1. Ray Beebe
Lessons learnt in 45 years of
condition monitoring……..
www.monash.edu.au

2. Condition monitoring is a type of maintenance inspection where
operational assets are monitored, on or off-line, and the data
obtained is analysed to -
– detect signs of degradation,
– diagnose cause of any fault,
– predict for how long the items can be safely (or economically)
run, and
– lead to the root cause being identified and if
economical, engineered out.
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3. Predictive Maintenance is a process that requires
technologies and people skills that integrates all
available equipment condition indicators (diagnostic
and performance data, operator logged
data), maintenance histories and design knowledge
to make timely decisions about maintenance
requirements of important equipment. (EPRI)
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4. My start: Yallourn
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5. • Basic vibration analysis and balancing
• Performance monitoring:
turbines, pumps, boilers
• Inspiring bosses gave me the CM virus!
• Lesson #1 Choose your bosses well
• Lesson #2 Plant new, or THE major
asset? What is current hot issue for your
management? Easier to get proposals
accepted.
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5

6. Hazelwood
8 x 200MW
(then)
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7. New 200MW unit: erratic vibration. 38
Case 1 weeks offline to fix!
Example of how an image would be positioned.
Please refer to 4.1 – 4.5 of the Brand Guidelines
(www.adm.monash.edu.au/mapa/brand) for
guidance on imagery.
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8. Vector effect of loose mass is like a balance
calibrating run (simple vibration meter with tuned
filter/strobe used)
PHASE gives the clue, e.g.
– Time A: 100 μm
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9. Vector effect of loose mass is like a balance
calibrating run
PHASE gives the clue, e.g.
– Time A: 100 μm
– Time B: 50 μm
Loose rubber bung inside
rotor centre counter-bored
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section! All bungs removed
9
–OK.

10. Pump vibration so high that outlet valve
wobbled shut. Operations tied it open!
Solution – stiffen up bearing
support to raise resonance
away from rotation speed
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11. • Lesson #3 Simple instruments and
approaches can do a lot.
• Lesson #4 Use “5 Whys” right back to a
component’s manufacture.
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12. Case 2 Balancing mill wheel
Timed-oscillation method, off-
speed. Plot of swing times to find
balance mass, location
Typical vibration meter with tuned
filter, strobe output for phase. Several
balances gave sensitivity
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(amplitude/phase), enabled one-shot 12

13. Points at around normal duty are enough for CM.
Case 3 So, ceased the long full Head-Flow tests
Example of how an image would be positioned.
Please refer to 4.1 – 4.5 of the Brand Guidelines
(www.adm.monash.edu.au/mapa/brand) for
guidance on imagery.
Try using DCS to obtain data
points, minimising special
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tests. 13

14. • Lesson #5 Review monitoring
procedures regularly:
– Still needed?
– Can be simplified?
– Stretch interval ?
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15. 2 years in UK (Babcock, Parsons, CEGB, plus several plant visits
in UK, Europe, USA. Wrote reports on return, bought advance vibration
analysis gear. Application involved reps from our several power plants)
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16. • Lesson #6 If worthwhile learning can only be
obtained outside, make proposal, BUT ensure
that only you can be selected!
• Lesson #7 To get buy-in, involve locals
deeply.
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17. www.monash.edu.au
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18. • Lesson #8 Document the procedures, make
available to all
• Lesson #9 Estimate costs/benefits and keep
running score (sample period each year may be
enough). Publicise your activities widely, but admit
shortcomings.
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19. • Lesson #10 Engineers do initial set-up well.
Ongoing routine CM is better run by technicians.
• Lesson #11 Check your cupboards for under-
utilised equipment!
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20. An FFT!
One set of gear bought to be
used by people at 6 sites -
simple user manual written.
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21. Case 4
High vibration on
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booster pump bearing 21

22. Analysis showed vibration was
at main pump blade pass
frequency.
Cause diagnosed as acoustic
resonance.
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23. • Lesson #12 Specialist test
equipment needs regular
owner, full-time skilled
operators
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24. • Lesson #13 Don’t fully believe the data
unless it looks about right!
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25. Case 5
120MW unit – generator trim balanced at speed
after disconnected from turbine: exciter used as motor.
But, massive vibration when returning to service…
LP
Coupling
HP
P Generator Gearbox and
Exciter
Journal bearings
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26. Case 5
Note that
generator
bearings are
longer than
diameter-
LP
HP
unusual… Coupling
P Generator Gearbox and
Exciter
Journal bearings
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27. At near to synchronising, vibration rapidly
increased. Held on PEAK mode, found to be at
rotor first critical speed….
Vibration Vibration
velocity increasing @
19.5Hz
0 20 50
Vibration frequency Hz
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28. Luckily, had
this ESDU chart
(IMechE research)
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29. Lines of Recommended
increasing area
Load parameter W’
constant b/d
2
/ W cd
W
10
e Nbd d
Original Oil 71°C
operation
Operation
when 1.0 Bearing
bearings Oil 40°C too short
modified
Increased risk of half-
frequency whirl
(Shorter bearings
0.1
fitted) 0.1 0.5 0.9
ESDU66023 Eccentricity ratio
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30. Case 6 Reduced Valve Wide Open output found on test….
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31. Cause diagnosed as
deposition on blades.
Steam Forced Cool had www.monash.edu.au
washing effect. 31

32. • Lesson #14 Consider OEM
recommendations carefully, but do not
follow them blindly.
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33. Case 7
Corrected VWO Output MW Comparison- high accuracy tests vs plant instruments
530 Upper points - accurate tests
Lower points - DCS tests
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
31-Jan-93 28-Oct-95 24-Jul-98 19-Apr-01 14-Jan-04
Date of test
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34. • Lesson #15 Find if plant instruments can
give usable trend for CM. If a DCS or
SCADA exists, then try data extraction and
utilisation.
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35. Post-overhaul – excessive vibration – but on bearin
Case 8 cover, not on bearing as shown in control room
2” air gap to
bearing
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36. • Lesson #16 Do not believe everything
you read in the control room! Verify actuality
at, and inside, the machine.
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37. • Lesson #17 Training is essential, at start
and ongoing. Certification will help.
I am Chair of CMSkills
Peter Todd is Chair Condition
Monitoring Certifying Board
within the AINDT is working on
processes (in Australia).
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37

38. • Lesson #18 Share your learning via on-line
forums, networking, conferences, articles
for magazines , even a book (e.g. this
session presented 6 times : USA, Asia and
Australia)
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39. www.monash.edu.au
39

40. • Lesson #19 Make recommendations
clear and concise:
• Lesson #20 THE MAJOR ONE. Condition
monitoring is not an end in itself, and
should be applied along with other
maintenance strategies as decided by an
RCM or similar analysis.
www.monash.edu.au
40

41. Questions or comments?
Thank you for sharing my 45 years
in 45 minutes with around 45 slides!
AND, thanks to all of the many who
worked along with me!
Happy monitoring!
email for free papers
raybeebemcm@gmail.com
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41

42. • 55 000
students, 7
campuses
• Gippsland
campus at
Churchill
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43. The Lessons in full
– Lesson #1 Choose your bosses well
– Lesson #2 Lesson #2 Plant new, or THE
major asset? What is current hot issue for
your management? When a plant is new
and/or the major asset makes it easier to
get proposals for CM etc. accepted
– Lesson #3 Correct and confident
diagnosis is often possible without complex
instruments.
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43

44. -Lesson #4 Persist with the “5 Whys” until
every possibility for a cause has been
exhausted - right back to the intimate detail of
a component’s manufacture.
-Lesson #5 Review monitoring procedures
regularly, to find if a test or procedure is in fact
still needed, or can be simplified, or have its
interval stretched.
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44

45. - Lesson #6 If you find that worthwhile learning
for your organization can only be obtained
outside it (whether in another country or
not), make the proposal, but ensure that it is
only you that can be selected to go!
- Lesson #7 To get buy-in, involve locals
deeply in any development.
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45

46. - Lesson #8 For staff training and for briefing of
relevant staff, document the procedures (include
digital pictures) and make them available to all on
the company intranet.
-Lesson #9 To ensure continuity of the CM
program, estimate costs/benefits and maintain a
running score sheet. Even if only done for a sample
period each year, worthwhile payback will be shown.
Publicise your activities widely, admitting any
shortcomings.
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46

47. - Lesson #10 Initial development of CM
applications is well done or managed by
professional engineers, but ongoing routine CM is
better run by technicians whose career
expectations are likely to be less ambitious.
Trades/crafts people can also find this a fulfilling
career.
- Lesson # 11 Check your cupboards – you may
have under-utilised equipment with as yet
unknown capability!
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47

48. • Lesson #12 Specialist test equipment
needs to have a regular owner and full-time
skilled operator
• Lesson #13 Check, and recheck, critical
data values if any look to be unusual
• Lesson #14 Take OEM recommendations
into careful consideration, but do not follow
them blindly.
www.monash.edu.au
48

49. • Lesson #15 Assess whether the plant
instruments can be used to give a usable
trend for CM. If a DCS or SCADA exists,
then try data extraction and utilisation.
• Lesson #16 In critical cases, do not
believe everything you read in the control
room without verification of labels and
actuality at and inside the machine.
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49

50. • Lesson #17 Training is essential before
starting CM work, followed by regular
reinforcement via courses, conferences.
Consider getting certification to verify
capability.
• Lesson #18 Share your learning via on-line
forums, networking, conferences, articles in
engineering magazines.
www.monash.edu.au
50

51. • Lesson #19 Make recommendations
clear and concise: put the technical
complexity in appendices.
• Lesson #20 THE MAJOR ONE. Condition
monitoring is not an end in itself, and
should be applied along with other
maintenance strategies as decide by an
RCM or similar analysis.
www.monash.edu.au
51