Vibration Analysis – Category II

Vibration analysis is the cornerstone of most predictive maintenance programs for rotating machinery. This Category II course builds on basic data collection to develop the analytical competence required to diagnose common machinery faults and recommend corrective action. Participants learn signal processing and spectrum analysis, validate data, identify the vibration signatures of unbalance, misalignment, looseness, bearing defects, and gear problems, and evaluate severity against ISO 20816 criteria. The course also develops practical capability in precision shaft alignment and single-plane and two-plane field balancing, linking diagnosis directly to correction.

Who Should Attend

• Vibration analysts progressing from Category I
• Reliability and condition monitoring technicians and engineers
• Rotating equipment specialists
• Maintenance supervisors who manage condition-based maintenance programs

Learning Outcomes

• Explain sources of machinery vibration and the relationships among displacement, velocity, and acceleration
• Configure analyzers for appropriate Fmax, resolution, averaging, and windowing
• Validate data and recognize measurement errors and instrumentation faults
• Diagnose unbalance, misalignment, looseness, resonance, rolling-element bearing, and gear faults
• Evaluate vibration severity using ISO 20816-1 and ISO 20816-3 guidance
• Perform precision shaft alignment and single-plane field balancing
• Write diagnostic reports with prioritized recommendations

Course Outline

• Module 1 — Vibration Sources and Basic Machinery Vibration: rotating forces, natural frequencies, and units
• Module 2 — Data Collection and Instrumentation: transducers, mounting, routes, and analyzer settings
• Module 3 — Signal Processing: FFT, windowing, resolution, averaging, and time waveform
• Module 4 — Data Validation and Basic Analysis: error recognition, trending, and alarm limits
• Module 5 — Vibration Characteristics and Fault Frequencies: frequency identification and fault signatures
• Module 6 — Severity Assessment: ISO 20816 evaluation zones and acceptance criteria
• Module 7 — Precision Alignment and Balancing: laser alignment, soft foot, and field balancing procedures

Standards & References

ISO 18436-2 — Requirements for qualification and assessment of personnel: vibration condition monitoring and diagnostics; ISO/IEC 17024 — Conformity assessment: general requirements for bodies operating certification of persons; ISO 10816-3 (now superseded by ISO 20816-3) and ISO 20816-1 — Mechanical vibration: measurement and evaluation of machine vibration.

Assessment & Certification

Candidate competence is evaluated through a written examination and practical exercises in spectrum diagnosis, shaft alignment, and field balancing. Successful candidates receive an IIME Certificate of Training bearing a unique verification code that can be confirmed online. The program comprises 38 contact hours (5 days). The course follows the ISO 18436-2 Category II body of knowledge; personnel certification under ISO 18436-2 is granted only by an accredited certification body.