Rolling element bearing multi-fault diagnosis using morphological joint time–frequency adaptive kernel–based semi-smart framework

Abstract

The wavelet transform is a state of the art time–frequency analysis method for rolling element bearing localized fault detection, using vibration signals. When these localized faults are present at more than one location of bearing, it is called “multi-fault.” Using wavelet transform fault detection with high severity is possible, but this method fails to detect the presence of fault as well as the location of a fault in multi-fault case and when the fault severity is low. The identification of the fault location, in rolling element bearing when more than one location of bearing contains a localized fault, is very useful for further root cause analysis; therefore, multi-fault detection is a challenge today. In the present work, a new morphological joint time–frequency adaptive kernel–based semi-smart framework is developed to address this challenge. In morphological joint time–frequency adaptive kernel, the kernel will adapt itself by analyzing the basic morphology of the bearing under observation and by considering the location of a fault. The simulation and experimental results show that morphological joint time–frequency adaptive kernel–based framework is able to detect low severity single fault as well as the location of the localized fault on rolling element bearing in the multi-fault case. Experimental results also show that the morphological joint time–frequency adaptive kernel framework is independent of bearing dimensions as well as machine operating conditions.