NDT&E International 38 (2005) 569572 www.elsevier.

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Timeenergy density analysis based on wavelet transform

Cheng Junsheng*, Yu Dejie, Yang Yu
College of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Peoples Republic of China Received 21 January 2005; accepted 6 February 2005 Available online 17 March 2005

Abstract Energy is an important physical variable in signal analysis. The distribution of energy with the change of time and frequency can show the characteristics of a signal. A timeenergy density analysis approach based on wavelet transform is proposed in this paper. This method can analyze the energy distribution of signal with the change of time in different frequency bands. Simulation and practical application of the proposed method to roller bearing with faults show that the timeenergy density analysis approach can extract the fault characteristics from vibration signal efciently. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Wavelet transform; Timeenergy density; Roller bearing; Fault characteristic

1. Introduction The main goal of signal analysis lies in nding a simple and effective signal transform method to present the main characteristics of a signal. Usually, we analyze a signal in time and frequency domain. Time domain analysis studies the changing regulation of the signal forms with the change of time, while frequency domain analysis studies the changing regulation of signal energy or power with the change of frequency. However, as for non-stationary signals, a method that can combine time domain analysis and frequency domain analysis together is expected. FFT can only provide the energy distribution with the change of time or frequency respectively [1,2]. The windowed Fourier transform (WFT) display a time signal on a joint time frequency plane. However, once the window function is chosen, its size of the timefrequency window is xed, so, the time and frequency resolution are same for all signals including different time scales [3,4]. Wavelet is a time frequency analysis method with adjustable window. With the character of reecting the localized information in time and frequency domain simultaneously, wavelet transform has been is extensively applied in signal analysis [57].
* Corresponding author. Tel.: C 86 7318821744; fax: C86 7318711911. E-mail address: signalp@tom.com (C. Junsheng).

0963-8695/$ - see front matter q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ndteint.2005.02.002

However, if the time and frequency domain information of the results of wavelet transform and wavelet package decomposing is going to be extracted, these results, that is, the time domain waveform in certain frequency band, should be re-handled in order to get needed time domain or frequency domain results [8]. Energy is an important physical variable, whose distribution with the change of time and frequency can reect the main characteristics of the signal. However, with the limitation of Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, we cannot discuss such as the instantaneous energy density jf(t)j2 and jF(u)j2 at a certain point in phase space (u,t), for conceptually, to say that the energy with certain frequency at certain time makes no sense [9,10]. While when we come to frequency analysis, we always want to know the distribution of signals energy with the change of time, and as for non-stational signals we even want to know the distribution of signals energy in some frequency bands with the change of time. In this paper, the timeenergy density analysis method based on wavelet transform is proposed. The proposed method can analyze the distribution of signals energy at each frequency band with the change of time. According to the characteristic of the fault vibration signals of roller bearings, the timeenergy density analysis method has been applied to the roller bearing fault diagnosis. Simulation and experiments of roller bearing with faults show that the approach can extract the fault characteristic of signal efciently.

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say that jWf(a,b)j2/Cja2 gives the energy in space (aGDa, bGDb). Thus, formula (4) can be put as: 2 jf tj dt Z Ebdb (5)
R R

where,
Fig. 1. Time course of roller bearing vibration signal with typical local fault.

Eb Z

1 Cj

 jWf a; bj2 a2 da

(6)

2. The timeenergy density analysis approach based on wavelet transform ^ Given: j(t)2L2(R)hL(R) and j0Z 0, then the function family {ja,b(t)} is produced as following [9,10]   t Kb ja;b t Z jajK1=2 j a; b 2R; a s0 (1) a ja,b(t) is called analyzing wavelet or continuous wavelet; ^ j(t) is called basic wavelet or mother wavelet and ju is Fourier transform of j(t); a in Eq. (1) is the scale parameter and b is the time parameter. If the function f(t)2L2(R) owns nite energy, the continuous wavelet transform of function f(t) is dened as   t Kb Wf a; b Z hf t; ja;b ti Z jajK1=2 f tj dt (2) a
R

Formula (6) gives the energy value of the signal in the time span bGDb. E(b) is called timeenergy density function. It reects the distribution of signals energy at all frequency bands with the change of time parameter b. The following formula (7) shows the distribution of signals energy in integrating range [a1, a2] with the change of time parameter b.  1 a2 0 jW a; bj2 a2 da (7) E b Z Cj a1 f E 0 (b) is called local timeenergy density function and it shows all energy of the signal in the range from scale (frequency) a1 to scale (frequency) a2. By fetching different values for a1 and a2, the distribution of the signal energy in different bands with the change of time can be obtained.

The wavelet transform is isometric, that is to say the wavelet transform of f(t) is energy conservation, and then the following formula can be obtained: 1 dadb jf tj2 dt Z jWf a; bj2 2 (3) Cj a
R RR

3. The application of timeenergy density analysis approach in fault diagnosis of roller bearing The high frequency vibration caused by local fault of the rotating roller bearing can inspire the resonant frequency of the bearing vibration system. Given the pulse force as the input of the bearing system, and the vibration signals picked up by the sensor on the bearing seat as output, the vibration signals of roller bearing with fault can be presented as: L X t f t Z rtqtat eKsl tKt cos ul t K tdt (8)
lZ1 K N

where Cj Z ^ jjuj2 du!N juj R

is taken as the admissibility condition. From the isometric character of wavelet [see formula (3)], we get following: 1 2 K2 hf t; f ti Z jf tj dt Z a da jWf a; bj2 db (4) Cj
R R R

where, because of the limitation of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, jWf(a,b)j2/Cja2 cannot be taken as instantaneous density. However, jWf(a,b)j2/Cja2 can be taken as the energy density function in plane (a,b). That is to
Table 1 The resonant frequency of simulation signal (unit: Hz) u1 3000 u2 3500 u3 4000 u4 4500 u5 5000

where, r(t) is the pulse force, q(t) is the loads distribution function of the roller bearing, a(t) shows the structure character of transfer path between the pulse action position and the sensor, sl and ul is the intrinsic character of the system and L is the quantity of inspired resonant frequencies of the system. Fig. 1 is a typical time course of roller bearing vibration signal with local fault. The non-stationary character of the signal is obviously showed in this gure. Around the pulse action time, abrupt change of the signal inspires the resonant

u6 5500

u7 6000

u8 6500

u9 7000

u10 7500

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Fig. 2. The time domain waveform of simulation signal of a roller bearing with outer-race fault.

Fig. 4. Accelerative vibration signal of a roller bearing with outer-race fault.

frequency of the bearing vibration system, and the intrinsic vibration components will attenuate rapidly because of damp. Whereas, at the time without pulse action, vibration frequency of signal is relatively low and the vibration signal consists of mainly noises and interfering signals, which, perhaps, are caused by non-centering or non-balance of the rotating elements. According to formula (8), f(t), the vibration signal of roller bearing with fault is modulated by the pulse force r(t), and the fault characteristic frequency cannot be dened by direct Fourier spectrum analysis. If the timeenergy density analysis approach proposed by this paper is applied to this vibration signal, we would choose appropriate scale parameters a1 and a2 in formula (7), and let integrating range locate within the range of resonant frequency of the bearing system, because the inherent vibration components centralize around the pulse action time, the value of E 0 (b) will be relatively larger; while low-frequency interfering and noises are mainly away from pulse action time, the value of E 0 (b) will be relatively smaller. Thus, the frequency of E 0 (b) with the change of time is equal to the action frequency of pulse. In this way, spectrum analysis of E 0 (b) can be done, and the fault characteristic frequency of roller bearing can be received according to the peak value of the spectrum. Compared with sample frequency, the fault character frequencies of roller bearing are quite low, in order to improve the resolution of the timeenergy density spectrum, zoom-spectrum analysis of low frequency range of E 0 (b) is required. 3.1. Analysis of the simulation signal Given, under certain operating condition, the outer-race fault characteristic frequency of a roller bearing is 128 Hz; sample frequency is 16,384 Hz; and let LZ10, 10 intrinsic frequencies are given in Table 1; r(t), q(t), and a(t) are fetched by Ref. [3], then we get Fig. 2 as the time domain wave form of simulation signals of a roller bearing with

Fig. 5. Zoom-spectrum of local timeenergy density of roller bearing with outer-race fault.

outer-race fault, and the background interfering is noises with low-frequency. Though some of the impact characters can be shown in Fig. 2, the fault characteristic frequency (128 Hz) cannot be found in its Fourier spectrum due to the modulation of the signal amplitude. By choosing appropriate scale parameters a1Z1.5, a2Z2 to make integrating range locate within high frequency band, the simulation signal is carried out continuous wavelet transform with daubechies 10(D10) wavelet base to get local timeenergy density E 0 (b), and zoom-spectrum analysis is applied to E 0 (b) to get spectrum as Fig. 3. From Fig. 3, spectrum peak value is easily dened at the position of the fault characteristic frequency (128 Hz) and its harmonic wave. 3.2. Application Fig. 4 shows an actual acceleration time course of vibration signal of a 6311-type roller bearing with outerrace fault. The sample frequency is 16,384 Hz and the outer1 race fault characteristic frequency is foc Z 76 Hz. With the application of the timeenergy density approach, the local timeenergy density E 0 (b) can be obtained. By carrying out the zoom-spectrum analysis to E 0 (b), we get Fig. 5, in which

Fig. 6. Accelerative vibration signal of roller bearing with inner-race fault.

Fig. 3. Spectrum of simulation signals local timeenergy density of a roller bearing with outer-race fault.

Fig. 7. Zoom-spectrum of local timeenergy density of roller bearing with inner-race fault.

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the spectrum peak value at the position of the outer-race 1 fault characteristic frequency foc 76 Hz is easily dened. Figs. 6 and 7 are the actual acceleration time course of vibration and the zoom-spectrum of local timeenergy density of 6311-type roller bearing with inner-race fault, respectively. The inner-race fault characteristic frequency is 2 fic Z 99:2 Hz. In Fig. 7, the spectrum peak value at the 2 position of the inner-race fault characteristic frequency fic Z99:2 Hz is easily dened.

faults, the proposed method has been applied to the roller bearing fault diagnosis. Simulation and experiments of roller bearing with faults show that the timeenergy density analysis approach can extract the fault character of signal efciently. This is of great practical signicance in mechanical fault diagnosis.

Acknowledgements The support for this research under Chinese National Science Foundation Grant (No. 502755050) is gratefully acknowledged.

4. Conclusion As we all know, time scale and the corresponding energy distribution are two most important parameters of a signal in signal processing. For non-stational signals we want to know the timefrequency energy distributions of it. FFT could only give average energy of the signal in the time or frequency domain respectively and could not give consideration to the whole and local feature in the two domains at the same time. Wavelet analysis is an effective tool for signal processing and feature extraction. It can provide the local time and frequency information simultaneously and is especially suitable for non-stational signal processing. However, if the time and frequency domain information of the results of wavelet transform and wavelet package decomposing is going to be extracted, these results, that is, the time domain waveform in certain frequency band, should be re-handled in order to get needed time domain or frequency domain results. In this paper, timeenergy density analysis approach based on wavelet transform is proposed. It can analyze the distribution of the signals energy at different frequency bands with the change of time, and extract the character of the signals. According to the characteristics of the roller bearing vibration signals with

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