Are MEMS sensors good enough to catch early bearing faults?
Yes, for trend monitoring: DHMSCare DT310 and DT311 MEMS sensors, chip-based accelerometers, measure 0–6000 Hz vibration, where bearing wear shows once it starts making impacts; the first surface wear, above 20 kHz, is beyond range. An accelerometer is a sensor that measures vibration as acceleration.
How a bearing fault develops
A rolling bearing does not fail in one step. Damage usually starts on the surface of a race or a rolling element, then grows until the parts strike each other as they turn.
The very first surface stage sits at frequencies above the sensor's range. Correct lubrication is what manages that stage, so a sound greasing routine still matters.
What the sensor sees
Once wear begins to produce impacts, the energy shows within 0–6000 Hz. That is where DHMSCare watches the trend, comparing each bearing point with its own learned normal pattern.
The platform covers the common rolling-bearing fault types: lubrication shortage, inner-race and outer-race defects, cage damage, and rolling-element wear or fracture. When the trend keeps growing, the alert names the likely fault and the next step.
Which model to choose
The DT310 and DT311 measure 0–6000 Hz and record a detailed three-axis waveform per capture. The DT320 and DT321 also measure 0–6000 Hz, while the DT400 and DT420 measure 0–8000 Hz.
Slow bearings need a check before you order. Share the shaft speed with us first, and we pick the sensor that fits. In real plants, DHMSCare AI fault diagnosis holds at 85%+.
Next step
Compare the models on the DT310 product page, find your machines on the industry pages, or see what one power plant reported after a fault was caught early (read the case).
Questions buyers also ask
Will a MEMS sensor catch the very first sign of bearing damage?
No. The first surface wear appears above 20 kHz, beyond the range of these sensors. DHMSCare picks up bearing wear once it starts making impacts, and from then on the trend shows how fast it grows.
Do we need a sensor on every bearing?
Plans start from one sensor per machine, placed near the bearing seat. You add sensors where a machine has more measuring points, such as a motor that drives a gearbox.
What about very slow bearings?
A slow shaft makes weaker impacts and turns less during each measurement. For slow machines, send us the shaft speed before you install, and we check which sensor suits it.