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Vibration meter transmits motor data wirelessly
Published:  26 February, 2015

Fluke has announced a handheld vibration instrument that gathers data on the bearings and general health of motors and other rotating equipment, and can share it wirelessly in real time. The multifunction Fluke 805 FC meter can be used by troubleshooting personnel who need reliable, repeatable measurements of rotating equipment to make go/no-go maintenance decisions.

The instrument measures vibrations from 10Hz to 1kHz and provides four-level severity assessments for both vibration and bearing condition. It can detect peaks in the vibration signals of roller bearings from 4–20kHz, and uses a proprietary algorithm to determine if a bearing is going bad. A built-in infrared sensor measures surface temperatures and displays them along with the vibration reading.

A “unique” sensor tip is said to minimise measurement variations caused by device angle or contact pressure, thus reducing errors and improving the accuracy and repeatability of vibration screening. The meter provides a severity scale for both vibration and bearing condition, delivering more information than typical vibration pens, according to Fluke.

The instrument saves vibration data wirelessly to Fluke’s Connect cloud storage system, allowing authorised personnel to view the data on a mobile device running the free Fluke Connect app.

Data trends over time can be studied to provide an insight into long-term motor health. Fluke’s EquipmentLog software allows users to view all of their measurements in one place. They can assign measurements to specific equipment, creating a cloud-based history of test data – including vibration data, electrical readings and infrared images – for easy access during troubleshooting and reliability maintenance.

Fluke's handheld vibration monitor can be used to check to health of motors and other rotating equipment

Technicians can also share measurements with other team members in real time, via ShareLive video calls, to get approvals for repairs or get questions answered without leaving the field.

The wireless Fluke Connect system now supports more than 20 instruments and allows technicians to make better, faster decisions by having access to maintenance records wherever they are. The free app can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store or Google Play.