01
Fatigue / severity
Velocity-based indicators help trend increasing mechanical stress and overall machine condition.
ifm · Condition Monitoring
ifm VVB IO-Link Vibration Sensors
Permanent machine-condition monitoring for rotating assets, from established single-axis VVB monitoring to the newer VVB3 three-axis platform with surface temperature, onboard indicators and deeper analysis over IO-Link.
IO-LinkVibration + temperatureVVB3: 3 axesISO 20816-3 thresholdsRotating machinery
VVB3 measurement3 axesAxial, vertical and horizontal from one position
VVB3 bandwidth2–5,600 HzCurrent VVB3 product comparison
InterfaceIO-LinkPLC and IT-level integration routes
Condition valuesVibration + °CSurface temperature as an additional indicator
Machine health at the sensor
Turn vibration into practical condition indicators
VVB sensors are intended for permanent monitoring of industrial machinery. The newer VVB3 generation expands the concept with three-axis acquisition, onboard processing, history and optional advanced analysis.
02
Impact
Peak acceleration supports detection of impacts, cavitation and transient mechanical events.
03
Friction
Acceleration-based values and surface temperature can indicate lubrication or friction-related deterioration.
04
Advanced analysis
VVB3 variants add unbalance analysis, raw waveform access and, on DataScience variants, BearingScout™ bearing analysis.
Typical assets
VVB condition monitoring fits best
ifm positions the VVB platform primarily for rotating machines with continuous or partially continuous operation and a drive shaft.
Electric motors & geared motors
Monitor developing unbalance, looseness, misalignment, friction, bearing deterioration and temperature trends near the bearing seat.
Pumps & vacuum pumps
Combine general vibration trends with impact and friction indicators to detect changes associated with bearings, cavitation, pulsation and mechanical condition.
Fans, conveyors & belt drives
Suitable for distributed machine monitoring where an IO-Link infrastructure can carry condition values into the PLC and maintenance layer.
VVB3 technology
Three-axis MEMS measurement with onboard processing
VVB3 acquires vibration in three axes and calculates machine-condition indicators locally. Onboard processing reduces the need to stream every raw data point continuously while raw waveform data remains available for deeper analysis.
Trend historyUp to nine days of characteristic-value history is available on the current VVB3 platform.
Raw dataAcceleration time signals can be transferred for detailed analysis.
ThresholdsLimit values can be configured based on ISO 20816-3 machine category and nominal power.
Data pathsIO-Link supports control-system integration and higher-level condition-monitoring workflows.
MachineMotor / pump / fan
→
SensorVVB / VVB3
→
FieldIO-Link master
→
SystemsPLC / moneo / IT
Product routes
Select VVB by monitoring depth, not just by housing
The VVB family spans different generations and use cases. Three-axis capabilities apply to VVB3 models; do not generalise them to every VVB order number.
VVB0 · 1 axis
Established IO-Link monitoring
For straightforward permanent machine monitoring with factory-set machine optimisations.
- VVB010 / 011 / 020 / 021
- Machine size and speed variants
- IO-Link condition values
VVB3 · Basic
PLC-oriented 3-axis monitoring
Current Basic variants are designed for PLC integration with selectable x, y or z trend values.
- VVB301 / VVB305
- 0…16 g; 0…300 mm/s family range
- Unbalance + operating-time functions
VVB3 · DataScience
Software-oriented deeper analysis
For richer three-axis condition data and advanced bearing analysis in higher-level monitoring systems.
- VVB302 / VVB306
- XYZ trend values
- BearingScout™ and raw waveform route
Family-level data
Key technical data
Confirm the exact order number before quoting.
VVB0 and VVB3 specifications differ. The values here describe the current family routes and must not replace the individual ifm datasheet.
Measurement principleMEMS vibration sensing
VVB3 measurement axesx, y, z
VVB3 frequency bandwidth2…5,600 Hz
VVB3 measuring range0…16 g; 0…300 mm/s
InterfaceIO-Link; exact revision / COM mode by variant
Additional condition valueSurface temperature
MountingNear bearing seats on a solid machine surface; adapter choice affects measurement
Architecture choice
VVB is not automatically the right vibration platform
Choose the monitoring architecture according to machine complexity, required diagnosis depth and available control infrastructure.
| Requirement | Better route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Simple analogue overall-vibration trend into PLC/VFD | VTV | 4–20 mA v-RMS is simpler when IO-Link and onboard diagnostics are unnecessary. |
| Permanent smart monitoring on simple rotating assets | VVB / VVB3 Best fit | Condition indicators are generated directly in the sensor and transmitted via IO-Link. |
| Multiple vibration points, frequency-selective diagnosis, complex machine kinematics | VSE + accelerometers | Programmable time/frequency-domain monitoring and multi-sensor architecture provide deeper diagnostic control. |
Selection warning: A VVB3 can simplify many rotating-machine applications, but a machine tool, multistage gearbox or process machine with strong load-dependent vibration may require VSE-level monitoring rather than a single smart sensor.
Requirement capture
Inputs required to select the VVB route
Machine typeMotor, pump, fan, gearbox, conveyor, vacuum pump, etc.
Speed & powerNominal rpm, variable-speed range and motor / machine power.
Faults to detectUnbalance, bearings, friction, cavitation, impacts or general severity.
Mounting pointBearing position, available flat surface, threaded mounting and access.
Control architectureExisting IO-Link master, PLC, fieldbus and IT / moneo requirement.
Monitoring depthThreshold only, trend values, raw waveforms or bearing-specific analysis.