Acoustic emission monitoring of rolling element bearings

The authors describe experimental efforts aimed at establishing the detection threshold for acoustic emission (AE) and vibration monitoring for a typical defect located in a standard ball bearing. An AE point contact transducer (PCT) has been developed: it is a rugged and compact device that can be used for various machinery diagnostic applications. Stress wave emissions in the frequency range above 100 kHz can provide a clear indication of the defect and thus provide an earlier and more reliable indication of bearing degradation. The digital data acquisition and analysis system used with the AE PCT is described, and AE and vibration analysis results are presented