Experimentally Generating Faults in Rolling Element Bearings Via Shaft Current

The purpose of this research is to develop a method for experimentally generating in situ bearing faults. To motivate this topic, experimental results are provided that illustrate how the act of removing and replacing test bearings drastically alters the machine vibration and stator current spectral characteristics. Based on this observation, a method is developed that employs an externally applied shaft current to initiate and progress a bearing fault in an accelerated timeframe. This experimental method begins with a new, undamaged bearing and progresses it throughout its entire lifecycle in situ. The test machine is a standard induction motor that can be interfaced with any load and operate at any arbitrary speed or load level throughout the bearing failure process. Data generated by this experimental method can then be used to evaluate the performance of various bearing condition monitoring schemes.