ACCELERATION AMPLITUDE DEMODULATION

IN
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE
By

Ron Frend
PreDiCon 
Ron Frend is the chief engineer with PreDiCon in
the U.S. He spent fourteen years in the British
Merchant Marine as a certificated engineer officer as
well as five years in Oman as Senior Vibration
Analyst to Shell International in the Middle East.
After five years in the U.K. as joint owner of a
Predictive Maintenance consultancy during which
time he carried out extensive research on amplitude
demodulation, he moved to the U.S. to develop his
concepts of system development. Ron set up two
systems which won the 1994 “PdM System of the
Year” honors (joint first and first runner up).
ABSTRACT
Amplitude demodulation of high frequency
acceleration signals is now being recognized as a
very reliable technique to easily and reliably detect
defects in rolling element bearings. The same
technique has also been used successfully in fault
detection and analysis of very slow speed machines,
reciprocating machines, lubrication problems
mechanical looseness and plain bearings problem
detection.
Maintenance environment. This paper attempts to
redress this imbalance by presenting several case
histories and is accompanied by a general guide on
how to apply demodulation in the real world of
maintenance.
THEORY
But before we look at any case histories using
DEMODULATION we should be clear in our mind
about exactly what is MODULATION. A signal may
be said to be amplitude modulated if
the amplitude of that signal is changing over a period
of time because of the influence of another signal.
The example above was taken from a large steam
turbine running at 3600 rpm. The run speed signal is
being MODULATED by a signal at 4 Hz which is
probably a foundation resonance. This type of
modulation is commonly found in maintenance
applications but consider the example below.

INTRODUCTION
The old style A.M. radio demodulates the desired
signal from the carrier wave. Bruel & Kjaer
developed this technique further in the 1960’s to
detect rolling element bearing defects but the
equipment required at the time was very bulky and
not easy to use. Improvements in electronics and
miniaturization of components enabled the first data
collector using amplitude demodulation to be built in
the late 1980’s. Most data collectors now incorporate
Figure 1
amplitude demodulation although under a variety of
different trade names.
This plethora of equipment using a relatively new
form of analysis is now readily available but most
vibration analysis engineers are not aware of the
capability or the application of amplitude
demodulation, especially in the Predictive

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Figure 2 Figure 3

In figure 2 we see a vibration at 2 kHz which has
been modulated slightly more than three times within
the time period (50 mS which equates to 1 revolution
of the inner race). The 2 kHz vibration is the
resonance of the bearing which is being excited by
the bearing outer race frequency (3.07 x run speed).
The excitation of the 2 kHz frequency by the bearing
defect on the outer race causes the 2 kHz amplitude
to be changed as seen in Figure 2. In other words the
bearing outer race frequency is modulating the
bearing resonance frequency. The demodulation
process extracts the modulating frequency to produce
a time waveform which can be handled by the F.F.T.
process.
When we DEMODULATE the above reading we are
not interested in the 2 kHz frequency but we are
interested in the outer race defect frequency which is:
(1000/50*3.07) Hz = 61.4 Hz.
As can be seen from Figure 2, the modulation is at
this frequency. In vibration terms, demodulation is a
way of extracting the rate of occurrence of high
frequency resonances.
As the lubrication mechanism starts to break down
the lubricant loses its ability to separate the roller
from the race. This may be due to a deterioration of
the lubricity, an increase in bearing load, overheating
of the bearing or a fatigue failure of an old bearing at
the area most prone to elastic deformation. Whatever
the reason, as the bearing deteriorates the race will
become marked at particular places (e.g. outer race in
the plane of the load). The marks do not have to be
very big to be deeper than the lubricant wedge so the
roller will now occasionally impact onto the race
causing the bearing to “ring” at its resonant
frequency The rate of occurrence of the bearing
“rings” will now be at the bearing defect frequency
NOT at the bearing resonant frequency. What we
need to identify is this rate of occurrence of the
excitation of the bearing resonant frequency.

ELASTO-HYDRODYNAMIC
LUBRICATION
Let us consider the lubrication of a rolling element
bearing (figure 3). As the roller rotates the pressure
point is very, very small so the pressure loading is
very, very high. So high, in fact, that the contact
point of the roller and the race becomes elastically
deformed, trapping a very small amount of the
lubricant into a “wedge”. The lubricant wedge, itself,
is very small but is large enough to keep the roller
physically separated from the race by a small
distance (in the micron range). THERE IS NO
METAL TO METAL CONTACT IN A WELL
LUBRICATED BEARING.

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THE DEMODULATION PROCESS
The time waveform of a machine with a bearing in the early stages of deterioration will look like the top plot in
figure 4 (below). The bearing excitation resonance is shown as small, high frequency pulses sitting on top of the
high amplitude, low frequency vibration.

Figure 4

The demodulator circuit now passes the signal through a high pass filter (1 kHz in the case of the model 750) to give
the time waveform shown in the lower plot of Figure 4..

Figure 5

With the time domain signal in this format the F.F.T. conversion would give a single spike in the frequency domain
at the resonant frequency which we have earlier said is not what we want. To modify the signal so as to be suitable
for F.F.T. we must “envelope” (figure 5) each parcel of energy by first rectifying and then passing the signal through
a smoothing R-C (resistance-capacitive) circuit.

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 large bell will have a deep, sonorous tone while a
small bell will have a high pitched tinkle.

CASE STUDY:
A.C. MOTOR BEARING DEFECT.
Figure 8 shows the signal from the inboard bearing of
a 35 H.P. A.C. motor operating a belt

Figure 6

The signal is NOW passed through the F.F.T. and we

get a spike in the frequency domain at the bearing
defect frequency (figures 6 & 7).

Figure 8

driven fan. The 2 upper plots are the time domain

signal in two planes over a period of 640 mS. The
lower plots show the time domain (left) and
frequency domain (right) over a 50 mS period of the
lower 640 mS plot. Note that the frequency spectrum
shows spikes at 2 kHz and 3 kHz while the time
domain plots show an “angel fish” pattern which is
Figure 7 classic of a bearing defect.

RESONANCE SOURCES
Conventional thinking will tell you that the resonance
frequency which we are using as the “carrier wave” is
always the resonant frequency of the bearing; while
this is often the case it is not always so. The
accelerometer which we will use to detect the signal
will probably be sitting on top of a magnet which will
give a structural resonance in the 1.5 to 4 kHz range
(typically). The bearing housing will have its own
resonance, the machine structure will have its own
resonance. In short, the carrier wave signal
resonance could be coming from any part of the
mechanical structure.
As a guide to determining a suitable range for the Figure 9
resonance carrier wave, a typical A.C. motor of 1
H.P. upwards will have resonances in the 1 to 2 kHz Figure 9 shows a time/frequency cascade of the same
area. Very large machines may have resonances well time interval cropped below 0.001G. This clearly
below that but it is the authors experience that even if shows the modulation of the 2 kHz frequency while
you miss the resonance by setting your high pass the 3 kHz frequency is static. The modulation has
filter too high, you will still get a response from been calculated to be equal to the bearing outer race
harmonics of the resonance although the amplitude defect frequency of the motor inboard bearing.
may be attenuated. To visualize the resonance it is Figure 10 shows the demodulated spectrum on the
often worth thinking of the tone of a bell. A very left with waterfall plot on the right above a trend of
the defect frequency.

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Figure 10
Note that the demodulated spectrum is clean and
extremely easy to analyze. The last spectrum in the
waterfall is lower than the previous spectrum due to
greasing of the motor bearings.
Figure 11
Figure 11 shows a similar defect on another machine
but here the velocity spectrum (left) is displayed
alongside the demodulated spectrum (right). Note
that the demodulated spectrum is much cleaner and
easier to analyze.
CASE EXAMPLE:
20 RPM CALANDAR -
DRY PLAIN (SLEEVE) BEARING
In this example the author had been taking readings
on a monthly basis on a variety of equipment at a
plant which manufactured linoleum in Scotland. A
critical part of the process was the Hot Roll which
pressed material into the linoleum base.
The Hot Roll ran at 20 rpm in bronze plain bearings
which were oil pressure lubricated.
Figure 12
The demodulated spectrum waterfall plot clearly
showed a rise which, on examination, turned out to
be caused by a drop in the oil pressure to the bearing.
The pressure was increased and the bearing was
assessed to be in good enough condition for
continued operation. It is interesting to note that
previous attempts to monitor the condition of this
bearing by conventional means had been
unsuccessful and that this particular bearing had been
changed twice within the preceding twelve months.
The mechanism in this case was that the lubricant
film started to break down due to low oil pressure
and the heat of the bearing (~ 200’F). The
subsequent “touching” of the journal to the sleeve
caused a high frequency vibration (which would be a
“squeal” at the last stage of failure) which was
modulated by the running speed of the roll. The
resultant demodulated spectrum clearly shows a spike
at the run speed with harmonics. Note also that the
carpet level had started to rise which was caused by
erratic touching of journal to sleeve, modulating the
resonance erratically resulting in a rise of ALL
demodulated frequencies.
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CASE EXAMPLE:
URANIUM ORE GRINDER
LOWER PINTLE BEARING
Figure 13
This application was the bottom support bearing of a
grinder which ground uranium pellets to a powder for
subsequent processing into nuclear fuel rods. The
cone was fitted with blades and spun on its own axis
at 60 rpm while being rotated within the housing at
15 rpm. Due to the nature of the product, lubrication
of the bearing was undesirable so the ball and socket
of the pintle were case hardened to give a hard
running surface. Several failures of the pintle bearing
had occurred in the past with slight contamination of
the uranium product with steel which was
unacceptable in the final product.
Figure 14
The waterfall display shows the increase in the
amplitude of the demodulated spectrum which, on
examination, was assessed to be caused by a
defective pintle bearing. The bearing was removed
and the case hardening of the ball and socket was
found to be cracked and crazed. The case hardening
on the ball was found to be in a progressive stage of
deterioration with small areas of the case hardening
ready to flake off. The product was not contaminated
and there was no production penalty.
Figure 15
For comparison purposes the velocity readings which
were taken at the same time are shown in Figure 15.
Note that the amplitudes vary widely from month to
month and the last reading, which was with a bad
bearing, gave no indication of a problem.
CASE EXAMPLE
LOOSE BEARING CARTRIDGE 1000
TON USI PRESS.
Figure 16
This example concerns a 1,000 ton press stamping
out automobile body parts. The drive is from an A.C.
motor to a gearbox clutch/brake via a flat belt. The
gearbox output connects to a pinion which, in turn,
drives the main wheel of the press crankshaft. The
pinion shaft is supported by two bearings, each of
which are built into a bearing cartridge.
The PdM group take readings vertically at each of the
cartridges in demodulated acceleration, velocity, and
straight acceleration. The velocity readings are
severely affected by the impactive nature of operation
of the press and have proven to be unreliable for fault
detection while the unfiltered acceleration does not
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 give a good indication of the defect frequency, only
the resonance.
November
Figure 17
The PdM crew took readings in May and August
which were low level. The October reading showed
an increase in amplitudes but was not considered
significant. The November reading was decidedly
significant and was investigated as a potential defect.
As may be seen from the multiple spectra display in
Figure 17, there are no apparent spikes so there was
no apparent defect frequency to investigate. A
potential bearing defect was ruled out as the bearing
dimensions and defect frequencies were known but
not evident. A possible cause may have been under
lubrication so the oil flow was checked and found to
be within acceptable limits.
The housing was then checked visually in more detail
and what was found was that the outboard bearing
capsule was loose in its housing. What looked
initially like a rise in carpet level in low frequencies
was in fact multiples of press operating speed (< 20
strokes per minute). The small clearance between the
capsule and the housing was causing the capsule to
impact on the housing every stroke with a resultant
severe ring down which caused an asymmetrical
waveform, which in turn caused many harmonics.
If the bearing capsule had continued to loosen then
the clearance would eventually have become so great
that the impact would have become less severe and
the demodulation amplitudes would have greatly
diminished. In most machines this looseness would
then have been detected in the velocity spectrum but
the nature of the velocity vibration would have
precluded such a response in this case.
EVALUATION OF DAMAGE
SEVERITY
Figure 18
The question is often asked “At what amplitudes do I
make a call on a bad bearing?” The answer is not
entirely straight forward as the amplitude will change
depending on load and speed but a general rule of
thumb is shown in Figure 18. It is important to note
that this rule of thumb includes demodulated
acceleration readings AND velocity readings.
Demodulated acceleration will tell when a bearing is
marked or suffering from lube problems but is not a
good indicator of bearing DAMAGE in its own right
so you should use demodulation in conjunction with
velocity whenever possible.
When a rolling element bearing is in good condition,
is adequately lubricated, is operating within its design
load parameters and is not over heated then there will
be no significant spikes in the demodulated
acceleration spectrum. If the amplitude is displayed
in terms of
G dB (re 0.001G)
then there will be a 5dB scatter in amplitude.
Note that a 3dB rise in amplitude means that the
linear rise is approximately double, and a 10dB rise
equates to a ten fold increase in amplitude.
If the bearing starts to suffer from under lubrication
then the demodulated amplitude will rise by 10 to
15dB without any increase in velocity AT THE
BEARING DEFECT FREQUENCIES OR DEFECT
FREQUENCY HARMONICS OR SIDEBANDS
(BDF/H/S)
The poor lubrication will eventually cause
microscopic fatigue failure of the races at particular
spots. This will result in minor impacting of the
roller onto the corner of the fatigued spot which will
give demodulated acceleration spikes of 15 to 20dB
at the bearing defect frequency (possibly with
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harmonics). At this stage there will still be no
BDF/H/S in velocity.
As the fatigued area develops into spalling then the
spike will rise to a level of 20dB above the carpet
level and will develop sidebands. The damage will
spread to other parts of the race and rollers causing
random frequencies which will cause the carpet level
to rise. At the same time the BDF/H/S in velocity
will rise with a typical amplitude of about 0.01 i.p.s.
As the damage becomes very severe and approaches
failure then the demodulated acceleration sidebands
multiply and grow in width (often as the bearing
speed becomes erratic with loss of bearing
clearance). This will have the effect of merging the
defect spikes into the sidebands so as to cause
“shoulders” around the defect frequencies. The
spikes in velocity (BDF/H/S) now become
pronounced, particularly at third or fourth harmonics
(this may vary depending on application) with an
amplitude of less than 0.05 i.p.s. If the bearing
reaches this stage then plans should be made to
change the bearing without delay.
THE APPLICATION OF
DEMODULATION IN A PDM SYSTEM
Whenever you are trying to detect a rolling element
bearing deterioration, demodulated acceleration may
be used - in conjunction with velocity. It is not
usually necessary to take demodulated acceleration
readings in more than one plane at each bearing as
the resonant vibration is omni-directional.
It will not be necessary to go to high frequencies in
velocity as the bearing resonant frequencies will now
be detected by the demodulator. Set the Fmax in
velocity AND demodulated acceleration to slightly
more than 4 x BPIR to ensure enough defect
harmonics are captured for analysis and to give good
definition of run speed (and harmonics) and sub-
synchronous frequencies.
Place the demodulation readings on your route and
collect them with your normal route readings. When
analyzing exceptions you will probably notice a
correlation between the 1-20 kHz H.F.D. rise with a
rise in demodulation spectrum amplitudes as they are
both looking at the same frequencies. Use your fault
frequency sets just as you would in velocity and you
will find the analysis much easier.
Do NOT use demodulated acceleration in cases
where frequency analysis is inappropriate. For
example, a machine which ramps the speed up and
down severely during a short, cyclic operation.
In conclusion it may be said that demodulated
acceleration is a very capable and easy to use
parameter which should be considered an essential
component of a competent PdM system.

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consent of PreDiCon..
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