Identification of transient vibration characteristics using absolute harmonic wavelet coefficients

Traditional vibration analysis methods for rotating machinery consider steady state or near steady state behavior. Perhaps a key to identifying the source of some complex behaviors lies in characterizing the transients associated with such phenomena. In an effort to develop a means of identifying transient vibration characteristics, harmonic wavelet analysis was explored. Simplified vibratory models were studied using harmonic wavelet analysis, and observations of the characteristics associated with particular behaviors were made. A relationship between the transient vibration patterns and the absolute value of the harmonic wavelet coefficients for a particular level was identified as a promising means of characterizing such behavior. Some example cases are presented to illustrate the proposed methodology.