Vibration Analysis

What Is ISO 18436 and Why Does It Matter in Vibration Analysis

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Scope of the Standard

The standard applies to various industries that require high asset availability, such as power generation, mining, oil and gas, manufacturing, and transportation. It defines uniform certification criteria, ensuring the quality of predictive maintenance programs on a global scale.

ISO 18436 Certification Levels

ISO 18436 includes different certification levels, ranging from operators to expert analysts. The most common in vibration analysis are:

Level I: Trained to collect data and recognize basic fault conditions.
Level II: Qualified to interpret signals, identify fault modes, and issue diagnoses.
Level III: Capable of designing monitoring programs, leading teams, and evaluating asset criticality.

Each level requires theoretical training, practical experience hours, and passing a standardized international exam

Relevance in Condition-Based Maintenance

Having specialists certified under ISO 18436 provides benefits such as:

  • Consistent and traceable diagnostics.
  • Objective assessment of rotating equipment condition.
  • Continuous improvement of maintenance strategies.
  • Compliance with internationally recognized reliability standards.

In Latin America, predictive maintenance and asset monitoring companies have incorporated teams with vibration analysts certified under ISO 18436. This compliance ensures that diagnostics are backed by international criteria and that industrial reliability programs remain aligned with global best practices.

Written by

Tomas Belmudes

CEO.

Key Principles of Vibration Analysis for Fault Detection

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Vibration analysis is an essential technique for identifying mechanical faults in rotating equipment. Thanks to technological advances, it is now possible to monitor asset health without invasive intervention, anticipating failures through sensors and data processing.

This discipline is key to implementing predictive maintenance. By collecting signals with accelerometers and processing them through algorithms, it is possible to detect imbalance, misalignment, bearing failures, and other fault modes before they impact operations.

Among the fundamental principles of vibration analysis:

  • Does not require stopping the machine: performed under normal operating conditions.
  • Based on measurements of acceleration, velocity, and displacement.
  • Each fault mode generates a characteristic vibration signature.
  • FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) is key for visualizing spectra.
  • Signals are interpreted through parameters such as amplitude, frequency, and RMS.
  • Enables predictive and proactive maintenance.
  • Compatible with IoT sensors and online monitoring.
  • Can be integrated with cloud-based platforms.
  • Uses envelope alarms and machine learning algorithms.
  • Reduces unplanned failures and optimizes operational performance.

Vibration analysis is part of industrial predictive monitoring. At Maper, we apply triaxial sensors, early detection algorithms, and spectral analysis to increase asset availability.

If you want to implement vibration analysis and predictive maintenance on your assets, contact us today and find out how Maper can help you prevent critical failures.

Written by

Nicolás Sonzini

Operations Leader.