Machine diagnostic system and method for vibration analysis

A dynamoelectric machine diagnostic system, comprising:

• at least one vibration sensor mounted on a dynamoelectric machine to sense a vibration signature;
• and
• a processor adapted to receive the vibration signature from the at least one vibration sensor, the processor scanning the vibration signature over a series of harmonic frequencies of a critical frequency to identify a resonant frequency for a transmission path from a vibration source to the vibration sensor and evaluating the vibration signature in a frequency region near the resonant frequency to facilitate determining an operating condition of the machine.

A dynamoelectric machine diagnostic system, comprising:

• means for sensing a vibration signature mounted on a dynamoelectric machine;
• and
• means for scanning the vibration signature over a series of frequencies to identify a resonant frequency for a transmission path from a vibration source to the means for sensing a vibration signature.

A diagnostic system for a dynamoelectric machine, comprising:

• at least one vibration sensor mounted on the machine to sense vibration;
• and
• a processor adapted to receive a vibration signal from the vibration sensor and generate a vibration signature corresponding to the vibration signal, the processor scanning the vibration signature over a series of frequencies to identify a resonant frequency for a transmission path from a vibration source to the at least one vibration sensor and to evaluate the vibration signature in the vicinity of the resonant frequency, the processor comparing the identified resonant frequency with an expected resonant frequency in determining an operating condition of the machine.