Deep Learning Approaches for Bearing Fault Diagnosis Using Motor Current Signals

Abstract

Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) is a non-invasive technique that enables the detection of bearing faults in rotating electrical machines without the need for additional sensors. In this study, the Paderborn University bearing dataset was utilized to perform a two-stage analysis. In the first stage, motor current data were processed directly using 1-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Networks (1D-CNN). In the second stage, scalogram images obtained via Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) were used to train five different deep learning models, with the ResNet18-based 2D-CNN model providing the best performance. To prevent data leakage, the training and testing sets were partitioned based on individual bearings to ensure complete isolation. The experimental results demonstrated that both 1D-CNN and ResNet18-based 2D-CNN methods achieved 100% accuracy in detecting outer race faults. However, it was observed that the impact of inner race faults on the stator current remains weak due to the complex physical transmission path of the fault signal, resulting in significantly lower detection rates.