US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Fault Diagnosis of Rotor Bearing Systems Using Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic

Stress Technology Incorporated, Rochester NY

Investigators

Abstract

0001582 Rieger Description: This award is to support a collaborative project by Dr. Neville F. Rieger, President of STI Technologies Inc., Rochester, New York and Dr. Aly El-Shafei, General Manager, RITEC Company, Cairo, Egypt. The project is intended to develop an improved fault diagnosis system for rotor bearings, using neural networks (NN) and fuzzy logic (FL). The NN role is mainly to identify the source of the fault using data provided by vibration measurements. The network is to be trained by data developed from a portable rotor-bearing system in which predefined faults can be inserted. The network classifiers should distinguish among various operating conditions such as: no faults, shaft misalignment, disc unbalance and structure looseness. The role of the FL systems is to investigate the signal spectrum and provide a certainty index to the identified fault. A logical algorithm is to be conducted to predict Time-To-Failure (TTF) for the defective components using the progressive change in the vibration signature characteristics. The work will be in four phases: design and construction of a portable rotor-bearing system; with controllable and measurable fault sources; data acquisition and analysis; neural network design, training and testing; and development of fuzzy logic inference system. Scope: The US PI has special expertise in finite element analysis, applications of neural networks for rotor dynamics, and in estimating TTF for rotating machinery. The Egyptian PI has experience in the design process for specific conditions and for definition of operating range, faults and critical speeds, in data acquisition and analysis, and in fuzzy logic system development. The two sides will collaborate in the various phases of the projects according to their expertise and capabilities. The project should lead to more reliable techniques for determining the integrity, or the time to failure, of rotors. The proposal meets the INT objective of supporting collaborative research in areas of mutual interest. This project is being supported under the US-Egypt Joint Fund Program, which provides grants to scientists and engineers in both countries to carry out these cooperative activities.