ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the topic of resolving vibration problems in rotating machines. In essence, this is a question of gaining maximum insight into a machine’s behavior using measurements during operation. It begins with a discussion of parameters that are often monitored and provides an overview of the instrumentation used. As there is often a vast amount of data collected, the chapter also discusses the ways in which this is stored. The many ways in which this data can be sorted to give insight is the topic of subsequent chapters. Having established the means of measurement, some form of mathematical model of the machine in question is needed to understand the data and some of the important ways of doing this are introduced, although far more details are given in subsequent chapters. Later in the chapter, the discussion turns to the physics of a rotating machine and some insights regarding the relative importance of bearing types and the main features of the rotor have been provided. The material is then brought together by considering the salient features of an appropriate monitoring scheme. The chapter closes with an outline of the remaining chapters and the accompanying software.
