Systems for announcing the health of ball screw actuators and ball recirculation

A method of determining variations in operating characteristics of a mechanical system having a rotatory mode of operation and a bearing balls recirculation system, the method comprising the steps of:

• first monitoring operating impulses generated by the mechanical system during a first interval of operation;
• first analyzing the operating impulses obtained during the first interval to determine the intensity and frequency of the operating impulses;
• first correlating the operating impulses obtained during the first interval to corresponding angular positions of the rotatory mode of operation;
• first producing a first record of the intensity and frequency of the operating impulses obtained during the first interval correlated to the corresponding angular positions of the mechanical system;
• second monitoring operating impulses generated by the mechanical system during a second interval of operation;
• second analyzing the operating impulses obtained during the second interval to determine the intensity and frequency of the operating impulses;
• second correlating the operating impulses obtained during the second interval to the corresponding angular positions of the rotatory mode of operation of the mechanical system;
• second producing a second record of the intensity and frequency of the operating impulses obtained during the second interval correlated to the corresponding angular positions of the mechanical system;
• comparing the first and second records to determine differences in the operating impulses obtained during the respective first and second intervals correlated to the corresponding angular positions of the mechanical system;
• and
• vibration monitoring of the bearing balls recirculation system.