General Equipment Amplitude Guidelines:

Before discussing amplitude guidelines it should be clearly understood that these

are only guidelines - a starting point to begin from. The best vibration analysts
get to know the normal vibration characteristics of their machines and look for
deviation from that norm. The values that follow here are generally regarded in
the categories shown but they are and should be considered guidelines.

Displacement Units:
All Must know frequency to assess severity. At very low frequencies,
Frequencies: even displacement amplitudes of 40 or 50 mils pk-pk or even
more can be only moderately harmful to the bearing and the
structural components affected.

Note: The values listed here as guidelines for velocity and acceleration are 'peak'
amplitudes. Equivalent RMS values are 30% lower.

Velocity Units:
Within Frequency Range: 300 - 120,000 cpm
Hard Supports Condition Soft Supports
English Metric English Metric
Very Good
< 0.10 in/sec < 2.5 mm/sec < 0.15 in/sec < 4 mm/sec
0.10 - 0.30 ips 2.5 - 7.5 mm/s Satisfactory 0.15 - 0.45 ips 4 - 12 mm/s
0.30 - 0.45 ips 7.5 - 11.5 mm/s Fair 0.45 - 0.67 ips 12 - 17 mm/s
0.45 - 0.60 ips 11.5 - 16 mm/s Rough 0.67 - 0.90 ips 17 - 23 mm/s
> 0.60 ips > 16 mm/s Destructive > 0.90 ips > 23 mm/sec

Acceleration Units:
Frequencies: < Below 30kcpm, the problem will be better monitored with
30,000 kcpm: velocity as the amplitude unit of choice.
Frequencies: 30k- Between 30kcpm and 120kcpm, you must know frequency to
120kcpm: fully judge the severity. Velocity can confidently be used as a
partner unit in this range.
Frequencies: > < 2.00 g's Good
120kcpm:
2.0 - 5.0 g's Fair
5.0 - 10.0 g's Rough
> 10.0 g's Very Rough