Vibration Severity Charts

All the severity charts have 2 frequency scales. At the top of the charts, frequency
is expressed in Hertz and extends from 1 Hz up to 10,000 Hz. At the bottom of
each chart, frequency is expressed in Cycles per Second and extends from 60 CPM
up to 600,000 CPM. Both frequency scales are identical except that the top scale is
expressed in seconds (CPS) and the bottom scale is shown in minutes (CPM).

Displacement Vibration
The Displacement vibration severity chart has 2 amplitude scales on the Y axis. On
the left side of the chart, amplitude is expressed in Mils pk-pk with a full-scale
amplitude setting of 100 Mils. On the right side of the chart amplitude is shown in
Microns pk-pk with a full-scale amplitude setting of 2540 Microns. Both amplitude
scales are identical except that the left side scale is expressed in Mils pk-pk and
the right side scale is expressed in Microns pk-pk.

Velocity Vibration
The Velocity vibration severity chart has 2 Amplitude scales on the Y axis. On the
left side of the chart, amplitude is expressed in inches-per-second pk (ips pk) with
a full-scale amplitude setting of 10 ips pk. On the right side of the chart amplitude
is expressed in millimeters-per-second Pk (mm/sec pk) with a full-scale amplitude
setting of 254 mm/sec Pk. Both amplitude scales are identical except that the left
side scale is expressed in ips pk and the right side scale is expressed in mm/sec
pk.
Acceleration Vibration
The Acceleration vibration severity chart has 1 Amplitude scale expressed in g's
pk. Both the English and Metric systems use g's Pk to express acceleration
amplitude.

Displacment vs Acceleration
The Acceleration vs Displacement vibration severity chart compares amplitude
levels for acceleration in g's pk against displacement measurements in Mils pk-pk.
The chart has 3 amplitude scales on the Y axis. On the left side of the chart,
amplitude is expressed in Mils pk-pk with a full-scale amplitude setting of 100 Mils
and Microns pk-pk with a full-scale amplitude setting of 2540 Microns On the right
side of the chart amplitude is shown in g's pk with a full-scale amplitude setting of
51 g's pk. Both amplitude scales represent the same level of severity when
compared at the same frequency.

Universal Vibration Severity Chart

The Acceleration vs Displacement vs Velocity severity chart compares vibration
frequency and amplitude for the three primary units of measure using different
scales. The chart has 6 amplitude scales on the Y axis.
Universal Vibration Severity Chart

The Acceleration vs Displacement vs Velocity severity chart compares vibration

frequency and amplitude for the three primary units of measure using different
scales. The chart has 6 amplitude scales on the Y axis.

Left Amplitude is expressed in ips pk Full scale = 0.003 to 30.0 ips pk

Mid Left Amplitude is expressed in mm/sec pk Full Scale = 0.076 to 762 mm/sec pk

Far Left Amplitude is expressed in mm/sec rms Full Scale = 0.053 to 539 mm/sec pk

Right Amplitude is shown in g's pk Full-scale = 0.005 to 51 g's pk

Mid Right Amplitude is expressed in mils pk-pk Full-scale = 0.01 to 100 Mils pk-pk

Far Right Amplitude is expressed in microns pk-pk Full-scale = 0.254 to 2540 m pk-pk

Balance Tolerance Charts

VDI Tolerance Chart

The VDI balance tolerance chart is a bit confusing because it uses rotor weight x
10-3 to calculate the unbalance tolerance. Essentially this means that the left side
table is 1000 times higher than the actual tolerance for oz-in/lb of rotor weight. In
other words, the decimal point must be shifted three spaces to the right in order to
provide a tolerance in oz-in/lb. It would be less confusing if the scale was adjusted
to oz-in/lb. The scale on the right side was added to do this.
The chart states "apply all of tolerance for single plane balancing or half to each
plane for two plane balancing." This is true for a symmetrical rotor being balanced
in two planes. In this case the entire weight of the rotor is multiplied by the UPER
tolerance, and half that amount is applied to each plane of correction.
Universal Tolerance Chart
The Universal unbalance tolerance and comparison chart is shown here. The left
side scale provides unbalance tolerance in English units, lb-in/lb, oz-in/lb and gr-
in/lb. The right side scale provides tolerance levels in metric units, gr-mm/kg and
gr-m/g. This provides a direct comparison between the English and metric
systems.