What is order tracking analysis?

Order analysis is a technique for analyzing noise and vibration signals in rotating or reciprocating machinery (engines, compressors, turbines, and pumps). These machines have a variety of parts, each of which contributes unique noise and vibration patterns to those of the whole machine.

Which are the applications for order tracking analysis?

Order tracking is used with the development or condition monitoring of rotating machinery such as engines, power trains, turbines, pumps, compressors, electric motors, ventilation units, etc. Order tracking applications: <ul> <li>Investigation and troubleshooting of instabilities in rotating machinery</li> <li>Determination of critical speeds</li> <li>Gearbox failures</li> <li>Bearing element failures</li> <li>Mechanical looseness</li> <li>Imbalance</li> <li>Bent shaft</li> <li>Misalignment</li> <li>Electrical faults in motors</li> <li>Cavitation in pumps</li> <li>Separation of rotational and structural noise and vibration phenomena</li> <li>Other vibration related problems in e.g. gear, belts, fans, pumps, compressors, and turbines</li> </ul>

What instrumentation do I need to perform order tracking analysis?

To perform an order analysis you need one vibration sensor (usually an accelerometer, a microphone, or a pressure sensor) mounted on the chassis of the machine and an angle sensor to read the RPM of the rotating shaft. Both senors will need to be time-synchronized and connected to the data acquisition (DAQ) system for reading. Once data is read you will need data analysis software to perform order tracking analysis.

Can order tracking analysis be performed without the RPM sensor?

Dewesoft allows performing order tracking analysis only with an accelerometer sensor. To get the rotational frequency of the motor, the exact frequency math is used, with the option to track the first harmonic. This math calculates the frequency of the highest peak in FFT and this can be used further in the order tracking analysis instead of the reading from an external RPM sensor. For more details see <a href="https://manual.dewesoft.com/x/setupmodule/modules/machinery/ordertracking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this guide</a>.

What is an engine order?

We refer to Engine orders or harmonics of vibration when we describe multiples of the fundamental frequency. So again using the engine as an example, a 4 cylinder 4 stroke engine generates 2 combustion events per engine revolution.

How is order tracking caluclted?

How is Order tracking done? Order tracking is done by measuring a signal, typically vibration, and calculating FFTs for each predefined area (class) of rotational speed.

What is displayed on a FFT waterfall vs. Time?

On the FFT waterfall vs. Time you display an FFT, that was calculated from an acquired signal, for each time that it was calculated. This gives you an overview of all calculated FFT’s over the time of measurement.

What is displayed on a FFT waterfall vs. RPM?

Opposed from the FFT waterfall vs. Time that is updated on each FFT calculation, the FFT waterfall vs. RPM is updated on predefined RPM change.

What is displayed on an Order FFT waterfall vs. RPM?

Order FFT waterfall vs. RPM displays harmonics and their amplitudes over the speed of the rotating shaft.

12 reviews

Order AnalysisNoise and vibration analysis for rotating and reciprocating machinery

Order analysis is a technique for analyzing noise and vibration signals in rotating or reciprocating machinery. It can provide complete diagnostics for generators, combustion engines, compressors, turbines, pumps, and rotating shafts.

Dewesoft order tracking analysis solution is extremely powerful. It is dead simple to set up and provides real-time calculations, visuals, and results on multiple input channels in parallel. Flexible and powerful data acquisition hardware will adapt perfectly to your testing setup. Our solution includes an industry-leading 7-year warranty, lifetime free software updates, and free technical support.

IEPE

Charge

Voltage

Counter and Encoder

Vibrations

Acceleration

Angle

RPM

DSI compatible

High-speed video

Video

TEDS compatible

USB 2.0

USB 3.0

EtherCAT

Ethernet

IP67

-40°C to +85°C

Order Analysis highlights

Real-time results on unlimited channels

Dewesoft order analysis solution provides data acquisition, storage, visualization, and calculation on unlimited input channels online. Multiple rotating machinery can be observed and analyzed in parallel.

Time, Frequency, and Order Domain

High sampling rate and advanced alias-free resampling mechanism allow measurement in all three domains - time domain, frequency domain, and order domain. All data is available in parallel in real-time, visualized on the same screen, and stored in the same data file, fully synchronized.

Expandability and multi-functionality

The Dewesoft system is very flexible and offers many additional functionalities for in-depth insights into rotating machinery dynamics. FFT analysis, orbit analysis, torsional vibration, electrical power analysis, and others are available. In addition, other types of sensors can be connected to simultaneously capture vibration, strain, temperature, video, sound, etc. with precise synchronization.

Any angle sensor support

We support any type of angle sensor for determining the angle and rotational speed: tacho sensors, encoders, gear tooth sensors, gear tooth sensors with missing or double teeth, zebra tape, and analog angle sensors. Our system can perfectly determine the angle and rotational speed with 10 nanoseconds resolution using Dewesoft Supercounter technology.

Also works without a Tacho sensor

In situations where mounting a tacho sensor to measure the speed signal isn't feasible, the Order Tracking Module provides a smart tracking algorithm. This algorithm effectively isolates the first order (speed signal) out of the vibration sensor. You can further enhance this by adjusting the settings, both during initial processing and in post-processing. For instance, you can specify the anticipated incline of the ramp during acceleration or utilize a pre-filtered mathematical signal as the input source.

User-defined reference tag-axis

Analyze order spectra over time, speed (rpm), or in relation to another user-selected reference channel in 3D spectrograms. Select a user-defined channel as a reference tag axis and correlate other measured physical quantities with the order spectra. E.g. inspecting order levels vs. temperature, wind speed, flow, or thrust. Single click creation of FFT and order waterfalls versus speed or any other reference quantity.

Configurable averaging and update criteria

To prevent jumps between spectral bins you can define Delta-RPM and hysteresis and split the RPM range into corresponding bins for calculation. Decide whether data is collected continuously or at the center of bins. Bin update defines how order spectra in bins are calculated and can be set to "first", "always", "averaging", or "maximum".

Harmonic Order Extraction

Supporting full or fractional order extraction with amplitude and phase, that can be coupled with multiple representation options versus rotational speed and in the time domain. A complete representation of unlimited orders on a 2D or 3D graph.

Spectral weightings

Single or double, integration or derivation, and A or C frequency weighting are all supported directly in our order tracking analysis module. You can have all you need in a single setup screen.

PWM inverter orders

Order components caused by inverters using Pulse Width Modulation techniques can be analyzed using the direct support for demodulation.

Rich visualization

Frequency, 2D, and 3D plots provide a great visualization tool to determine the health of the machine. Additional Nyquist, Bode, and Campbell plots are available for the perfect presentation of the data, orbit analysis with raw or order view is a great tool for turbomachinery analysis.

Long-Term Monitoring Capabilities

Orbits (raw, averaged, H1, H2, etc.), FFTs, cascade plots, Bode plots, and polar plots can be uploaded to the Historian time-series database for long-term or permanent condition monitoring applications.

TEDS Sensor Support

Dewesoft systems feature plug-and-play sensor detection for accelerometer and angle sensors that support TEDS IEEE 1451.4 standard.

Direct Gearbox Support

Use a single-speed source and perform extraction on different gear stages of your machine by using the tacho divider & multiplier functionality.

Dewesoft quality and 7-year warranty

Enjoy our industry-leading 7-year warranty. Our data acquisition systems are made in Europe, utilizing only the highest build quality standards. We offer free and customer-focused technical support. Your investment into the Dewesoft solutions is protected for years ahead.

Software included

Every Dewesoft data acquisition system is bundled with award-winning DewesoftX data acquisition software. The software is easy to use but very rich and deep in functionality. All software updates are free forever with no hidden licensing or yearly maintenance fees.

Order Analysis Application Overview

Order analysis is a technique for analyzing noise and vibration signals in rotating or reciprocating machinery such as engines, compressors, turbines, and pumps. The first order refers to the speed at which the machine rotates. Each order thereafter is a corresponding multiple of the rotational speed.

These machines have a variety of parts, each of which contributes unique noise and vibration patterns to those of the whole machine. With order analysis, you can identify and isolate these patterns to analyze the performance and quality of each machine part individually.

Since orders are independent of the speed of the machine, order analysis is the preferred analysis tool to use when measuring the non-stationary vibration of machinery that runs with varying rotational frequency.

The Dewesoft order analysis solution is an indispensable tool for analyzing the operating condition of the rotating machinery such as resonances, stable operation points, and determining the cause of vibrations. Analyze vibration on engines or other rotating machinery, both in development & optimization as well as in diagnostic & troubleshooting instances. Powerful software and flexible data acquisition instruments, make up a smart portable solution for both developers and service engineers.

Learn more about order analysis in this The Ultimate Guide to the Order Analysis article.

Applications for Order Tracking Analysis

Rotating machines are a major and critical component of many mechanical systems throughout the industry. Almost every industrial process uses at least one rotating machine, which is crucial in the production line. Just ask yourself which machine would cause the biggest cost in the event of a failure?

Engines, power trains, turbines, pumps, compressors, electric motors, ventilation units, etc. can be designed and developed, as well as evaluated and maintained by performing order tracking and analysis:

Investigation and troubleshooting of instabilities in rotating machinery
Determination of critical engine speeds
Gearbox failures
Bearing element failures
Mechanical looseness
Imbalance
Bent shaft
Misalignment
Electrical faults in motors
Cavitation in pumps
Separation of rotational and structural noise and vibration phenomena
Other vibration related problems in e.g. gear, belts, fans, pumps, compressors, and turbines

Dewesoft Hardware Typical Configurations

Basic order analysis DAQ system:

SIRIUS Mini data acquisition system
DualCoreADC technology, dual 24-bit sigma-delta ADC, 200 kS/s, up to 160 dB dynamic range
Up to four IEPE accelerometers
Up to one tacho sensor

Advanced order analysis DAQ system:

SIRIUS modular DAQ system
DualCoreADC technology, dual 24-bit sigma-delta ADC, 200 kS/s, up to 160 dB dynamic range, +-1000 V galvanic isolation
Up to eight IEPE accelerometers
Up to eight tacho sensors

Portable order analysis DAQ system:

SIRIUS R1DB or SIRIUS R2DB DAQ systems
DualCoreADC technology, dual 24-bit sigma-delta ADC, 200 kS/s, up to 160 dB dynamic range
Up to 16/32 IEPE accelerometers
Up to 16/32 IEPE accelerometers
Up to 16 tacho sensors
Built-in computer, SSD storage, display, Li-Ion battery

SuperCounters®: precise speed and angle measurement with counter and encoder sensors

Dewesoft data acquisition systems utilize a patented and registered trademark technology called SuperCounter®.

Counter inputs can measure the RPM and angle of rotating machines. In comparison to standard counters, which only output integer numbers one sample later (e.g. 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4), the Dewesoft SuperCounter inputs are able to extract accurate values like 1.37, 1.87, 2.37, etc. fully synchronized for time and amplitude.

This is done by measuring the exact time of the rising edge of the signal with an additional counter. Our SuperCounter inputs work on a 102.4 MHz time base, independent of the current analog sampling rate.

Counter inputs are fully synchronized with analog, CAN bus, and other data sources to enable easy applications like balancing, order tracking, and torsional vibrations.

Run-Up/Coast-Down Waterfall Run-Up and Coast-Down Analysis

Due to the rotational order tracking process order analysis is the preferred tool for test, diagnostics, and troubleshooting of machines and other rotational components that run with variating speeds.

Order tracking provides stable spectral results across speed variations with no spectral smearing. Clear vibrational patterns of the individual rotational machine components will be kept throughout the measurements enabling the ability to compare the measured order pattern to reference graphs and to configure individual tolerance and alarm levels for all relevant rotational components.

Order Analysis Setup As Simple as It Gets

The order tracking module allows you to select several options before starting the test:

Order waterfall vs. time - monitors order spectra over time and not only the current spectrum.
Order waterfall vs. reference - monitors order spectra over RPM or any other measured channel you want to use as bin axis.
Order domain harmonics - complex channels displayed on a 2D graph, for each user-defined harmonic.

You can always change these settings after you have recorded your measurement. DewesoftX always stores the raw data which allows order analysis results to be recalculated in the post-processing.

Select the RPM limits (upper and lower RPM limit), and whether you want to calculate the waterfall spectrum and order extraction while run-up, while coastdown, or both (to cover the whole frequency spectrum).

Frequency Analysis Setup Fast-Fourier Transform (FFT)

Next to order spectral results Dewesoft Order analysis also gives the option to output in parallel FFT spectra over time and over RPM or over another selected bin channel:

FFT waterfall vs. reference- monitors calculated FFT over the selected bin channel.
Time-domain harmonics - complex output channel showing the amplitude of harmonics over time.
Overall RMS vs reference - monitors the overall (full frequency range) RMS value over the selected bin channel.

DewesoftX order tracking time domain results

Peak Calculations in the Frequency and Order Domain

Peak calculations can be performed in both the frequency and order domains. By selecting the Bin update parameter to Maximum, the maximum values of individual spectral lines are kept throughout the test. Such results can indicate worst-case scenarios by showing the highest peak values across time, RPM, or other bin channels.

Campbell Diagram 2D and 3D Visualization of Response Spectrum

Visualization of 3-dimensional values on a single plane is commonly used in order analysis applications. 3D graphs and Campbell plots represents a system's response spectrum as a function of its oscillation regime

With Campbell plots the range of values is segmented in a defined number of levels and each level is represented by a circle, whose radius and color depending on the level's index. Bigger values are represented with larger circles and colors higher on the color map. For a better analysis of data, a cutoff of lower levels can be applied.

Bin Settings Freely Configurable

How spectra should be collected across the measured range of time, RPM, or another bin axis can be freely configured in Dewesoft.

To prevent jumps between spectral bins you can define Delta and Hysteresis to split the range (e.g. RPM speed range) into corresponding bins for calculation.

Decide whether data is collected continuously over each bin or only at the center of bins.
You can choose between different methods for how to calculate the spectral result:

keep the first calculated bin spectrum in each bin
always update the bins with new calculated spectra
average all spectra belonging to the same bin
hold the maximum spectral values in each bin.

Orbit plot analysis
Visualize the movement of a rotating shafts

The Dewesoft orbit analyzer is a solution for analyzing and visualizing the movement of a rotating disc.

The orbit plot shows the rotational direction of the shaft. The arrow that shows the direction of rotation is displayed in the top right corner of the graph.

The direction of the arrow is CCW (counterclockwise), therefore we need to choose the channels on-orbit graph in the right sequence.

Learn more about the Dewesoft orbit analyzer.

Great Investment Future-Proof Application

Dewesoft solutions - a great investment in your future. They are constantly being improved, and new features are being added all the time. All software updates are free of charge forever.

Our industry-leading 7-year warranty on Dewesoft data acquisition systems means your investment is worry-free. We are committed to ensuring that your trust in our measurement equipment will not disappoint - even if the unexpected happens.

Together with world-class data acquisition technology, Dewesoft provides the best solutions your money can buy.

FAQFrequently asked questions

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