Airborne and Structure-borne ultrasound has evolved into a technology that many would consider to be the cornerstone of an effective maintenance and reliability program. From compressed air & gas leak detection, electrical inspection, and various mechanical inspections, ultrasound is truly a versatile tool for anyone’s PdM “toolbox.” One application in particular, is to utilize the technology for condition based lubrication and to reduce lubrication related failures in rotating equipment.

The most common causes of bearing failures are related to lubrication.  These failures happen because of either a lack of lubrication, or too much lubrication. Ultrasound assisted lubrication helps to take the guesswork out of how much lubricant to apply.  Additionally, typical lubrication programs are based on timed intervals. With time based lubrication, the tendency is to over lubricate. Lubricant is applied at timed intervals whether the equipment needs to be greased or not.

Ultrasonic instruments sense high frequency sound waves. High Frequency sound waves have very little energy, and therefore do not travel very far from the source. Mechanical problems such as faulty bearings and bearings in need of lubrication are easily detected.  The inspector will be able to hear the high frequency sound as an audible in the headset thanks to the instruments’ ability to translate the high frequency sound into a low frequency audible range.  A visual readout onboard the ultrasonic instrument also indicates the intensity of the sound being detected as a decibel level, and in some cases, onboard spectral analysis.

This presentation will show how using structure-borne ultrasound, one can detect mechanical faults in rotating equipment and prevent failures due to either a lack of lubrication, or over lubrication.  The benefits of less rotating equipment failures include less unscheduled downtime, reduced maintenance costs, and reduced motor repair costs.  Information will also be presented on how airborne and structure-borne ultrasound is a perfect complement to other technologies such as vibration analysis.

Takeaways

Condition Based Lubrication Program
Proactive Maintenance Sttrategy
Complimentary Tool to Predictive Maintenance Technologies

Certifications:

• Airborne/Structure borne Ultrasound ISO Category I and LEVEL I
• Airborne/Structure borne Ultrasound ISO Category II and LEVEL II
• Vibration Analyst ISO Category II and ASNT Level II – Reliability Improvement and Condition Monitoring

Education & Expertise:

• Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering.
• More than 8 years’ Experience in the field of Condition Monitoring and Reliability.
• Conducted more than 200 Ultrasound Technology case studies, training courses and workshops in different plants & Industries all over the Middle East Region during the last 4 years.

Contact Details:

• Email: Ahmedm@uesystems.com
• Telephone number: 00201000036430
• Social Media details: LinkedIn: Ahmed Moataz