Vibration Training in the USA?

[oharag]

Has any come across, attended or heard about a good multiday vibration training class within the USA? I know this a broad question, and I could get a million different answers. What I would like to know is which class is the defintitve vibration class that everyone should take! I'm currently working with a centrifugal application. So bearings, balancing, monitoring, measuring, analysis, issolation, and problem resolution are important to me. I would also like to have some FEA analysis thrown into there for good measure. Here's how I see this structured:

1) Vibration theory.
2) Good design practices for rotating equipment. Bearing calculations and sizing, vibration mounting, issolation considerations (types, positioning, etc...), and designing structures to support equipment that provide excellent structural stiffness to weight.
3) Measuring and identifying imbalanced conditions using measurment equipment. Statistical methods of analyzing measured data to determine critical issues and problem areas. Considerations on lab vs. field balancing. Dynamic balancing applications.
4) FEA considerations to measure a dynamic/kinamatic system considering the natural frequencies of the system, and the resultant displacemnts brought on by vibrations.

Hope this helps. These topics are off the top of my mind. I know it's a groceries list of issues. It would be nice to find my class that considers all of the above.

Jerry O'Hara

 

[dgallagher]

There are many excellent vibration training forums in the USA - a few are below:

My favorite -

http://www.technicalassociates.net

For Interactive PC Based Training:

http://www.reliabilitydirect.com/trainingproducts/ilearn_interactive.htm

http://www.reliabilitydirect.com/trainingproducts/UTI_analysis.htm

Other Recommended classes:

http://www.skfusa.com/ti/course.asp?id=CM

103

http://www.skfusa.com/ti/course.asp?id=CM

304

http://www.skfusa.com/ti/course.asp?id=CM

301

http://www.skfusa.com/ti/course.asp?id=CM

302

http://www.skfusa.com/ti/course.asp?id=CM

303

Enjoy your training,
Dave G.

http://www.reliabilitydirect.com

 

[MachineryWatch]

Jerry,

There are a number of good vibration seminars available in the USA. I don't know of any that feature the structure you are looking for, however. Some are oriented toward using portable data collectors to establish machinery condition monitoring programs. Others are intended for understanding rotating machinery diagnostics using vibration technology. Balancing itself is a subject that can fill a couple levels of seminars. Modal analysis is a stand alone subject for seminars using vibration in the product development field. Vibration factors in bearing design again is an independednt field of study for a seminar topic. I think any seminar that attempted to combine all of the things you are asking for would be hopelessly shallow in any of the topics.

I will mention several of the ones I am most familiar with. I should also mention that the instrument manufacturers often have good seminars involving the use of their instruments.

For rotating machinery condition monitoring and diagnostics Technical Associates of Charlotte has an excellent series of seminars. Their phone number is 704-333-9011 and their web site is

http://www.technicalassociates.net.

They also offer dynamic balancing seminars. This is Jim Berry's company and is well respected in providing training in these areas. They are located in Charlotte, NC but offer courses in a variety of locations.

For Modal Analysis a company called Full Spectrum Diagnostics, from Plymouth, MN offers excellent training. It is centered around one of the more popular Modal Analysis software packages available (ME'Scope), so if you already have a different modal analysis software this may not be the one for you. Dan Ambre is the guy you want to talk to at Full Spectrum Diagnostics. His phone number is 763-577-9959 and the web site is

http://www.fullspec.net.

Finally, for vibration considerations machine design I would consider a seminar offered by RBTS, Inc. from Phoenixville, PA. Their phone number is 610-415-0412 and the web site is

http://www.rbts.com.

These are just a few of the ones that are available. There are many more, but I am personally familiar with these and consider each of them to be very reputable organizations that offer excellent training.

I hope this helps. There may be a seminar like you described, but I am not aware of any like that.

Cheers,

Skip Hartman

http://www.machinerywatch.com

 

[Hatch]

The vibration institute has a very good 5 day training program. See the attached link.

http://www.vibinst.org/

At the end of the 3 major vibration analysis courses/training sessions, you write a test from 3 to 5 hours and if you pass, you are either a Certified Vibration Specialist I, II or III. These tests are conducted in a very strict manner. No personal materials permitted, just a calculator and they are monitored (just like University).

Take note that many people have told me that the VI courses and exams are much more comprehensive and harder to pass than the corosponding "instrument" courses and designation that you receive from the instrument vendors.

Up here in Canada, we are working on making the certification mandatory for all vibration analysts.

C. Hugh

 

[oharag]

Okay, let me clarify my stance, and why I asked the question. I'm a design engineer working on rotating centrifugal equipment. I'm not too interested in the measurment/balance side of vibration analysis (though I fell they are important to understand). What I was hoping for was a course geared towards design for minimal vibrations and increased life. That's why I stressed bearing selection and vibration issolation. So a course discussing how to design rigid structures, and mounting a centrifuge chamber using issolation mounts is more appropiate. After designing a system I would then like to learn how to use equipment to measure vibration data. Then the methods used to extract useful info from this data. I realize the FEA part is a tad far reaching, and probably would be a course upon itself. I'm not really looking for certification here.

 

[sms]

Both the University of Virginia and the Texas A&M University Turbomachinery Lab do a 3 day professional development course on rotordynamics. That is probably more along the lines of what you are after.

 

[sms]

Here is a link to the next Texas A&M course

http://turbolab.tamu.edu/Compressor2003/index.html

 

[oharag]

This one seems to be what I'm looking for:

http://ww2.asme.org/pd/courseDetail.cfm?CO_ID=495

The only thing I think missing is the consideration of mechanical componets (ie. bearings, belts, gears, et al.). But, I believe it is what I'm looking for: correlation of test data to FEA results, issolation techniques, etc...

Anyone here ever take an ASME short course before? Are they any good?

Thanks for your input.

 

[GregLocock]

You need to do a gauge (or gage) R&R study on your measurements. This will depress you. It is a big subject, a six sigma or statistical process control course will include it.



Cheers

Greg Locock