Condition monitoring of anti-vibration mounts

摘要

The present invention provides condition monitoring of an anti-vibration mount, e.g. a sandwich mount (2a) in which a plurality of elastomeric layers are interleaved with rigid plates. A set of effectiveness data is determined using input and output data measured or derived over a period of time. The effectiveness data is indicative of the effectiveness of the anti-vibration mount (2a), and in particular is dynamic stiffness. The input data is indicative of the amplitude of input vibrations that are applied to the anti-vibration mount (e.g. from associated apparatus or equipment (1) to which the mount (2a) is secured) and the output data is indicative of the amplitude of corresponding output vibrations of the anti-vibration mount (e.g. the vibrations that are transferred into an external support frame (12) of the associated apparatus or equipment). The operating condition of the anti-vibration mount (2a) is monitored and/or extrapolated using the set of effectiveness data, e.g. by comparing successive sets of effectiveness data determined using input and output data collected over different time periods.