Fully Automated Residual Life Prognosis Wireless Sensor

Bearing failures are among the most costly, troublesome forms of breakdowns on mission critical machines within the Navy. Recent advances in digital signal processing and sensor technology can, when properly implemented, provide months-in-advance noticeof a bearing failure, expressed in terms of Remaining Useful Life (RUL). This project is focused on taking these advances to the next level and develop a sensor system capable of the statistical confidence accuracy required for trouble-free life prognosisfor the monitored bearings. Phase I established the feasibility of using acoustic emission (AE)-based sensors to relate the health of rolling element bearings, and the ability of certain condition indicators to develop RUL prediction algorithms for awireless sensor. In addition to a primary sensor system, data were also acquired from an engineering-development-style AE system, from traditional accelerometers, and, for the oil-lubricated bearings, from a commercially available ferrographic analysissensor. Phase II will develop and demonstrate a prototype wireless sensor system. We will augment the AE sensing strategy with vibration-based indicators. Phase II work will include land based and shipboard evaluations of a demonstration system thatdisplays a practical ability to assess the condition and RUL of U.S. Navy fire pump bearings. We anticipate that our wireless sensor system will be an invaluable asset to any commercial industry using rotating machinery. This work will have direct andimmediate benefits to the Navy in the form of improved capability to determine the RUL of ball bearings in shipboard equipment. It will also be directly applicable to other military and government installations that utilize machinery with rolling elementbearings. Potential applications range from tanks and other ground vehicles to aircraft, and include most manufacturing and overhaul facilities, as well as support and logistics centers throughout the world.