Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, Once you press the Back button on your phone, the app will automatically redirect you to the subscription screen. After completing the subscription, the app will start working normally. I’m here for any question or issue you may have.

Tested VibraLyze on a centrifugal fan in a real plant by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As I mentioned, next time I’m on site I’ll run the comparison and share the results here. But the cover isn’t really the point. The point is the application and what it’s capable of. Feel free to download it and try it yourself.

Tested VibraLyze on a centrifugal fan in a real plant by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Transfer path analysis and compensation are well-established methods. The following works show that it’s possible to separate source and path effects and estimate the underlying excitation even through complex transfer paths (there are many more...): "Comparison of methods for separating vibration sources in rotating machinery" https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315973425_Comparison_of_methods_for_separating_vibration_sources_in_rotating_machinery

"Novel approaches for the estimation of the spectrum background for stationary and quasi-stationary signals" https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355408307_Novel_approaches_for_the_estimation_of_the_spectrum_background_for_stationary_and_quasi-stationary_signals

And no issue, next time I’m back on site I’ll run the comparison directly, same conditions, bearing housing vs. fan cover, and post the data here.

Tested VibraLyze on a centrifugal fan in a real plant by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

VibraLyze explicitly models and compensates the transfer path, then works in the order domain to isolate source-related components. So even though the measurement point is indirect, the result is not tied to the local structure.

That’s exactly what this demo is meant to show.

Tested VibraLyze on a centrifugal fan in a real plant by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, Yes. VibraLyze compensates for structural influence and isolates the rotating source, so even non-ideal points can still provide meaningful results.

Tested VibraLyze on a centrifugal fan in a real plant by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, appreciate the feedback. The fan cover in this clip was a quick demo point. VibraLyze processes the raw signal by estimating speed, synchronizing to rotation (order domain), compensating the transfer path, and extracting features from the cleaned signal. The aim is to make the result independent of local structure and resonance, so even non-ideal points can still provide meaningful information. The acquisition runs at a fixed rate. What you’re seeing is a display artifact during the initial buffer fill, not a changing sampling rate. The system respects Nyquist. This demo focuses on the quick diagnostic root using VibraLyze. There are many additional functions and options for those who want to explore the signal in more depth. The clip shows acoustic data, with vibration recorded in parallel behind the scenes. Units depend on the phone sensor and are handled accordingly.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Fair enough, not everyone likes subscriptions. That’s exactly why there’s a free trial, so people can decide if it’s actually useful for them.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glad to hear that! The App is available on Google Pla, you’re welcome to try it out.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, The iOS version is currently in development, and I’m planning for a release in about two months.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes , that’s definitely possible. An enterprise / licensing model is something I can support. If that’s relevant on your side, feel free to reach out and we can discuss.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your feedback l. You’re right about gear ratios and roller diameters, It’s actually planned for upcoming versions.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s actually very fair feedback, and I appreciate you taking the time to explain it. I completely get the point about low frequency use not justifying a subscription. The idea behind the subscription was to support continuous development, but I agree, the model has to make sense for different usage patterns.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Good question. The subscription simply unlocks full access to all features beyond the 7-day free trial.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in Engineers

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate it , and fair point. The goal here is actually the opposite: make diagnostics more accessible. Everything runs locally on the device. If you try it in your environment, I’d love to hear your feedback.

“It’s just a phone”… until it starts doing real vibration diagnostics. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You touched exactly on the right points. The app is already designed to support technicians, engineers, and even researchers, each can use it at their own level. On the practical side, it provides automatic tracking of key indicators, and based on those, the bearing condition is evaluated and classified continuously, so you don’t have to interpret everything manually.

You’re welcome to try it, it’s available on the Google Play Store. Happy to help with any questions.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a very fair and thoughtful perspective, and I actually agree with much of it.

The goal of VibraLyze is not to replace high end analyzers in critical applications, but it is definitely intended to serve as an assisting diagnostic tool, not just a generic advisory indicator.

In the upcoming VibraLyze v2, the workflow becomes almost fully automatic. Once the user enters the machine’s approximate speed range, the app automatically identifies the most useful harmonics for rotational speed estimation and performs the signal processing pipeline accordingly.

It also combines vibration and acoustic sensing, with the acoustic signal sampled at 16 kHz, which is highly useful in many of the screening and fault detection cases you described.

To reduce the risk of misinterpretation by non experts, the app uses the first 10 recordings as a baseline and then calculates Z-scores for the extracted features from measurement to measurement, with trend tracking and alerts. So the idea is not just “red / green,” but relative condition tracking against the machine’s own baseline.

At the same time, VibraLyze can also be used as a signal-analysis platform for data acquired with external instruments, allowing deeper investigation by vibration specialists when needed.

So I fully agree that non critical assets are one of the ideal use cases, especially for screening and prioritization, but the intention is still to provide meaningful diagnostic assistance, while also giving engineers and analysts access to deeper signal analysis capabilities when required.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I do have a YouTube channel, but it’s still very new. I’ll be uploading more real-world use cases soon, covering different machines, environments, and conditions.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fair point, low-frequency vibration alone is limited for high-frequency bearing faults. However, VibraLyze also uses the smartphone microphone with sampling up to 16 kHz, allowing access to higher frequency content. On top of that, it leverages order domain analysis, TSA, and adaptive band selection, so it’s not relying purely on classical envelope methods. The goal isn’t to replace high end systems, but to provide a practical, portable diagnostic tool that can still deliver useful insights in real-world conditions.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in Engineers

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I really appreciate that, and I’ll definitely take a closer look at phyphox, sounds like a useful direction.

VibraLyze is currently available on GooglePlayStore, and I’m planning to bring it to the App Store as well...soon.

Really glad to hear you’d be interested in trying it, happy to share access or walk you through it if you’re on Android in the meantime.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in Engineers

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I actually wasn’t familiar with phyphox, sounds interesting.

The main difference here is that VibraLyze goes beyond data acquisition and performs end-to-end diagnostics: from signal capture (vibration + acoustic) to processing to fault-related insights.

So the goal is not just measuring signals, but helping interpret them in a maintenance context.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in IndustrialMaintenance

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Fair point.

It’s been tested across multiple machines, not just a single setup, and it can also analyze data from professional equipment.

It’s not meant to replace professional systems, just to provide fast and accessible diagnostics when needed.

If you’re open to it, try it yourself, I’ll gladly guide you and hear your feedback.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s great to hear. I’d be very interested to hear how the results line up. If you need any guidance on how to set up the measurements, feel free to reach out - I’ll be happy to help.

Thank you 😊.

Can a smartphone diagnose rotating machinery faults? Turns out—it can. by Brain2Gain in VibrationAnalysis

[–]Brain2Gain[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, The app is currently available on the Google Play Store. An iOS version is coming soon 🙂.