Vibration, dynamics and noise

formerly BETA Machinery and SVT

Knowledge Center

PostPro – field data processing and analysis

Reducing field data analysis and reporting time

PostPro allows us to quickly process, analyze and report findings when collecting field measurements, including vibration waveform, pressure and other data.

Analyzing large amounts of test data is very time-consuming. For example, multichannel data acquisition systems often record up to 240 channels, potentially with multiple operating or load conditions. This may generate hundreds of gigabytes of data, taking days or weeks of effort to sift through the data, performing repetitive processing tasks, 'searching for the needle in the haystack.'

PostPro dramatically cuts down this labor-intensive work from days to hours.

Benefits for our customers (click to expand):

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Contents [ hide ]

1 The data challenge with troubleshooting projects
2 What is PostPro?
3 Benefits
4 Features
Contact and more information

1 The data challenge with troubleshooting projects

Multichannel data acquisition for vibration troubleshooting

Multichannel vibration setup for compressor station (4 to >200 channels). PostPro analyzes the results and provides unique insights into the system’s reliability, helping manage operational risks.

Multichannel analyzers record how the entire station reacts during different scenarios. This produces more reliable data, can capture transient events and gives the operator greater freedom from needing to sustain specific operating scenarios while the measurements are taken.

Wood is the leading consultancy for vibration troubleshooting, due to our global coverage, competency, experience and innovative solutions. Our team is involved across all industries, assessing problems on piping, structures and machinery systems.

While at site, we measure vibration, pressure pulsations, strain, stress and other data at many different locations, varying operating conditions and times. This results in large datasets of complex vibration waveforms (gigabytes of data, hundreds to thousands of files).

Post-processing this data is time-consuming and impractical without automated tools like PostPro. For example, manual processing of data for small jobs may take a few days, while for larger, more complex projects it can take weeks. This challenge creates extra costs and delays for the customer.

Another data challenge is accuracy. Manual searching through the data can result in errors, such as missing an important vibration peak or transient issue. The manual approach may miss important patterns or linkages between different test locations or conditions. Sorting through this data is analogous to the “needle in the haystack” problem.

2 What is PostPro?

PostPro is a proprietary software tool developed and used by Wood’s field engineering and troubleshooting team. It was developed as part of a multi-year research project to address the data analysis challenges (see above) and gaps in technology from traditional analyzer equipment software.

3 Benefits

Lower project costs - thousands of dollars in savings

Depending on the project, we can reduce processing and reporting costs significantly – a unique competitive advantage
Saves days (and sometimes weeks) of engineering time, especially when using multi-channel acquisition systems, long-time capture or when many test points or conditions need to be analyzed

Faster results

Allows us to provide better service to our customers, with timely recommendations
Ability to view results at site and provide preliminary information about risks and possible solutions

Higher accuracy

PostPro eliminates common errors that occur when manually analyzing large datasets
Quality control procedures embedded in software
Field verified from hundreds of projects

4 Features

A 'speeds-to-avoid' chart helps operators run equipment at safe levels and avoid downtime

Inputs:

Vibration
Pressure or current pulsation
Stress or strain
Machine speed, RPM
Operating conditions
Other data sources

Speed:

Quickly processes data by automating repetitive tasks, dramatically reducing analysis time
Pre-configured plots, reports and templates

Plotting:

Spectrum, waterfall and 3D plotting
Spectrum order tracking analysis and plotting provide additional insight into potential sources of problems
Speeds-to-avoid charts. These charts are critical for pump and compressor projects where the operator needs to know the safe operating speed ranges for the equipment (to avoid failures)
Time-domain averaging and plotting, comparisons to various guidelines
Summary reports highlighting locations that exceed guidelines, providing a summary of problem areas to focus on for advanced testing. This helps to understand the root cause of vibration or performance issues and to find a practical recommendation to solve the problem.

Flexibility:

Configurable to any vibration, pressure pulsation or stress guideline (custom or standard)
Plots and summary reports can be exported in engineering units of your choice, simplifying the report review and readability
Works with many commercial data analyzers (independent from equipment OEMs) while standardizing the output
Customizable for unique project requirements