Free Engineering Tool
Condition Monitoring Method Selector
Select the right condition monitoring technique per ISO 17359. Choose machine type and fault to detect — get recommended methods, sensors, and parameters.
Recommended Methods
Condition Monitoring Techniques
| Method | Standards | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Vibration Analysis | ISO 10816, ISO 20816 | Unbalance, misalignment, bearing, gear, looseness |
| Thermography | ISO 18434 | Electrical faults, insulation, overheating, steam traps |
| Oil Analysis | ISO 4406, ISO 4407 | Bearing wear, contamination, gear wear |
| Acoustic Emission | ISO 22096 | Early bearing faults, crack detection, leaks |
| Motor Current Analysis | IEC 60034 | Rotor bar defects, eccentricity, electrical faults |
| Ultrasound | — | Leaks, bearing lubrication, electrical discharge |
ISO 17359 recommends selecting monitoring methods based on the specific fault type, machine criticality, and cost-effectiveness. A combination of methods provides the most reliable fault detection.
Condition monitoring (CM) measures specific parameters of machinery — vibration, temperature, oil condition, current — to identify changes that indicate developing faults. It enables predictive maintenance: repairing equipment based on actual condition rather than fixed time intervals.
ISO 17359 provides guidelines for establishing a CM program: selecting monitoring methods, setting alarm criteria, and determining diagnostic procedures. It is the framework standard that references specific technique standards like ISO 10816 (vibration) and ISO 18434 (thermography).
Vibration analysis (envelope/demodulation) is the primary method. Complementary techniques include shock pulse measurement, acoustic emission, and oil analysis (ferrography). Early detection requires high-frequency measurements above 1 kHz.
Vibration excels at mechanical faults (unbalance, misalignment, bearings, gears). Thermography is best for electrical faults, insulation problems, and thermal anomalies. Most effective CM programs use both.
MCSA analyzes motor supply current to detect rotor bar defects, eccentricity, and load anomalies. It is non-invasive (uses a current clamp) and particularly useful for motors in hazardous or difficult-to-access locations.
The procedures described on this page were developed and field-tested by the Vibromera team using the Balanset-1A, a portable dual-channel balancer and vibration analyzer for on-site rotor balancing.
Professional vibration analyzers and portable balancing systems for condition monitoring programs.
Nikolai Shelkovenko
Nikolai Shelkovenko is a vibration analysis engineer and the founder and CEO of Vibromera. For more than 15 years he has balanced rotating equipment in the field rather than on a test bench: mulchers, industrial fans, crushers, centrifuges, shafts and spindles. That work is what the Balanset instruments grew out of — they were designed as a tool a specialist can carry to the machine and use alone, on site, not as laboratory equipment. Vibromera was founded in 2017 and has been based in Porto, Portugal, since 2023. Development, assembly and support of the Balanset line all happen here. The flagship instrument is the Balanset-1A, a portable analyser for single- and two-plane balancing and for vibration diagnostics. Nikolai is personally involved in customer support, in working through difficult balancing cases and in the development of the software. He works with customers worldwide, in any language.
