Engineering English
Vibration Severity
Mechanical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Vibration severity is a measure of the intensity of vibration on a machine, often expressed as overall RMS velocity or displacement over a frequency range. It is used for condition monitoring and to compare against standards like ISO 10816.
Example in context
“The maintenance engineer compared the measured vibration severity to the ISO 10816 limits and scheduled the motor for overhaul.”
“Bakım mühendisi ölçülen titreşim şiddetini ISO 10816 limitleriyle karşılaştırdı ve motoru revizyona aldı.”
Where engineers use it
Vibration severity is calculated from raw vibration signals using RMS averaging. It is a key metric in predictive maintenance programs for rotating equipment, allowing engineers to trend degradation and plan interventions before failure.
Synonyms: vibration level, overall vibration, RMS vibration
Practice: can you use “Vibration Severity” at work?
A junior engineer monitoring a cooling tower fan notices an upward trend in vibration severity. They must decide whether to recommend immediate shutdown or continued monitoring based on ISO limits.
Show a model answer
“Check the vibration severity against the standard before approving continued operation.”
“Vibration Severity” in 21 languages
| English | Vibration Severity |
|---|---|
| Turkish | titreşim şiddeti |
| French | sévérité des vibrations |
| German | Schwingungsstärke |
| Spanish | severidad de vibración |
| Chinese | 振动烈度 |
| Arabic | شدة الاهتزاز |
| Portuguese | severidade de vibração |
| Russian | степень вибрации |
| Japanese | 振動の厳しさ |
| Italian | severità delle vibrazioni |
| Vietnamese | mức độ nghiêm trọng của rung động |
| Hindi | कंपन गंभीरता |
| Thai | ความรุนแรงของการสั่นสะเทือน |
| Indonesian | tingkat keparahan getaran |
| Korean | 진동 심각도 |
| Bengali | কম্পন তীব্রতা |
| Dutch | trillingsernst |
| Swedish | vibrationsallvarlighet |
| Finnish | tärinän vakavuus |
| Ukrainian | ступінь вібрації |
Frequently asked questions
What does Vibration Severity mean in engineering?
Vibration severity is a measure of the intensity of vibration on a machine, often expressed as overall RMS velocity or displacement over a frequency range. It is used for condition monitoring and to compare against standards like ISO 10816. In Mechanical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Vibration Severity?
Vibration Severity is pronounced /vaɪˈbreɪʃən sɪˈvɛrɪti/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Vibration Severity used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The maintenance engineer compared the measured vibration severity to the ISO 10816 limits and scheduled the motor for overhaul.”
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