Deep-Learning-Based Bearing Fault Classification Using Vibration Signals Under Variable-Speed Conditions †

Abstract

Predictive maintenance in industrial machinery relies on the timely detection of component faults to prevent costly downtime. Rolling bearings, being critical elements, are particularly prone to defects such as outer race faults and ball spin defects, which manifest as characteristic vibration patterns. In this study, we introduce a novel bearing vibration dataset collected on a testbench under both constant and variable rotational speeds (0–5000 rpm), encompassing healthy and faulty conditions. The dataset was used for failure classification and further enriched through feature engineering, resulting in input features that include raw acceleration, signal envelopes, and time- and frequency-domain statistical descriptors, which capture fault-specific signatures. To quantify prediction uncertainty, two different approaches are applied, providing confidence measures alongside model outputs. Our results demonstrate the progressive improvement of classification accuracy from 87.2% using only raw acceleration data to 99.3% with a CNN-BiLSTM (Convolutional Neural Network–Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory) ensemble and advanced features. Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP)-based explainability further validates the relevance of frequency-domain features for distinguishing fault types. The proposed methodology offers a robust and interpretable framework for industrial fault diagnosis, capable of handling both stationary and non-stationary operating conditions.