Structural Looseness

Figure 1 - Typical Radial FFT Generated By Mechanical Figure 2 - Looseness Allows

(Structural) Looseness Movement In
The Direction Of The
Looseness

Structural Looseness Symptoms:  Animation simulates a

loose motor foot
moving vertically
 High radial vibration @ 1x, 2x rpm (often under a slow motion
higher at 2x) and possibly 3x (lower). study.
 Note how vertical
 Amplitude may be extremely high in amplitudes in this
direction of looseness only (vertical or case are far higher
horizontal) - far higher than in the than horizontal
amplitudes would be.
perpendicular radial direction.  Foot lifts and drops
 Found easily with background vibration once per shaft
checks of adjacent surfaces. revolution.
 2x rpm component
 Slow Motion Study can be a very useful may appear due to the
tool in diagnosing this condition. bounce (shape of the
time domain plot - see
time domain section
for more information
on that).
 Additional harmonics
can be created due to
the shape of the time
domain signal. As it
changes from a
sinusoid towards a
square wave, more
harmonics appear.