording and evaluation of vibrations of a vibrating
machine 16 of this
type is a challenge, which requires expert knowledge.
Vibration analysis unit 1 is preferably detachably mounted on a side plate 161
of a vibrating
machine 16. The travel thereof, velocity or acceleration, vibration frequency,
angle of the main
vibration direction or an image of the vibration profile over time may thus be
displayed specifi-
cally for these points. An ascertainment of these characteristic variables at
all four corners of
the vibrating machine subsequently permits an analysis of the vibration
behavior of the entire
vibrating machine.
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List of Reference Numerals
1 vibration analysis unit
2 attachment fixture
3 arithmetic unit
4 sensor
means
6 display device
7 temperature sensor
8 transceiver unit
9 peripheral unit =
computer program
11 first step
12 second step
13 third step
14 fourth step
fifth step
16 vibrating machine
161 side plate
162 steel spring
163 vibration exciter
164 screen deck
165 insulating frame
