Journal of Theoretical and Applied Vibration and Acoustics

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Vibration and Acoustics

Noise-robust gearbox fault detection: A deep learning approach

Document Type : Invited by Abdolreza Ohadi

Authors
1 M.Sc. Student, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, IRAN
2 Assistant Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, IRAN
3 Associate Professor, School of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, IRAN
Abstract
We introduce a novel approach to enhance gearbox fault diagnosis by integrating Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for vibrational data analysis. Our method aims to improve fault detection accuracy, particularly in identifying subtle anomalies like broken teeth. However, real-world data often contains noise, which can hinder the effectiveness of such models. To address this challenge, we incorporate Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) pooling layers within the model. Our methodology starts with continuous wavelet transform (CWT), applied to the vibrational data to reveal crucial frequency-domain features. Concurrently, a CNN, using the Inception architecture, extracts spatial features. Simultaneously, LSTM networks capture temporal patterns. The unique feature representations from the CNN and LSTM branches are fused, creating a holistic feature set incorporating spatial, material, and frequency-domain information. This integrated feature set is then classified using a fully connected neural network. Our method's effectiveness is rigorously validated through comprehensive experiments on a diverse dataset. The results demonstrate exceptional accuracy in identifying gearbox faults, even in the early stages. This research advances predictive maintenance, offering a precise and comprehensive approach to gearbox fault diagnosis. In conclusion, the fusion of LSTM and CNN architectures for vibrational data analysis holds promise for gearbox fault diagnosis, benefiting industries reliant on machinery reliability and operational efficiency.

Highlights

  • A novel approach is proposed for gearbox vibration diagnosis integrating LSTM and CNN.
  • SVD pooling layers are incorporated to enhance classification in presence of noise.
  • Model accuracy is increased 4.5% compared to a base model with GAP pooling.

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