A Methodology for Identifying Defective Cycloidal Reduction Components Using Vibration Analysis and Techniques

For several years predictive maintenance has been gaining popularity as a method for preventing costly and time--consuming machine breakdowns. Vibration analysis is the cornerstone of predictive maintenance programs,andtheequationsforcalculatingexpectedvibrationfrequenciesforbearingsandtoothedgearsets are widely available. Cycloidal reducers present a special case due to the nature of their reduction mechanism. This paper will describe a method for utilizing vibration analysis in order to identify a defective cycloidal ring gear housing, disc, and eccentric bearing.