Experimental validation of a bearing fault model for an independent cart conveyor

One of the most promising technology in industries is undoubtedly the independent cart conveyor system. It tries to replace induction motors and kinematic chains in several applications, especially in the field of automatic packaging machines. The independent cart conveyor system is made up of several induction linear motors. The carts are connected to the frame through a series of rollers, the bearings of which are subject to wear. In a previous paper the authors developed a theoretical model of the expected vibration signal from a faulted bearing, taking into account several design parameters. In this paper, the model is updated thanks to a new formulation of amplitude modulation effect and it is validated on the basis of an experimental campaign on a specific test-rig, where a bearing was artificially damaged on the external ring (the moving one). Finally, experiments have been used to validate the model in different configurations, proving the effectiveness of the proposed model and paving the way for future diagnostics of the independent cart conveyor.