New Focus on Gearbox Condition Monitoring for Failure Prevention Technology

Abstract

Condition monitoring is a tool for detection of faults and failure prevention. Fault andfailure are regarded as inevitable during the machine operation as the process of wear and theprocess of degradation. The question is, if one can influence the wear and degradation process,using condition monitoring. The paper will present technology which demonstrates that the use ofthe proper method can influence the wear and machine degradation process, using proper conditionmonitoring techniques and knowing scenarios of wear and degradation process. In the discussionpresented in the paper as a prerequisite has been taken that machinery works in severe dustyenvironment and varying operation conditions. It has been pointed that degradation process is notjust simply development of one fault. Most research for developing technology for conditionmonitoring is concentrated on one fault development. If one considers condition monitoring for acrack and brakeage of a tooth in gearbox, one should take in consideration that tooth crack andbrakeage is the result of several events, like rolling elements bearing frictional wear, which causesecondary misalignment of shaft and gears. The frictional wear is caused by dust particles whichget into oil from the environment in which a gearbox is operating. To avoid an influence ofcontaminated oil, contamination proactive technology should be used for the assessment of thedegree of contamination and the decision on oil purification or change should be taken. The wholeprocess connected with a gearbox condition change (wear and degradation process) shall bedescribed in the paper. The oil purification or its replacement extends the live of gearboxes butlong live of a gearbox, even with very little contamination causes some frictional wear of bearingsand finally secondary misalignment. To avoid further development of degradation process propertechnology should be used. There is a need to measure the degree of misalignment and makedecision on bearings replacement, in order to avoid further gearbox degradation, like teeth scuffingwhich may leads to crack initiation.