Here are the main topics covered on the VCAT-III course:

• Signal processing
• Time waveform analysis
  • Collecting data – ensuring you have the correct setup
  • When should you use time waveform analysis?
  • Diagnosing unbalance, misalignment, bent shaft, eccentricity, cocked bearing, resonance, looseness, and other conditions
• Phase analysis
  • Collecting data
  • Bubble diagrams
  • Diagnosing unbalance, misalignment, bent shaft, eccentricity, cocked bearing, resonance, looseness, and other conditions
• Dynamics (natural frequencies and resonance)
  • Natural frequencies and resonances
  • Mass, stiffness, and damping
  • SDOF and MDOF
• Testing for natural frequencies
  • Run-up coast down tests
  • Bode plots and Nyquist (polar) plots
  • Impact and bump tests
• Operating Deflection Shape (ODS) analysis
  • Can we prove the existence of a natural frequency?
  • Visualizing vibration
  • Setting up the job
  • Collecting phase readings correctly
  • Interpreting the deflection shape
  • Using Motion Amplification
• Modal analysis and intro to FEA
  • How does modal analysis differ from ODS?
  • How does Finite Element Analysis (FEA) differ from modal analysis
  • A quick review of the modal testing process
• Correcting resonances
  • The effect of mass and stiffness
  • Beware of nodal points
  • Adding damping
  • A ‘trial and error’ approach
  • A ‘scientific’ approach
  • Isolation
  • Tuned absorbers and tuned mass dampers
• Rolling element bearing fault detection
  • Why do bearings fail?
  • Cocked bearing, sliding on the shaft or inside the housing, looseness
  • EDM and DC motors and VFDs
  • Bearing frequencies and what to do when you don’t have all the details
  • The four stages of bearing degradation
  • Ultrasound
  • High-frequency detection techniques
  • Shock Pulse, Spike Energy, Peak Vue, and other techniques
  • Demodulation/enveloping
  • Selecting the correct filter settings
  • Spectrum analysis
  • Time waveform analysis
  • Low-speed bearings
• Journal bearing fault detection
  • What are journal bearings?
  • Measuring displacement
  • Introduction to orbit plots
  • Using your analyzer to acquire orbit plots
  • Introduction to centerline diagrams
  • Eccentricity ratio
  • Glitch removal
  • How the orbit changes with pre-load, unbalance, misalignment, instabilities, oil whir and whip
• Electric motor testing
  • How do motors work?
  • Diagnosing a range of fault conditions: eccentric rotor, eccentric stator, soft foot, phasing, broken rotor bars, rotor bar, and stator slot pass frequencies
  • Motor current analysis
• Pumps, fans, and compressors
  • Unique fault conditions
  • Flow turbulence, recirculation, cavitation
• Gearbox fault detection
  • Spectrum analysis versus time waveform analysis
  • Wear particle analysis
  • Gearmesh, gear assembly phase frequency (and common factors)
  • Tooth load, broken teeth, gear eccentricity and misalignment, backlash and more
• Corrective action
  • General maintenance repair activities
  • Review of the balancing process and ISO balance grades
  • Review of shaft alignment procedures
• Running a successful condition monitoring program
  • Defining the program
  • Setting baselines
  • Setting alarms: band, envelope/mask, statistical
  • Setting goals and expectations (avoiding common problems)
  • Report generation
  • Reporting success stories
• Acceptance testing
• Review of ISO standards