A bar code driven ProTest installation has been used to automate the 100% production testing of vacuum pumps. It not only provides 5 channel 1/3 octave sound power plus vibration signature analysis, but also includes test control functions and parallel capture of temperature and other data.
The vibration analysis facilities have proved to be invaluable. They have been used to identify faulty components and the subtle effects of assembly techniques to improve build quality. Consequently, the system pays for itself several times a year. The vibration signature database is also used to aid fault identification in the field. Whilst the test regime has been continuously extended and updated in-house, the system has proved to be 100% reliable – vital for a production critical application.
