Determination of bearing vibration values of brake test drum depending on time

Ball bearings are frequently used and preferred elements in rotating devices due to their expansive loading capacity, low friction modulus and reliability. The operating lifespan of ball bearings is an important parameter, as it directly affects the lifespan of machine, work senstivity, time loss and maintentance costs. It is crucial to detect ball bearing defects beforehand in order to prevent relevant malfunctions. Condition –based monitoring that is the most efficient, reliable and economic maintenance strategy is widely used to minimize the maintenance process and reduce the costs. Among the most available Condition Monitoring (CM) methods, vibration based methods present a number of advantages as compared to other methods, therefore they are widely applied. Within the scope of this study, ball bearing vibration magnitude values of the brake tester device used for testing the brakes of the passenger cars in Düzce Vehicle Inspection Station (TÜVTÜRK) was measured in one-month periods during 7 months. Regularly in monthly periods, vibration data was obtained over a ball bearing link of brake tester rollers (SNPUS205GGL) by means of Vibrotest 80 model vibration meter. Also, the number of the vehicles tested with brake tester device was recorded during the months when measurement was performed. Ball bearing status was analysed regarding time by means of FFT ( Fast Fourier Transform) and envelope analysis to be applied on the data obtained. As a result, lifespan of brake tester ball bearings was determined depending on the time and the number of the vehicles. Ball bearing vibration data was analysed correlatively regarding the loaded and unloaded working conditions. Ball bearing vibration magnitude was observed to increase depending on the time. It was also observed that the more the number of the vehicles tested in the brake tester device, the more the ball bearing vibration magnitude increases. Keywords: Brake tester device, Ball bearing, İdentification of the malfunction, Vibration analysis.