CHINHOYI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING

ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION AND DESIGN(CUME503)

LAB 1

CRAIG JAMU C18134763C

 DESIGN OF A VIBRATION MONITORING SYSTEM FOR MINES

INTRODUCTION

Mines are prone to vibrations due to the use of heavy machinery and blasting operations. These
vibrations can be harmful to both the mine infrastructure and the miners working there. A vibration
monitoring system can be used to detect and measure vibrations in a mine, and to trigger an alarm if the
vibrations exceed a certain threshold.

SYSTEM DESIGN

The proposed vibration monitoring system consists of the following components:

SW 420 Vibration sensors: These sensors will be installed at strategic locations throughout the mine to
measure the level of vibration.

Data acquisition system (DAQ): Which will be the Arduino Nano connected to the vibration sensor will
collect data from the vibration sensor and transmit it to a central monitoring station using ESP8266 WiFi
module

Central monitoring station: Which is the Arduino Mega will receive datausing its own ESP8266 WFfi
module from the DAQ and process it to determine the level of vibration at each sensor location. The
Arduino Mega will send a command to the Arduino Nano(DAQ) using the Esp8266 WiFi module to
sound the Buzzer connected to it, if the vibrations exceed a certain threshold.

Sensor Selection

There are a number of different types of vibration sensors available, including accelerometers,
geophones, and velocity sensors. The type of sensor that is best for a particular application will depend
on the frequency range of the vibration that is being measured, the desired accuracy, and the cost of the
sensor.
For the proposed vibration monitoring system, SW420 vibration sensors are a good choice because they
are relatively inexpensive and they can measure a wide range of vibration frequencies.

DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM

The DAQ will be responsible for collecting data from the vibration sensors and transmitting it to the
central monitoring station. The DAQ should be able to collect data from multiple sensors simultaneously
and it should be able to transmit data over a long distance.

We used the Arduino Nano because its cheap and it works well with SW420 vibration sensor which an
Arduino module and its cheap .

CENTRAL MONITORING STATION

The central monitoring station will receive data from the DAQ and process it to determine the level of
vibration at each sensor location. The central monitoring station will also trigger an alarm if the
vibrations exceed a certain threshold.

The central monitoring station can be a computer running specialized software. Alternatively, We used a
Arduino Mega because its cheap, and it works effectively well for this system.

ALARM SYSTEM

The alarm system will be activated if the vibrations exceed a certain threshold. The alarm system should
be able to generate a loud audible alarm and it should be able to send an alert to the mine operators.

A commercial alarm system can be used for this application. Alternatively, a custom alarm system can be
designed and built and we used a large buzzer being controlled using a relay switch.

INNOVATIVE ADJUSTMENTS
The proposed vibration monitoring system can be enhanced by incorporating the following innovative
adjustments:

Wireless communication: The vibration sensors and the DAQ can be connected to the central
monitoring station using wireless communication. This will eliminate the need for wires and will make it
easier to install and maintain the system in our case we used the ESP8266 WiFi module.

Real-time monitoring: The central monitoring station can be equipped with software that can display
the vibration data in real time. This will allow the mine operators to monitor the level of vibration at
each sensor location in real time.

Predictive maintenance: The vibration data can be used to predict when equipment is likely to fail. This
will allow the mine operators to schedule maintenance on the equipment before it fails, which can help
to prevent downtime and accidents.

SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

The proposed vibration monitoring system can be implemented in a number of different ways. One
approach would be to install the system on a trial basis in a small area of the mine. If the system is
successful, it can then be expanded to cover the entire mine.

Another approach would be to install the system in a new mine that is being developed. This would
allow the mine operators to collect vibration data from the beginning of the mine’s life.

CONCLUSION

A vibration monitoring system is a valuable tool for mines. The system can help to prevent accidents and
downtime by detecting and measuring vibrations in the mine. The system can also be used to predict
when equipment is likely to fail, which can help to prevent downtime and accidents.

The proposed vibration monitoring system is a reliable and cost-effective solution for monitoring
vibrations in mines. The system is easy to install and maintain, and it can be customized to meet the
specific needs of a particular mine.
FLOW CHART

Start

Vibration

sensor

Analog to Digital

conversion

Check amount of
NO
vibration
frequency, is it
above threshold

YES

Digital to analog

conversion

Alarm/Buzzer

Stop
BLOCK DIAGRAM SW 420 Relay
Vibration Arduino Nano switch
Buzzer
sensor

ESP8266

WiFi module

Power

Supply ESP8266

WiFi module

Arduino MEGA

STOP

Push Button
 POSSIBLE SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

BUZZER

NPN TRANSISTOR
CONNECTING WIRES

PIEZO VIBRATION
SENSOR

POWER SUPPLY

ARDUINO UNO LCD Display

The Schematic Circuit is a representation of the above Block Diagram of a Vibration monitoring
system

The Piezo vibration sensor is representing the SW420 vibration sensor

The Buzzer is representing the sound alarm speaker

The NPN is representing the relay switch connected to the alarm speaker

The Arduino Uno is representing the Arduino Mega which is the central monitoring station Processing everything

The Arduino Uno is also representing the Arduino Nano (Data acquisition system ) since its collecting data from the
vibration sensor

The LCD is there to display to us the amount of vibration being measured

The connecting wires between the UNO and the Breadboard are representing the communication of the ESP8266 WiFi
modules which are enabling the Arduino Mega and Nano to communicate

The Power supply Is there to provide power to the components on the circuit above and it represents the power supply,
supplying power to the Arduino Nano, Arduino Mega and the Sound Alarm