Wavelet Denoising Applied to Hardware Redundant Systems for Rolling Element Bearing Fault Detection

Abstract

This work presents a novel wavelet-based denoising technique for improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of non-steady vibration signals in hardware redundant systems. The proposed method utilizes the relationship between redundant hardware components to effectively separate fault-related components from the vibration signature, thus enhancing fault detection accuracy. The study evaluates the proposed technique on two mechanically identical subsystems that are simultaneously controlled under the same speed and load inputs, with and without the proposed denoising step. The results demonstrate an increase in detection accuracy when incorporating the proposed denoising method into a fault detection system designed for hardware redundant machinery. This work is original in its application of a new method for improving performance when using residual analysis for fault detection in hardware redundant machinery configurations. Moreover, the proposed methodology is applicable to non-stationary equipment that experiences changes in both speed and load.