For facility technicians and operators, keeping your equipment running is the most important part of the job. When you experience unexpected shutdowns or lose productivity because of a malfunction, all of the attention turns to you. The pressure to get everything back up and running can be immense.
One way to limit the amount of downtime you experience is to prevent equipment malfunction before it starts. Instead of running your equipment until it quits, several tools are available that can help you diagnose problems as they occur, like Fluke vibration testing, which lets you plan for repairs and keep downtime to a minimum.
Vibration Testing Explained
One of the most valuable and cost-effective ways to track and diagnose machinery problems is vibration testing. As your equipment runs, it produces a specific vibration signal. Vibration testing uses that signal as a baseline, then constantly compares that baseline against the current vibrations your machine makes.
Related: Vibration Analysis and Predictive Maintenance
Think of it like tuning a musical instrument. When everything is in tune, your machine sounds great. But as soon as something goes sharp or flat, you know you have a problem. Vibration testing is essentially listening to the tuning of your equipment. The tester will alert you whenever it discovers a problem.
Vibration testing doesn’t just tell you there’s a problem, though. It also tries to tell you what that problem might be. By measuring how the vibrations are different, your testing equipment should be able to tell you where you should look for the problem, dramatically reducing downtime due to troubleshooting.
How Fluke Vibration Testing Machines Work
Fluke Reliability is one of the best-known producers of vibration monitoring systems. Fluke vibration testing provides you with all the tools you need to monitor your equipment, including hardware and software. With a long history in the business, Fluke testing provides trusted, reliable results that enable you to keep your equipment running at its best.
Fluke vibration testing allows you to constantly monitor your machine’s performance, using two MEMS sensors and a high-frequency piezoelectric sensor to provide you with continuous data. You can control how this data is reported using the included Fluke testing software, which allows you to manage battery life.
The Benefits of Fluke Testing
Fluke vibration testing has many benefits over other forms of vibration testing. Here are some of the ways Fluke testing can help you:
Intuitive Interface
Easy enough for any technician to use, the Fluke testing software lets you configure your sensors to your specific equipment without tedious manual entry.
Fluke Vibration Testing Analysis
The built-in analytical power of Fluke’s testing software gives you the ability to quickly and easily examine data on both broad and narrow levels so that you can track down problems quickly.
Extended Battery Life
With the sensor-software package, you can set how much data transfers to your computer and at what rate. You can also balance transmissions to ensure you’re getting enough readings with the amount of battery power it takes to send each transmission.
Fluke Expertise
The experts at Fluke offer set-up and training services. Their employees can help you ensure that your vibration testing equipment is working correctly. The equipment’s no help if it doesn’t work properly or provides faulty readings. You can also contact Fluke if you’re experiencing any problems with your device.
High Connectivity
Your Fluke vibration testing equipment can be connected by either Wi-Fi or ethernet, meaning you’ll be able to connect your vibration tester no matter what your connectivity situation is.
If you’re interested in learning more about Fluke vibration testing, contact Tate today, and we’ll help you get started! And let us know how we can help with your maintenance and repair needs - after your Fluke vibration testing picks up on something!
