Detection of Reduced Tooth Stiffness in Synchronous Belts by Means of Pulley Vibration Monitoring

• Published in: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part D, Journal of automobile engineering Vol. 220; no. 7; pp. 947 - 957
• Main Author: Basso, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.07.2006; Professional Engineering; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Belts, chains, cables. Miscellaneous; Component parts; Drives; Exact sciences and technology; Industrial metrology. Testing; Load; Mechanical engineering; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Replacement costs; Simulation; Vibration analysis; synchronous belt; load modelling; fault detection; vibration monitoring; Vibration; Displacement sensor; Belt drive; Frequency domain method; Experimental study; Low frequency; Modeling; Vibrometer; Synchronous transmission; Toothed belt; Displacement measurement; Mechanical system; Transmission belt; Monitoring; Pulley; Defect detection; Power spectrum
• DOI: 10.1243/09544070JAUTO142
• ISSN: 0954-4070

Abstract This paper discusses a new approach to detecting the detachment of one belt tooth in mechanical transmission systems with synchronous belts, which involves monitoring vibrations in the bodies linked to the pulley. A preliminary numerical analysis was carried out in order to estimate and compare the forces acting on the pulley in a healthy synchronous belt and in a belt lacking one tooth. Simulation results show that the lack of a tooth causes moderate but not negligible variations in the tangential force on the pulley. These variations involve different vibration behaviours that can be studied by analysing vibration signals in the frequency domain. Tests applied using a suitable experimental apparatus confirmed the numerical results. In the power spectrum, the lack of a tooth caused variations in peak amplitudes at multiples of the belt running frequency. In this study, where low frequencies were investigated, the displacement sensor performed better than the accelerometer for vibration measurements.