Abstract: Using tachometer-from-vibration processing of component signals and appropriate configuration allows for the analysis of both the compressor turbine and the power turbine of a turboshaft, turboprop, or twin spindle turbofan engine. One smart vibration sensor is positioned on or near the turbo engine and detects vibration data for components of both the gas compressor turbine and power turbine without the need for direct measurements of tachometer data from both the compressor and power turbine. From this, condition indicators are determined for monitored components on the sensor and returned to an onboard control unit.

Abstract: The magnitude and frequency of a peak in detected vibrational energy emitted from a component that includes a periodic portion is provided to monitor the component for faults. A Fast Fourier Transform of the signal is taken to generate a spectrum. A maximum index in the spectrum is found between a determined frequency bound. An array of parameters is generated and a determined optimized transform root is used on the array of parameters. An interpolated peak location is estimated based on the array and an interpolated frequency is found based on the peak location. An interpolated magnitude is then determined. The use of the optimized transform root in the processing results in significant improvements to the magnitude and frequency estimations, which can improve, for example, detection of defects from vibration spectra of rotating components, estimates of energy radiated from an electronic component, or analysis of spectral content of ionizing radiation.

Abstract: Conditioning monitoring is provided for rotating components in gearboxes that accounts for gear system dynamics, allowing for improved analysis. A rotation rate for the component is generated from vibration data by estimating the rotation rate based on a tachometer measurement of another shaft and the shaft ratio. This estimated rotation rate is used, together with the known configuration of the component, to estimate a known gear mesh frequency of the component. By filtering for a range of frequencies around the gear mesh frequency based on variation in the shaft rate, the gear mesh frequency can be determined and from that signal, an actual rotation rate for the component can be determined. The actual or determined rotation rate can then be used in deriving an analytic vibration spectrum for the component that is not degraded due to gear system dynamics effects.

Abstract: A system for determining a remaining useful life of a component is provided that includes an onboard control unit including a processor, a plurality of sensors to detect a plurality of signals from the component, and a data bus connecting the sensors to the onboard control unit. The processor receives data from the plurality of sensors and determines a plurality of condition indicators for the component, a health indicator from the plurality of condition indicators, and a remaining useful life for the component. An alert or warning may be given if the remaining useful life reaches a certain value provided that certain automated reporting conditions are also met.

Abstract: A system and method as disclosed herein develops a predicted current remaining useful life (RUL) of a component through a generalized fault and usage model that is designed through a process of simplifying Paris' Law (or other power law) in conjunction with a Kalman Smoother (or other filtering technique). One of the many advantages of this state observer technique is that the backward/forward filtering technique employed by the Kalman Smoother has no phase delay, which allows for the development of a generalized, zero tuning model that provides an improved component health trend, and therefore a better estimate of the predicted current RUL.