Vibration Analysis
Category II
Develop the practical vibration analysis skills required to collect quality data, interpret vibration spectra, diagnose common rotating equipment faults and make effective maintenance recommendations.
Build Strong Practical Vibration Analysis Skills
The ORBITLINE Vibration Analysis Category II course is designed for maintenance and reliability professionals who want to progress beyond basic vibration data collection into machinery fault diagnosis.
Participants develop a deeper understanding of vibration spectra, signal processing, time waveforms, phase relationships, bearing frequencies, gear mesh frequencies, resonance, unbalance, misalignment and mechanical looseness.
The course uses practical industrial machinery examples to help participants understand how vibration patterns change with different failure modes and operating conditions.
Category II Skills
For Maintenance & Reliability Professionals
Ideal for personnel who already understand basic machinery vibration and want to develop practical diagnostic capability.
Vibration Technicians
Technicians responsible for collecting vibration data and performing initial machinery assessments.
Condition Monitoring Engineers
Professionals responsible for predictive maintenance and machinery condition assessment.
Reliability Engineers
Engineers involved in improving equipment reliability, availability and maintenance strategy.
Mechanical Engineers
Engineers working with pumps, fans, motors, compressors, gearboxes and rotating machinery.
Maintenance Engineers
Personnel responsible for troubleshooting equipment failures and planning corrective maintenance.
Category I Analysts
Analysts who want to progress from routine data collection toward machinery fault diagnosis.
What You Will Learn
Develop the practical skills required to transform vibration measurements into useful machinery condition information.
Select measurement points, sensors and analyzer settings for reliable vibration measurements.
Interpret frequency components, harmonics, sidebands and machine running-speed relationships.
Recognize impacts, modulation, looseness and other patterns that may be clearer in the time domain.
Understand basic phase relationships for distinguishing unbalance, misalignment and structural conditions.
Calculate and identify rolling-element bearing defect frequencies and high-frequency fault patterns.
Identify gear mesh frequency, harmonics and sidebands related to gearbox condition.
Use trends, overall levels, spectral components and machinery behavior to assess condition severity.
Translate diagnostic findings into clear and practical maintenance recommendations.
Vibration Analysis Category II Topics
Select each module to view the main subjects covered during the course.
Module 01 — Vibration Fundamentals
- Vibration amplitude, frequency and phase
- Displacement, velocity and acceleration
- Peak, peak-to-peak and RMS values
- Time domain and frequency domain
- Machine running speed and orders
- Natural frequency and resonance
- Critical speed concepts
Module 02 — Vibration Sensors & Data Collection
- Accelerometers
- Velocity sensors
- Proximity probes
- Sensor mounting techniques
- Measurement location selection
- Radial, axial and tangential measurements
- Recognizing poor vibration data
- Repeatable data collection practices
Module 03 — Signal Processing & Analyzer Setup
- FFT fundamentals
- Frequency span
- Lines of resolution
- Sampling frequency
- Anti-alias filtering
- Window functions
- Averaging techniques
- Dynamic range
- Analyzer configuration
Module 04 — Spectrum Analysis
- Identifying running speed
- 1X, 2X and higher harmonics
- Sub-synchronous vibration
- Harmonic families
- Sidebands
- Frequency modulation
- Amplitude modulation
- Pattern recognition
Module 05 — Time Waveform & Phase Analysis
- Time waveform interpretation
- Impacts and repetitive events
- Crest factor
- Waveform modulation
- Basic phase concepts
- Relative phase measurements
- Using phase for fault confirmation
Module 06 — Unbalance
- Static unbalance
- Couple unbalance
- Dynamic unbalance
- Typical 1X vibration patterns
- Radial vibration response
- Phase behavior
- Distinguishing unbalance from resonance
Module 07 — Misalignment, Bent Shaft & Soft Foot
- Angular misalignment
- Parallel offset misalignment
- Coupling behavior
- Axial vibration
- 1X, 2X and harmonic patterns
- Bent shaft indications
- Soft foot conditions
- Precision shaft alignment concepts
Module 08 — Mechanical Looseness & Rub
- Structural looseness
- Rotating looseness
- Bearing fit looseness
- Harmonic vibration patterns
- Sub-harmonic vibration
- Rub signatures
- Phase behavior
Module 09 — Rolling Element Bearing Analysis
- Bearing geometry
- FTF – Fundamental Train Frequency
- BSF – Ball Spin Frequency
- BPFO – Ball Pass Frequency Outer Race
- BPFI – Ball Pass Frequency Inner Race
- Bearing defect stages
- High-frequency detection
- Envelope / demodulation concepts
- Bearing lubrication effects
Module 10 — Gearbox Vibration Analysis
- Gear Mesh Frequency – GMF
- GMF harmonics
- Gear mesh sidebands
- Gear wear
- Broken or damaged teeth
- Eccentric gears
- Gear loading effects
- Hunting tooth concepts
Module 11 — Electric Motor Vibration
- Mechanical versus electrical vibration
- Electrical line frequency
- 2X line frequency
- Rotor-bar related vibration
- Air-gap problems
- Motor vibration troubleshooting
Module 12 — Pumps, Fans & Compressors
- Vane pass frequency
- Blade pass frequency
- Cavitation
- Turbulence
- Recirculation
- Flow-related vibration
- Aerodynamic vibration
- Compressor excitation frequencies
Module 13 — Resonance & Impact Testing
- Natural frequency
- Resonance amplification
- Structural resonance
- Speed-related resonance
- Bump test concepts
- Impact testing
- Run-up and coast-down concepts
Module 14 — Field Balancing
- Balancing fundamentals
- Heavy spot and vibration response
- Trial weight selection
- Single-plane balancing
- Two-plane balancing concepts
- Influence coefficient method
- Balancing safety
Module 15 — Alarm Limits, Severity & Reporting
- Overall vibration alarms
- Spectral alarm bands
- Baseline measurements
- Trend analysis
- Rate of change
- Fault severity assessment
- Writing vibration findings
- Maintenance recommendations
Module 16 — Practical Machinery Case Studies
- Pump vibration case studies
- Motor vibration case studies
- Fan vibration case studies
- Gearbox fault examples
- Bearing defect examples
- Misalignment versus unbalance
- Mechanical looseness
- Resonance troubleshooting
Machinery Covered During Training
Practical vibration concepts are applied to common rotating equipment found throughout industrial facilities.
Training Details
Duration
Approximately 38 hours of instructor-led technical training, typically delivered over five days.
Recommended Background
Basic vibration principles and practical machinery knowledge are recommended. Category I knowledge is beneficial.
Training Method
Theory, practical machinery examples, spectra, diagnostic exercises and industrial case studies.
Training Format
Public classroom training and private client-site training can be arranged.
Location
Training programs can be arranged in Saudi Arabia or at customer industrial facilities.
Corporate Training
Private courses can be arranged for maintenance, reliability and condition monitoring teams.
Learn Vibration Through Real Machinery Cases
Training focused on turning vibration theory into practical industrial troubleshooting capability.
Practical Experience
Training connects technical vibration concepts with rotating equipment behavior in industrial applications.
Real Spectra
Learn how actual vibration spectra, waveforms and trends change as machinery faults develop.
Fault Diagnosis
Focus on identifying failure modes rather than simply collecting overall vibration readings.
Reliability Focus
Convert diagnostic findings into meaningful maintenance actions and reliability improvements.
Build Your Vibration Analysis Capability
Contact ORBITLINE for upcoming Category II training dates, course pricing, group registration or private on-site training.