Performance of driven equipment is dependent upon the individual characteristics of the
prime mover, gear unit, driven machine and support structure, as well as their combined
effects as a system. The proper assessment of performance characteristics is essential for
realistic evaluation. The knowledge and judgment required to properly evaluate the gear
unit vibration comes primarily from years of accumulated experience in designing,
manufacturing, and operating gear units. For these reasons, the use of this standard and
the evaluation of test results for specific gear product applications should only be attempted
by experienced personnel.
The complexity of gear vibration phenomena makes most vibration standards difficult to
apply or to properly interpret. The AGMA Acoustical Technology Committee developed the
SpecificationforMeasurementofLinearVibrationonGearUnitsto provide acommon basis
for communication between project engineers, gear manufacturers, and users. The
purpose was, also, to encourage the maximum practical degree of uniformity and
consistency among vibration measurement practices within the gear industry.
Because of the wide variation of gear driven systems and structural supports, ANSI/AGMA
6000–A88 identified certain areas where special considerations might be necessary and
must be agreed upon between purchaser and gear manufacturer when discussing gear
vibrations.