Vibration & ultrasound inspections

Hear the fault before it becomes a failure

Vibration analysis and ultrasound find bearing wear, misalignment, lubrication problems, compressed-air leaks and partial discharge in energized switchgear before they cost you a shutdown. Our Level I ultrasound technicians work from Halifax and Calgary, serving sites across Canada.

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Ultrasound analysis

Typical applications for ultrasound include compressed air & gas leak detection, bearing inspection and real-time lubrication, motors, gearboxes, electrical inspection of energized electrical equipment, valves, hydraulic applications and steam traps

Partial discharge

Hear it before you feel it

Electrical apparatuses like switchgear, transformers, insulators or disconnects and splices can all fail, but long before they do, the faults can be detected with ultrasonic technology.

Unlike electrical infrared thermography inspection, ultrasound devices can detect discharges in their earliest stages, long before they begin to generate heat.

Ultrasound should be your first line of defense technology to build out your overall electrical condition monitoring and analysis strategy.

Bearing lubrication

Grease by sound, not by calendar

40 % of bearings fail early because of improper greasing.

Blown bearing seals? Prevent overgreasing, and the guesswork involved with Calendar Based Lubrication. Our equipment can tell at the exact moment when a bearing is properly lubricated.

Our high-tech ultrasound instruments allow our team to carefully monitor a bearing during lubrication until the minimal decibel level is reached, indicating the bearing is properly lubricated.

Compressed air leaks

Compressed air is not free

Leaks are expensive. The US Department of Energy estimates that average compressed-air systems waste 25 to 35 % of their air to leaks alone.

The average initial investment in a compressor system is only 25% of the expenses associated over its lifetime. The other 75% of the costs go to energy used to compress the air.

Looking for ways to boost profits within your organization? Start on the back-end by reducing wasted air.

Electrical and mechanical uses

How vibration, ultrasound and infrared work together

Vibration analysis measures how rotating equipment moves. Ultrasound hears the high-frequency sound of discharge, friction and leaks, often before there is any heat to see. Infrared shows the heat. Each method finds faults the others can miss, which is why they are often scheduled together.

Rotating equipment

Vibration analysis shows imbalance, misalignment, looseness and bearing wear on motors, pumps, fans and gearboxes. Ultrasound adds bearing friction and lubrication condition. Repeat readings show what is getting worse.

Mechanical inspections →

Electrical equipment

Ultrasound hears partial discharge, tracking and corona in switchgear, transformers, insulators and terminations, including energized gear that cannot be opened safely for an infrared scan. Findings are flagged for testing at a planned outage.

Case study: sealed switchgear →

Air, gas and steam

Ultrasound locates compressed-air and gas leaks and checks valves and steam traps while the system keeps running.

Before the visit

A list of the motors, pumps, fans, switchgear or air systems you want checked
Equipment energized and running at normal speed and load, with air and gas systems at working pressure
Access to electrical rooms and equipment, with any escort, permit or orientation rules
Whether the survey should be combined with your infrared scan

What you receive

Each finding with its location, the equipment identified and a recommended action
Readings recorded so the same points can be compared at the next survey
Electrical findings flagged for follow-up testing at your next planned outage

Vibration and ultrasound questions

What does vibration analysis find?

Changes in how rotating equipment moves: imbalance, misalignment, looseness and bearing wear on motors, pumps, fans and gearboxes. A baseline reading and repeat readings at the same points show which machines are getting worse.

Do vibration and ultrasound replace an infrared scan?

No. Infrared finds heat from loose or overloaded connections; vibration and ultrasound find mechanical wear, discharge, friction and leaks that may make little heat. Many sites combine them in one visit.

Can you check switchgear we cannot open?

Often, yes. Airborne ultrasound can listen at vents, seams and openings while the gear stays closed and energized. Anything that needs a closer look is flagged for your next planned outage.

How often should we survey?

Start with a baseline, then repeat at the interval in your maintenance plan or with your annual electrical infrared inspection. Comparing the same points over time is what makes a change visible.

Ready to hear what your switchgear and bearings are telling you?

Ultrasound surveys are scheduled alongside an infrared scan or on their own. Tell us about the plant and we reply within one business day.

Get a quote Call 1-833-355-1428