Failure Mode Classification for Rolling Element Bearings Using Time-Domain Transformer-Based Encoder

In this paper, we propose a Transformer-based encoder architecture integrated with an unsupervised denoising method to learn meaningful and sparse representations of vibration signals without the need for data transformation or pre-trained data. Existing Transformer models often require transformed data or extensive computational resources, limiting their practical adoption. We propose a simple yet competitive modification of the Transformer model, integrating a trainable noise reduction method specifically tailored for failure mode classification using vibration data directly in the time domain without converting them into other domains or images. Furthermore, we present the key architectural components and algorithms underlying our model, emphasizing interpretability and trustworthiness. Our model is trained and validated using two benchmark datasets: the IMS dataset (four failure modes) and the CWRU dataset (four and ten failure modes). Notably, our model performs competitively, especially when using an unbalanced test set and a lightweight architecture.