Industry shake-up: accelerometers with wireless vibration sensors.

Noise and vibrations near a railway line, construction site or factory can be headache-inducing or just plain annoying to contend with on a daily basis. However, as any site manager would know, ground vibrations are carefully managed to adhere to standards (both Australian and international) that have been established to ensure adequate human comfort.

As a range of factors, such as tremor levels, the location and the time of day, affect our response to tremors, different statutory requirements for human comfort limits may apply.

What are the Standards?

For example, general guidance on human response to building vibrations is provided in the following standards:

• AS 2670.2–1990 Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration – continuous and shock-induced vibration in buildings (1 to 80 Hz)
• ISO 2631–2:2003 Mechanical vibration and shock — evaluation of human exposure to whole body vibration – Part 2: Vibration in buildings (1 to 80 Hz)
• BS 6472 –1:2008 Guide to evaluation of human exposure to vibration in buildings (sources other than blasting)
• BS 6472–2: 2008 Blast-induced vibration.

In addition, there are standards guiding the vibration measurement of machines to ensure machine health and reliability. Every machine shakes during operation, however, these shudders can escalate due to unbalance, misalignment or reverberations. The standards are a way of formalising an instinctive understanding that equipment is vibrating unusually and needs attention.

For example, ISO 10816 establishes the general conditions and procedures for measuring and evaluating shaking from the non-rotating parts of machines. It categorises the machines and recommends limits to minimise strain on the equipment.

Industry 4.0 provides exciting opportunities to utilise accelerometers with wireless vibration sensors to detect unusual tremors and implement proactive maintenance solutions.

Just like smart washing machines use accelerometers to detect when a load is out of balance – and promptly switch off the motor to stop them from spinning out of control – manufacturing and other industries are using them to monitor movements specific to their purpose.

The applications for accelerometers with wireless vibration sensors are virtually endless.

The Next Generation of Accelerometers: ViBX335 and ViBX1600

Take advantage of the predictive maintenance opportunities of industry 4.0, with our new range of accelerometers:

• ViBX335 – for human comfort and environmental monitoring
• ViBX1600 – for machine monitoring

ViBX335 Specs

• perfect for measuring human comfort/safety and seismic vibration in buildings and facilities such as railways
• operates in the 0-400 Hz frequency range
• 10,000 g shock survival
• compact size – 25 mm round x 60mm
• SP13 military-grade connectors rated to IP68 dust and water protection
• low power consumption – 350 μA (typical)
• excellent temperature stability

ViBX1600 Specs

• perfect for measuring machine health and reliability
• operates in the 0-1600 Hz frequency range
• 10,000 g shock survival
• compact size – 25 mm round x 60mm
• SP13 military-grade connectors rated to IP68 dust and water protection
• low power consumption – 350 μA (typical)
• excellent temperature stability

These cutting-edge accelerometers with wireless vibration sensors are reinventing maintenance schedules in industries such as mining, transport and manufacturing.

They ensure industrial sites are able to adhere to the relevant Australian and international standards for human comfort and/or machine health and reliability.

Accelerometers also save time and money!

If breaches to human comfort standards are eliminated, fines and penalties can be avoided. Likewise, if malfunctions and/or minor damage to equipment can be detected at an early stage, any affected components can be replaced and further damage can be circumvented.

Monitor for human comfort or machine health with wireless vibration sensors.

Contact us today about our range of accelerometers and how they could enhance your operations. We work with businesses across Australia and globally to automate vibration monitoring and analysis.