Systems and methods for communicating in a predictive maintenance program using remote analysts

A method of vibration data analysis to analyze vibration measurements from a plurality of machines located along a route of machines to be tested based on vibration signals detected by a sensor according to one or more measurement tests, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a data acquisition unit, vibration signals from a sensor attached to the machine-under-test, and processing the vibration signals to generate vibration data;
• receiving an input of field notes information from an operator of an input unit, the field notes information being based on one or more observed fault conditions of the machine-under-test observed by the operator of the input unit during the one or more measurement tests;
• incorporating the field notes information into the vibration data such that the vibration data is linked to the one or more observed fault conditions;
• transmitting, with a communication unit, the vibration data and field notes information to a remote diagnostic unit over a communication network once vibration data has been acquired from each machine along the route such that transmitted vibration data and field notes information are placed in a data processing queue to be reviewed by a remote analyst having access to the remote diagnostic unit during a subsequent period after all machines on the route have been tested by the operator, wherein the remote analyst will analyze the vibration data and field notes information and document any of the one or more observed fault conditions related to the plurality of machines that were tested;
• and
• controlling operations of the sensor, the data acquisition unit, the input unit, and the communication unit with a control unit,
• wherein an integrated hand-held device is used as the input unit to receive the field notes information from the operator via one or more of a voice recording, a photograph, a sound recording, and a video recording.

A vibration data analysis and communication system to analyze vibration measurements from a plurality of machines located along a route of machines to be tested based on vibration signals detected by a sensor according to one or more measurement tests, the system comprising:

• a data acquisition unit configured to receive vibration signals from a sensor attached to the machine-under-test, and to process the vibration signals to generate vibration data;
• an input unit configured to receive an input of field notes information from an operator of the input unit, the field notes information being related to one or more observed fault conditions of the machine-under-test observed by the operator of the input unit during the one or more measurement tests, the input unit being configured to incorporate the field notes information into the vibration data such that the vibration data is linked to the one or more observed fault conditions;
• a communication unit configured to generate a real-time conference between the remote analyst and the operator over a wireless or cellular information network, to exchange voice or video messages between the remote analyst and the operator, to exchange test setup or test data files between the remote analyst and the operator, and to receive instructions from the remote analyst and/or the operator to execute functions of the input unit and/or data acquisition unit.