Your Place, or Ours!

VAI provides a wide range of technical vibration training courses at our Training Center located in scenic New Harmony, Utah right across Interstate I-15 from Zion National Park.

These courses are packed with technic al information, and include everything from Data Collector Training, up to and including ISO Category III Certification Training.

The courses we provide are listed below, and each course requires a minimum of five (5) confirmed students:

  • Vibration Data Collector
  • Vibration Database Software
  • ISO Category I Vibration Certification
  • ISO Category II Vibration Certification
  • ISO Category III Vibration Certification
  • Single Plane Balancing

Students should fly into St. George or Cedar City, Utah.  For those students who want a better selection of flight schedules (and a scenic 3-hour drive one-way to our location) should consider flying to Las Vegas.  While in the area, students should select lodging in either Cedar City or Saint George, Utah.  Both cities have many fine restaurants and motels to choose.

Each ISO Course is presented over the course of five (5) days. They are very fast paced and packed with technical information. As a result, we do NOT recommend students skip any of these courses. Students also have the option to take the ISO exam on the Saturday immediately after the training, but we recommend the following Monday due to the amount of material covered in these courses. In addition to the very intense training and number of topics covered, VAI’s Training Manuals should serve as an excellent reference manual for many years to come.

Available Courses

ISO Category I Training Topics:

Principles of Vibration

  • Basic motion
  • Period, frequency, amplitude
  • Measurement parameters
  • Units, unit conversions
  • Plots of time & frequency
  • Natural frequency, resonance, critical speeds

Data Acquisition

  • Instrumentation
  • Transducers – type, location, mounting
  • Test procedures
  • Using a computer database
  • Recognizing poor data

Signal Processing

  • FFT application

Condition Monitoring

  • Fault Condition Monitoring
  • General Fault Recognition

Basic Maintenance Actions

Equipment Knowledge

Acceptance Testing Procedures

ISO Category II Training Topics:

Basic Vibration

  • Basic time waveform
  • Period, frequency (CPM, Hz, orders), phase
  • Frequencies (natural, forcing)
  • Amplitude (peak, derived peak, rms)
  • Resonance and critical speeds
  • Measures and conversion (displacement, velocity, acceleration)
  • Vibratory forces

Data Acquisition

  • Selecting a measure
  • Frequency spans/response
  • Transducers (mounting location, units)
  • Proximity probe conventions
  • Pitfalls of data acquisition
  • Senses and safety
  • Principles of data collection

Data Processing

  • Averaging
  • Data acquisition time
  • Dynamic range
  • Determination of resolution
  • Lines of resolution
  • Window selection
  • FMAX triggering

Fault Analysis

  • Timing mark
  • Calculation of frequencies (gear, bearing, vane-pass)
  • Basic spectrum analysis
  • Fault analysis (mass unbalance, misalignment, looseness; gearbox, motor, fan and pump faults; rolling element bearings)

Condition Evaluation

  • Severity measures and charts
  • Chart applications

Machine Testing

  • Impact testing (force, application, sensor location, data)
  • Acceptance testing (test plans, sensor selection and location)
  • Periodic monitoring (frequency spans, frequency of measurement, trending, routes)
  • Basic balancing principles (heavy/high spot, trial weight selection/size)

ISO Category III Training Topics:

Theory

  • Concept of modes
  • Phase determination
  • Modulation/sidebands/beats

Data Processing

  • Calibration/scaling
  • Synchronous time averaging/overlap averaging
  • Waterfall (cascade) plots/Bode plots/polar diagrams
  • Determination of dynamic range
  • Use of logs on meters and amplifiers

Equipment Knowledge

  • Impact testing
  • Start-up/coast-down testing
  • Ratio of casing to rotor weight

Fault Analysis

  • Phase analysis/time waveform/spectrum analysis
  • Orbital analysis (rules on loops)
  • Faults (operating speed, gears, rolling element bearings, motors,
    fluid-film bearings, centrifugal pumps and compressors, turbines, machine tools, presses, rolls, blowers, fans, oil whirl and whip)

Condition Evaluation

  • Severity charts (seismic/shaft/bearing)
  • Overall and filtered measures

Monitoring Programs

  • Equipment evaluation and categorization
  • Route planning
  • Continuous monitoring (test and operational equipment)

Acceptance Testing

  • Specifications
  • Measurement techniques
  • Test planning

Corrective Actions

  • Vibration control (balancing, alignment)
  • Detuning (mass, stiffness)
  • Basic concepts of isolation and damping

Vibration Database Software Training:

This training course will prepare the Analyst to build a complete vibration database from the ground up. Topics include

  • Database Creation, Maintenance and Optimization
  • Route Creation, Maintenance and Optimization
  • Creating Machines and Points
  • Uploading Routes and Downloading Data
  • Creating Data Analysis Parameters
  • Creating Reports
  • How to Use the Software to Analyze Data

Vibration Data Collector Training:

This training course will prepare the Analyst to safely collect machinery vibration data in the plant. Topics include:

Safety First

Proper Data Collection Techniques

  • Machine Inspections
  • Machine Verifications
  • Sources of Typical Data Collection Errors

Minimizing Data Collection Errors

  • Ski slope
  • Looseness
  • Sensor mounting limitations
  • Sensor settings

Component Design Considerations

  • Outboard motor end-bells
  • Overhung Impellers

General Overview of CSI Test Equipment

  • Basic Meter Operations
  • Connections
  • Function Keys
  • Meter Accessories
  • Cables
  • Probes
  • Adapters
  • Magnets and their limitations
  • Battery charger and reconditioning

Initial Meter Preparation

  • Setting the Default Units

Additional Topics include (when applicable):

  • Loading Routes & Downloading Data
  • Route Data Collection
  • Copy / Move / Delete Data and Routes
  • Screen Printing Data
  • Loading Firmware
  • Data Display Options
  • Route User Options

Single Plane Balancing Training:

This course will prepare the Analyst to perform precision single plane balancing which is the most common type of balancing performed. Topics include:

  • Safety First
  • Balancing Equipment Needed
  • Reasons for Unbalance
  • Types of Unbalance
  • Terms and Definitions
  • Checking for Unbalance
  • What Can Go Wrong
  • Demonstration
  • Test Equipment Setup
  • Typical Data Collection
  • Single Plane Balancing
  • Class Workshops

For more information about any course or to inquire about scheduling formal training at your location, call us at 815-742-1793.

Our Additional Services

Vibration Analysts Inc. also offers 24/7 technical support and other on-site program support services as listed below:

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