Exploring the potential of smartphone MEMS sensors for cost-effective rotating machinery speed estimation

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the use of smartphone-embedded microelectro-mechanical sensors (MEMS) for accurately estimating rotating machinery speed, crucial for various condition monitoring tasks. Rotating machinery (RM) serves a crucial role in diverse applications, necessitating accurate speed estimation essential for condition monitoring (CM) tasks such as vibration analysis, efficiency evaluation and predictive assessment. Design/methodology/approach This research explores the utilization of MEMS embedded in smartphones to economically estimate RM speed. A series of experiments were conducted across three test setups, comparing smartphone-based speed estimation to traditional methods. Rigorous testing spanned various dimensions, including scenarios of limited data availability, diverse speed applications and different smartphone placements on RM surfaces. Findings The methodology demonstrated exceptional performance across low and high-speed contexts. Smartphones-MEMS accurately estimated speed regardless of their placement on surfaces like metal and fiber, presenting promising outcomes with a mere 6 RPM maximum error. Statistical analysis, using a two-sample t-test, compared smartphone-derived speed outcomes with those from a tachometer and high-quality (HQ) data acquisition system. Research limitations/implications The research limitations include the need for further investigation into smartphone sensor calibration and accuracy in extremely high-speed scenarios. Future research could focus on refining these aspects. Social implications The societal impact is substantial, offering cost-effective CM across various industries and encouraging further exploration of MEMS-based vibration monitoring. Originality/value This research showcases an innovative approach using smartphone-embedded MEMS for RM speed estimation. The study’s multidimensional testing highlights its originality in addressing scenarios with limited data and varied speed applications.