1. Introduction
Rotating machines find widespread utilization across diverse domains, encompassing manufacturing sectors, wind energy generation, aviation propulsion systems, electric motor assemblies, marine propulsion systems, and mining equipment, owing to their notable attributes of elevated efficacy and robustness. Within the framework of Industry 5.0, a significant transformation is observed, wherein the convergence of cutting-edge technologies and the promotion of sustainable practices in the manufacturing sector are emphasized. In this context, the utilization of rotating machines assumes a crucial and prominent role. Advancements in cutting-edge technologies in the field of material sciences have led to the development of rotating machines that are both faster and lighter while also being capable of withstanding prolonged periods of operation. Numerous operational irregularities, including but not limited to mass unbalance, bowed shafts, cracked shafts, misalignment, elevated temperatures, quick acceleration, and frequent load fluctuations, all contribute to reduced efficiency and premature mechanical breakdown. Consequently, these issues result in unplanned periods of inactivity and financial detriment. Hence, ensuring the efficient maintenance and accurate fault detection of rotating machines holds significant significance in achieving the objectives of Industry 5.0, where the convergence of efficiency, sustainability, and productivity is emphasized [
1].
The vibration fluctuations, which are highly sensitive to both minor structural variation and changes in the operational process, are the basis for problem monitoring and diagnostics in rotating equipment. Any fault that occurs in a rotor will alter its vibrational behavior, and the degree of this impact depends largely on the various fault types. Given this, vibration-based diagnostics (VBD) has gained popularity and is often used in practice to diagnose a variety of rotor faults [
2]. Walker et al. [
3] reviewed the recent advances in the VBD and prognosis of rotors with eight common problems. The diagnosis of the machine must be carried out as accurately as possible because rotating machinery plays the main role in all industry applications. As a result, an efficient approach to diagnosing defects in rotating machinery is required. Approaches for fault diagnosis can be broadly divided into three categories: (1) physic-based or model-based; (2) data-driven; and (3) the combination of the first two categories is called the hybrid method.
Data-driven approaches utilize statistical theories or artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to process the collected data, especially fault data, for fault diagnosis [
4]. In recent years, data-driven approaches have become promising with the advancement of signal processing techniques such as empirical mode decomposition (EMD), Hilbert-Huang transforms (HHT) [
5,
6,
7], and wavelet transforms [
8,
9,
10]. In the foreseeable future, data-driven methodologies combined with artificial intelligence (AI) technology will remain well-liked and fruitful. Given the progress in the field of vibration analysis, there is an increasing interest in the application of AI techniques for fault diagnosis in rotating machinery. The integration of AI approaches has gained significant recognition and traction in both academic and industrial circles, presenting a promising avenue for addressing industrial challenges. Walker et al. [
11] proposed automating the localization of unbalanced faults using ANN techniques. Mohamed et al. [
12] propose a method for diagnosing faults in rotating machinery using frequency domain vibration analysis and neural network (NN) pattern classification. A variety of unbalanced types have been localized with high precision on a dynamic rotor test rig by ANN, providing benefits in the form of reduced sensors. Liu et al. [
13] provided a comprehensive analysis of AI-based research and development for rotating machinery fault diagnostics, encompassing both theoretical and practical standpoints. Aneesh et al. [
14] recently presented a comprehensive review of the role of AI in rotor fault diagnosis. They discussed the difference between traditional machine learning (ML) and deep learning approaches.
The availability of enough accurate data for network training is a need for the success of data-driven techniques. However, industrial plant rotor systems always have insufficient run-to-failure datasets. In that regard, model-based techniques for fault identification originating from physical models of rotor systems (complete or partial) have been offered for years.
The model-based method involves deriving the mathematical model of the rotor system from the dynamic theory and then inputting the operation data into the mathematical model to calculate the system’s defects and deterioration trends [
15]. Using model-based techniques, numerous studies have detected rotor faults with success. Edward et al. [
16] used model-based identification in the frequency domain to identify unbalance on a test rig. Bachschmid and Pennacchi [
17] used experimental validation to support model-based methods for fault location, severity assessment, and fault classification. To assess the accuracy of the accomplished identification, they developed a new qualitative index termed residual. On several test rigs and actual machines, this approach has been experimentally proven (see references) [
18,
19,
20] for a variety of problems, including unbalances, rotor permanent bows, rotor rubs, coupling misalignments, cracks, looseness, and rotor stiffness asymmetries. Sekhar [
21] applied this methodology to concurrently identify instances of unbalance and cracking within a rotor-bearing system. Jain and Kundra [
22] employed model-based techniques to detect unbalance and cracks, with experimental validation of unbalance identification conducted on a test rig. Sinha et al. [
23] conducted an estimation of the unbalance and misalignment of a flexible rotating machine based on a single run-down procedure. The authors illustrated their approach by employing empirical data. In their comprehensive study, Lees et al. [
2]. provided a thorough analysis of the application of model-based rotating machine identification. They discussed various methods for deriving foundation models from operational data and subsequently updating them. Additionally, they extended various models derived for rotor problems and their use in fault identification. Jalan and Mohanty used an experimental model-based method to identify unbalance and misalignment in a rotor-bearing system [
24]. However, there are numerous applications for this technique conducted by the work group [
25,
26,
27], which has made significant contributions to the field of rotor fault identification using a model-based method. In a very recent study, Lin et al. [
28] derived a novel model-based approach in which model parameters like bearing constants and initial unbalances are identified in the first phase and progressive unbalances based on daily operational data are used to identify them in the second phase. The unbalance can therefore be monitored online and in real-time. In general, the model-based method yields the most accurate results, which are consistent with physical theory; however, model derivation and verification are extremely time-consuming and must be performed by rotors specialists.
Rotating machines exhibit several forms of defects throughout their distinct components. When examining faults in rotors, there exist eight widely acknowledged categories, namely: imbalance, misalignment, cracks in blades and shafts, bearing faults, fluid-induced instability, shaft bow, rub, and looseness [
29]. Imbalance and shaft bow are prevalent rotor problems that can lead to excessive synchronous or asynchronous vibration [
30]. The predominant source of vibration in a rotor system is attributed to imbalance. Vibration stemming from rotor imbalance represents the most prevalent malfunction observed in rotor systems [
11]. Conceptually, imbalance can be understood as a state in which vibrations, forces, or motions are transmitted to the bearings due to centrifugal forces generated by the rotor’s imperfect center of mass alignment with its rotation centerline [
31].
Numerous ongoing studies on imbalance in rotating machinery have been done and span a wide range of topics, such as unbalance-misalignment [
32], unbalance diagnostics [
33], modeling methodologies to help with unbalance prediction, and lab-based experimental investigation. There are a number of comprehensive literature studies, including those by Edward et al. [
34], Randall [
35], and Walker et al. [
36], that outline the range of unbalance prediction research.
Moreover, the shaft bow refers to the deviation from the perfect alignment of the geometrical axis of the rotor shaft. This phenomenon is often attributed to factors such as heat gradients experienced during the initiation and cessation of thermal turbo-turbines, material creep, manufacturing discrepancies, and other contributing factors. Depending on the amount and location of the bend, a shaft-bow causes an excessive amount of vibration in a machine [
37]. Numerous scholarly studies have been conducted to discern the impacts of shaft-bows in rotating machinery, assess their dynamic properties, and implement suitable corrective measures [
30]. The impact of residual rotor bow on rotor vibrations was examined in a seminal study conducted by Nicholas et al. [
38,
39].
The researchers studied how residual shaft bow affects the imbalance response in a simplified rotor model. They examined different combinations of bow and imbalance to understand their interaction. Additionally, they proposed three distinct balancing methods based on their findings. Flack et al. [
40] employed a transfer matrix technique to forecast the imbalance response of a Jeffcott rotor subjected to bowing. The rotor was affixed to various fluid film bearings, and the outcomes were subsequently contrasted with prior experimental investigations. Shiau et al. [
41] investigated the impact of residual shaft bow on the dynamic response of a simply supported single disk rotor. Their study systematically examined the interplay of factors such as disk skew, mass imbalances, and the positioning of the disk between the bearings. Ehrich et al. [
42] examined the impact of the rotor bow and unbalance concerning the operating speed relative to the critical speed. Rao et al. [
43] scrutinized a warped Jeffcott rotor model across diverse scenarios of a bow, revealing instances of self-balancing and phase jumping. The study conducted by Kang et al. [
44] examined a sophisticated model of a geared rotor system featuring viscoelastic supports. The researchers investigated the impact of gear eccentricity, transmission error, and residual rotor bow on the system.
The significance of identifying residual shaft bows and investigating their impact on more intricate rotors was demonstrated by the aforementioned theoretical and experimental research. Pennacchi et al. [
45] employed statistical techniques to quantitatively evaluate the precision of identifying a generator rotor afflicted by a thermal bow. Using short-bearing theory, Shen et al. [
46] presented a nonlinear analysis of a rub-impact rotor-bearing system with nonlinear oil-film forces. Darpe et al. [
47], investigated the effects of residual shaft bow on the dynamics of a cracked rotor and Song et al. [
48] examined the effects of residual rotor bow on the rotor’s longitudinal responses. During this investigation, numerical simulations and experiments were employed, and the principal component analysis method was utilized to identify rotor faults. Rossner et al. [
49] devised a method for autonomous model-based monitoring of an unstable bow curve using the Ritz technique.
Any bow in the shaft system will result in synchronous shaft motion, which introduces vibrations just like the unbalance does [
50]. The machine will react roughly as follows if the bow is present during the run-up. If an imbalance existed, the vibration amplitude would rise with a steady machine speed. If the bow is a result of shaft-rub or another non-uniform heating process, for instance, the vibration amplitude and phase will significantly change over time. The simultaneous existence of both will superimpose the response, making it difficult to identify each fault simply from the vibration response. These two conditions are essentially the same, and only the location distinguishes them. Therefore, identifying these two types of flaws, also called multiple faults, is an important task.
Apart from that, a few published papers and simulations have identified multiple faults simultaneously. Srinivas et al. [
51] employed ANN and wavelet transform to categorize a rotor system that experienced both shaft bow and imbalance. This was achieved by monitoring the vibrations in the transverse and axial directions. Rezazadeh et al. [
52] presented recent research where they used a combination of WTS (wavelet transform spectrum) with LSTM (long short-term memory) and SVM (Support Vector Machine) to detect imbalances and shaft bows in rotor systems.
The present research posits a novel approach for the identification of multiple faults, employing a hybrid methodology that combines physical modeling with machine learning (ML) techniques. Even though model-based approaches have been used to diagnose and anticipate rotor defects for many years, there are drawbacks, including the need for lengthy model creation and a lack of self-adaptability to aging machinery. Therefore, with the aid of modern signal processing, hybrid methods that make use of AI techniques and physical modeling have appeared. An exemplar in this domain is the work of Huang et al. [
53,
54], who adeptly introduced the concept of a hybrid approach incorporating a neural network (NN) alongside physical modeling. Djeziri et al. [
55] used a hybrid method for fault prognosis based on the physical model, data clustering, and the geolocation principle to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) for wind turbine systems. Recently, Wilhelm et al. [
56] reviewed hybrid approaches for fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) that combine data-driven analysis with physics-based and knowledge-based models to overcome a lack of data to increase FDD accuracy. Moreover, Fang et al. [
57] present a fault diagnosis and prognosis based on a hybrid approach that combines structural and data-driven techniques.
The purpose of this study is to create a hybrid approach based on a physical model to diagnose multiple faults in rotor-bearing systems. The essence of this innovative method can be elaborated as follows:
Establish the physical and mathematical model to derive the Jeffcott rotor model and identify the model parameters, including imbalance and shaft-bow characteristics.
After parameter identification, the physical model can be used to generate sufficient sets of simulated data for ANN-supervised training, which helps to produce a more reliable model. A trained ANN can be integrated into a Jeffcott rotor monitoring system for online diagnosis of imbalance and shaft-bow fault components using simulated and experimental data from Jeffcott rotor experiments.
The remainder of this paper’s structure may be summed up as follows: In
Section 2, the physical model of a Jeffcott rotor subjected to imbalance and shaft-bow is described, and
Section 3 introduces the hybrid methodology employed in the present study. Numerical analysis and experimental verification is given
Section 4. Finally, in
Section 5, concluding remarks are drawn to justify the effectiveness of this approach.
2. Physical Model of Jeffcott Rotor with Simultaneous Imbalance and Shaft-Bow
The schematic design adopted a purely physics-based approach. This design, as elucidated in
Figure 1, provides a visual representation of the Jeffcott rotor systems consisting of an imbalance and shaft-bow with a rigid disc, supported by two simple bearings. It is assumed that the shaft-bearing possesses only stiffness
K and possible damping
B. Here
O stands for the center of rotation axis,
C for the disk’s geometry center
, and
e the distance of the rotor’s imbalance away of the geometric center
, Ω represents the rotational speed,
s represents the residual shaft-bow,
m represents an imbalance mass
, θ represents the shaft-bow angle, and α represents the imbalance angle, both reference to a key-phasor (KP).
The rotor imbalance is commonly specified by a term of
U=me with a unit of g·mm or kg·m. The acceleration of the imbalance mass at point
A can be calculated, based on fundamental dynamics, to be.
where
and
respectively denote the unit vector in X and Y direction.
The inertia force resulting from the imbalanced mass can be represented by
The equation of motion (EOM) for the Jeffcott rotor with simultaneous imbalance and shaft-bow can be obtained by using Newton’s second law.
Subsequently, the EOMs subject to imbalance and residual shaft-bow, in X and Y directions, are summarized as
Or, in terms of vibration nominal forms as:
where
M,
B, and
K respectively represent the mass, damping.
denotes the total mass of the rotor.
and
represent the system’s natural frequency and damping ratio in X and Y directions, respectively.
The right-hand side terms in Equations (7) and (8) describe the excitation forces caused by shaft-bow and imbalance, respectively. The vibrational responses of u and v due to shaft- bow and imbalance can be separately solved and superimposed for the total responses. Nonetheless, identifying the rotor’s imbalance (U,α) and shaft-bow (s,θ) from the total responses is a backward process and non-linear functions of α and θ and there exists non-unique solutions. That is the difficulty in almost of all cases of multi-fault diagnosis.
Let us first solve the responses due to these two types of faults, separately, and introduce the idea of combining the physical modeling and machining learning techniques for multi-fault diagnosis. The EOM of
u due to bow alone is.
where the subscript
b represents the term “bow”. The solution of Equation (9) can be readily obtained from any standard textbook on vibrations [
58].
where
Ax is the amplification factor, and it can be expressed as follows:
τ is the speed ratio and λ is the response phase lag.
In most cases,
. Thus,
and similarly the EOM caused by imbalance can be written as:
The subscript
u represents a state of unbalance. Similarly, the response due to the imbalance can be solved to be
Via superposition, the response in the X and Y directions can be expressed as follows:
The responses of Equations (16) and (17) can be further rearranged in terms of
and
components as follows:
where
f1,
f2,
f3, and
f4 are the defined four features as functions of the four-fault variables
U, α, s, and
θ as
Or, in terms of the feature vector:
The fault variables associated with imbalance and shaft-bow can be written as a fault vector,
and the subject of diagnosis is to identify Equation (25) from the data of Equation (24), by calculations of measurements. It is apparent that due to multi-variable and nonlinearity the solution is non-unique. ANN provides a robust alternative to solve this type of problem.
Note that the features shown in (20-23) are not only functions of the fault variables but also functions of system variables such as speed ratio
τ and damping ratio λ The damping has been found minor effects on the response, but the speed ratio has significant impact on the diagnosis accuracy and will be discussed in
Section 4.
3. Hybrid Methodology
In this study, the authors propose a comprehensive approach for establishing a real-time imbalance and shaft-bow diagnosis system for the rotor system and demonstrate a Jeffcott rotor-bearing system as the application. This approach combines mathematical modeling techniques with ML-based prediction methods to enable accurate and timely detection of multiple faults in the system. The ability to assess the onset of faults is a crucial aspect of both physics-based and machine-learning approaches to analyzing the overall system.
ML techniques are increasingly being used to diagnose faults in rotating machinery by analyzing data from sensors on the machinery. These models can learn to detect patterns that indicate faults and classify the type and severity of the problem, which helps maintenance teams diagnose issues earlier and prevent costly downtime. To overcome this challenge, a novel hybrid approach is to be developed. This approach combines machine learning techniques with expert knowledge and physical models to augment the limited fault data.
Data-driven methodologies leverage statistical theories and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyze gathered data, particularly fault data, to facilitate fault diagnosis. However, the efficacy of data-driven techniques is contingent upon the availability of a substantial amount of accurately labeled data for network training. Notably, industrial plant rotor systems frequently encounter challenges in acquiring sufficient labelled datasets. Addressing this data constraint, the physical model employs a knowledge-based approach, presenting a viable alternative to overcome the lack of relevant data.
Nevertheless, it is imperative to acknowledge the limitations of a data-driven approach, particularly in scenarios involving multiple faults, where its reliability may be compromised. In such instances, utilizing a physical model to generate fault data for ANN training emerges as a more dependable solution, enhancing the robustness of the overall diagnostic process.
Two steps were involved in this process: model construction and real-time diagnosis as shown in
Figure 2. The model construction phase involved a combination of physical modeling and ML techniques. By using a physical model, one can generate sufficient sets of simulated data for ANN-supervised training, which helps to produce a more reliable model to diagnose imbalance and shaft-bow in a Jeffcott rotor-bearing system. Following that, the derived model is implemented into a real rotor system for real-time diagnosis, as displayed in phase 2. In this phase, cases with two different residual bows plus various imbalance combinations are tested to acquire the real response features from an experimental setup of a rotor rig. Note that in the designed scenarios the bow was made only at two values,
s=0.5 mm run at 1600 rpm and 3200 rpm and
s=4 mm run at 680 rpm due to the difficulty of bending the shaft to reach a small, permanent bow. Moreover, in the
s=4 mm bow case, the rotor can be run only at very low speed due to safety concerns.
The real response features (f1, f2, f3, and f4) are then calculated from the measured response of the rotor rig and fed into the trained FNN for the instant fault components identification i.e., mT= {U, α, s, θ}. By combining phase-1 and phase-2, this hybrid approach can overcome the limitations of data availability and provide accurate diagnosis model for imbalance and bow faults in rotating machinery.
To achieve this goal, we employed the most common ML-based approaches used for rotor fault diagnosis, which are ANNs. ANNs can learn to classify different types of faults based on vibration, current, or acoustic data from sensors on the machinery. In particular, ANNs can be utilized to diagnose imbalance and shaft bow in rotating machinery, which is a common problem that can lead to excessive vibrations, reduced machine performance, and even catastrophic failure.
Among various types of ANNs, we have tested various types such as Feed-forward neural networks (FNN), RNN, LSTM and found their difference in accuracy is almost non-differentiable. Hence, FNN is selected for its simple structure and computational efficiency. In FNN, the information flows in one direction, from the input layer through one or more hidden layers to the output layer. By training the FNN with historical data from the rotor system, it can learn the underlying patterns and relationships between various system parameters and the occurrence of multiple faults. This enables FNN to make predictions about future fault events based on real-time sensor data.
Here is how machine learning approach can be used to diagnose multiple faults in a Jeffcott rotor machine:
Figure 3.
ML approach to diagnosing multiple faults in a Jeffcott roto-bearing system.
Figure 3.
ML approach to diagnosing multiple faults in a Jeffcott roto-bearing system.
Acquiring data: The physical model is used to generate the datasets randomly. Nevertheless, the training set can be generated from measured data as much as one need. It is notable that these imbalance and shaft-bow components, mT= {U, α, s, θ}, are randomly inputs to the physical model, and the response features components at the disk centre after forwarding calculation, are the output, i.e., Equation (24).
Data preparation: The generated datasets will be considered raw data for further processing by supervised training. The simulated inputs/outputs are reversed during the network training. The response components, fT, i.e., 4 parameters are used for input to the ANN, and the 4 parameters i.e., mT are used for the target.
ANN architecture: An appropriate model needs to be selected and configured for the problem at hand. Typically, a feedforward neural network (FNN) with one or more hidden layers is used. There are several parameters in each model that were varied to arrive at the best model parameter for each case. The proposed framework is modeled in MATLAB software.
Model Training: In the present study, the FNN is trained with a single hidden layer architecture with a varying number of nodes by using 10,000 datasets, which are randomly generated from a physical model. The first 70 percent of the datasets are utilized for training, the second 15 percent are used for validation, and the final 15 percent are used for testing.
Model Testing: To rigorously evaluate the FNN model’s performance, we employed root mean squared error (RMSE) to evaluate the closer alignment between the randomly generated (so-called real data) and the estimated values. A lower RMSE value signifies better accuracy and model performance. The formula of RMSE is:
where
denotes the real value for the
ith point,
denotes the estimated value, and n denotes the number of data points.
Diagnosis: The trained FNN is tested using simulated and real data acquired from the experimental setup of the Jeffcott rotor to diagnose the multi-fault components, i.e., U, α, s, and θ. Based on the output of the FNN, the machine operator can monitor the growth of imbalances and shaft-bow to take necessary actions.
5. Conclusion
This study proposes a novel hybrid approach that combines model-based and ML approaches to investigate imbalance and shaft-bow monitoring for Jeffcott rotor-bearing systems in online settings. Initially, the physical model of the Jeffcott rotor system involves the development of a mathematical model to determine rotor parameters, generating a substantial amount of simulated fault data for the ANN model. The validated physical model serves as the basis for generating a significant volume of simulated data (10,000 datasets), which is subsequently employed to train ML models such as FNN. This dataset serves the purpose of training, validating, and testing the models, ensuring their effectiveness in diagnosing multiple faults. However, the FNN with 40 nodes exhibits the lowest RMSE, indicating better performance. After that, FNN encompassed diverse conditions, including varying fault dominations and frequency ratios. In these diverse conditions, using the simulated datasets, the FNN consistently demonstrated exceptional performance, particularly when the imbalance and shaft bow did not dominate each other. Moreover, to achieve higher diagnosis accuracy in shaft-bow, the rotor better runs at low speed but, to the opposite, at higher speed for imbalance diagnosis.
The combinations of fault components (U, α, s, θ) were applied to the Jeffcott rotor experiment, and the experimental data were obtained and fed into the trained FNN for instant diagnosis. The FNN effectively identified and quantified faults within the system. The results show that both the imbalance and bow exhibit the lowest diagnosis error as these two faults are in-phase under sub-critical running. At trans-critical speed, the imbalance remains the least error; however, the bow error significantly increases because the bow response rapidly diminishes.
These findings highlight the superiority of the hybrid approach and its potential for enhancing the precision and reliability of imbalance and shaft bow diagnosis in rotor systems. The integration of the physical model ensures an accurate representation of the rotating system, while the machine-learning-based approach provides efficient and reliable diagnosis and monitoring capabilities. The hybrid approach proves effective in identifying multiple faults, specifically imbalances and shaft-bow issues, addressing challenges faced by conventional diagnostic techniques. Consequently, this study opens new possibilities for advanced rotor system monitoring and maintenance strategies in various industrial applications.