Vibration Monitoring Services

Vibration Monitoring and Trending Services

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Proactive Vibration Monitoring

Vibration monitoring services from ESI Engineering give contractors, engineers, and owners peace of mind at sensitive sites where data is required over long durations, such as days, weeks, or even months. When vibration exceeds specified limits, stakeholders are alerted immediately via computer or smartphone so corrective action can be taken. Low amplitude measurements can be made for the most sensitive criteria in acceleration, velocity, 1/3 octave band, RMS, and peak particle velocity (PPV) units.

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Monitor Vibration with Confidence

Vibration monitoring is the process of measuring, analyzing, and trending the motion of structures, equipment, and the surrounding environment over long periods of time.

Vibration monitoring is common for construction projects involving demolition, excavation, or pile driving that can cause excessive vibration in nearby buildings. Monitoring helps ensure that projects can be completed with minimal impact on the sensitive systems, processes, and equipment.

Beyond construction, vibration monitoring ensures that sensitive equipment remains calibrated and functions with precision during normal operations. Manufacturing facilities, data centers, laboratories, hospitals, and semiconductor fabrication plants can all benefit from vibration trending and monitoring.

Add Confidence to Your Construction Plan

Instant Alerts. Faster Response Time.

In critical environments, actively monitoring vibration is the best way to identify trends and issue alerts for potential problems before they become serious.

On-site, real-time warning lights alert equipment operators or lab technicians to exceedance events. Stakeholders can also receive alerts remotely via email or text.

This allows equipment operators to act quickly while providing a transparent audit trail to safeguard against liability.

Reliable, Effective Vibration Monitoring

At ESI Engineering, our vibration monitoring systems provide reliable data over days, weeks, or even months, giving contractors, engineers, and owners peace of mind at sensitive sites.

Effective vibration monitoring provides multiple benefits:

Early Risk Detection
Identify excessive vibration levels before issues develop.
Improved Operational Efficiency

Use data to optimize processes and reduce unnecessary downtime or waste.

Structural Modifications
Analysis and design recommendations to change the dynamic response of the structure to forces.
Lower Project Costs
Allow construction near critical spaces with less risk of issues.
Greater Stakeholder Confidence
Demonstrate compliance with equipment specifications and industry best practices.

Vibration Monitoring Capabilities

Our primary focus at ESI is on monitoring vibration for sensitive building structures. These buildings may have:

Medical equipment and processes: MRI equipment, neuro ORs, and laboratories. Research laboratories: Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs), optical microscopes, analytical scales, mass spectrometers, and cell growth.

Microelectronic manufacturing: Wafer fabs, clean rooms, and failure analysis labs. High precision manufacturing: High-accuracy grinding and machining. Data centers: Storage devices, switches, and quantum computing.

For these sensitive environments, we use specialized transducers to measure the very low vibration amplitudes required, and the vibration is analyzed in the frequency domain, either using the Fast Fourier Transform or 1/3-octave band analysis.

Vibration Criteria curves (VC curves) are defined for many sensitive spaces in IEST-RP-NANO201.1 Measuring and Reporting Vibration in Advanced Technology Facilities. To ensure compliance, we compare vibration levels with published criteria for sensitive spaces and equipment, or to manufacturers’ specifications.

Why Partner with ESI Engineering?

With decades of experience in mechanical, structural, and acoustical engineering, ESI Engineering delivers more than just monitoring. We bring:

Cross-disciplinary engineering expertise in vibration, structural analysis, and noise control. Custom monitoring solutions tailored to your project or facility. Advanced technology for accurate, real-time data collection. Proven results with construction, healthcare, and industrial projects.

When you partner with ESI Engineering, you gain peace of mind knowing your project is supported by a team dedicated to providing exceptional service, dependable results, and clearly communicated recommendations.

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“Our experts were involved throughout the design phase of the project with special considerations made to provide a comfortable environment for employees and guests.”

Frequently Asked Questions About Vibration Monitoring

Any facility that has vibration sensitive equipment and processes. Many times, excessive vibration is a temporary issue during construction. However, in sensitive manufacturing facilities, vibration monitoring has been relied on to help improve production rates and yields.

We use geophones, accelerometers, and velocity transducers connected to electronic hardware that analyzes the measurement data in real-time and compares the results with criteria. These systems provide accurate data and instantly alert stakeholders when vibration thresholds are exceeded.

Monitoring is commonly required to protect nearby buildings from damage caused by excessive construction vibration. The vibration amplitudes are measured in units of Peak Particle Velocity (PPV), which is the highest amplitude in the velocity time waveform. However, the PPV unit cannot be compared with the criteria for sensitive facilities. Also, the vibration transducers used for construction vibration monitoring cannot measure the low amplitudes that cause issues in sensitive facilities.

The vibration monitoring performed by ESI is much more sophisticated. Monitoring vibration for sensitive facilities during construction requires extremely sensitive measurement equipment and real-time frequency domain analysis. The monitoring systems used by ESI provide accurate results in the proper format, and instantly alert stakeholders when vibration thresholds are exceeded.

Monitoring involves measuring, analyzing and trending vibration levels, while control involves strategies to reduce or mitigate those vibrations (e.g., isolation devices, structural changes, or equipment maintenance). ESI Engineering provides both vibration monitoring and control services.

Occasionally requirements for vibration are set by city ordinance and state statutes. Usually, the requirements are from equipment manufacturers or published industry guidelines. Several sophisticated clients have internal requirements for vibration that have been developed from experience. Our services help ensure all relevant requirements are being met.

Yes. Continuous monitoring identifies unusual vibration patterns that often signal wear, imbalance, or misalignment of mechanical equipment, allowing maintenance before unplanned shutdowns occur.

The system is installed by ESI, configured and maintained via remote connection, and the monitoring service is billed monthly. The monthly cost depends on the number of locations and the monitoring duration. We have had installed systems for as several years and as short as several weeks. In most cases, ESI maintains ownership of the monitoring system, however for some long-term installations, the equipment was purchased by our client.

Some Of Our Recent Monitoring Projects Include:

Reduce Your Risk With Advanced Monitoring

Beyond Monitoring: Our Vibration Control Methods

At ESI Engineering, monitoring goes hand in hand with vibration control strategies. Once monitoring data is collected, we can identify issues, recommend mitigation options, and specify or design solutions to reduce and manage the vibration impacts. Strategies include:

Isolation Systems for Sources
Designing and specifying isolators, foundations, and damping devices that reduce vibration transmission at the source
Isolation Systems for Sensitive Equipment

Designing and specifying isolators, foundations, and damping devices that reduce vibration transmission at the source

Structural Modifications

Designing and specifying isolators, foundations, and damping devices that reduce vibration transmission at the source

Customized Mitigation Plans

Designing and specifying isolators, foundations, and damping devices that reduce vibration transmission at the source

With ESI Engineering, you gain tailored systems that meet the specific requirements of your client and project. We are continuously adding features to our vibration measurement and monitoring system to reduce your risk, provide actionable innovation, and support you in creating better designs and environments.

Why Partner with ESI Engineering

With decades of experience in the fields of mechanical, structural, and acoustical engineering, ESI Engineering delivers more than just monitoring.  We bring:
  • Cross-disciplinary engineering expertise in vibration, structural analysis, and noise control.
  • Custom monitoring solutions tailored to your project or facility.
  • Advanced technology for accurate, real-time data collection.
  • Proven results with construction, healthcare, and industrial projects.
When you partner with ESI Engineering, you gain peace of mind knowing your project is supported by a team dedicated to providing exceptional service, dependable results and clearly communicated recommendations.  

Stay Up To Date On The Latest Industry Insights From Our Team

Tony Baxter
Bret Peterson
Peter Olney

Gain support and confidence by working with a leading specialty consulting firm for a diverse range of engineering and measurement services. From analysis to noise and vibration control for sensitive locations, find expert advice and long-term success with ESI Engineering.

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“You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” – Peter Drucker

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