User interface system and method for diagnosing a rotating machine condition not based upon prior measurement history

A method of diagnosing faults of a rotating machine including a gearbox, comprising:

• requesting and receiving information by a diagnostic instrument about a number of speed changers used in the gearbox;
• requesting information by the diagnostic instrument about at least one parameter of the gearbox including shaft speed, gear ratio, or gear tooth count;
• if a user selects shaft speed, receiving input shaft speed and output shaft speed of the gearbox by the diagnostic instrument;
• if the user selects gear ratio, receiving a gear ratio between the input and the output of the gearbox by the diagnostic instrument;
• if the user selects gear tooth count, receiving gear tooth counts of an input gear and an output gear of the gearbox by the diagnostic instrument;
• taking vibration measurements of the rotating machine with a sensor;
• and
• diagnosing the faults of the rotating machine by the diagnostic instrument based on the vibration measurements taken with the sensor and user-provided information about the gearbox.

A method of determining and tracking vibration measurements with a sensor for diagnosing faults of a rotating machine, comprising:

• receiving parameters by a diagnostic instrument about components of the rotating machine;
• receiving by the diagnostic instrument a selected vibration measurement location;
• displaying by the diagnostic instrument sensor orientation options on a graphical model of the rotating machine;
• receiving a selected sensor orientation;
• taking vibration measurements with the sensor;
• and
• diagnosing the faults of the rotating machine by the diagnostic instrument based on the vibration measurements taken with the sensor rather than on previously taken vibration measurement monitoring data.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying instructions for a method to determining and tracking vibration measurements with a sensor for diagnosing faults of a rotating machine, the method comprising:

• receiving parameters of components of the rotating machine;
• receiving a selected vibration measurement location;
• displaying sensor placement options on a graphical model of the rotating machine;
• receiving a selected sensor placement;
• taking a vibration measurement with the sensor;
• and
• displaying the vibration measurement at the selected vibration measurement location on the graphical model of the rotating machine,
• wherein faults of the rotating machine are diagnosed based upon the vibration measurement taken with the sensor rather than on previously taken vibration measurement monitoring data.