Using a personal computer for the purposes of machine condition monitoring
Steven J. Church · The University of Queensland · 2002
The aim of this report is to demonstrate that a fault can be diagnosed in a machine using a personal computer by analysing the sounds that the machine produces, with the machine in this case study being a motorcycle. This is done by viewing the frequency spectrum of the noises produced, and by then identifying developing trends in the spectrum over time. The report will initially identify faults that may occur in machinery in regards to noise and vibration and show how these faults can be found using condition monitoring techniques. The experimental stage of the thesis will deal with the method of collecting and storing the sounds from a faulty motorcycle before and after repair, and the techniques used in analysing the sounds from the motorcycle. The fault was an audible tapping sound that was diagnosed as detonation within one of the cylinders. A discussion of the results of the experimental stage will show that is possible to identify a fault in a machine by using a personal computer. The accuracy of the results from the experiment and any errors that may have arisen will be discussed in order to show that the results obtained prove that it is possible to identify a basic fault in a motorcycle simply by analysing the sounds that the machine produces.