ExpertViewer FAQs and HowTos: General

Are there keyboard shortcuts to speed up my analysis?

Yes, many functions of the ExpertViewer can be executed with hotkeys and mouse gestures. The most important ones:

Cursors

  • Left click: set base cursor (yellow) - it automatically jumps to the next highest peak
  • SHIFT + left click: set measure cursor (green) to measure distances (deltas)
  • Arrow keys: move the base cursor line by line
  • F2: Basis analysis, F3: Gear mesh, F5: Harmonics, F6: Sidebands, F7: Harmonics with sidebands, F8: Speed, F10: Cursor settings dialogue

Zooming

  • Press and hold left mouse button and drag: zoom into the selected area
  • Mouse wheel: zoom X-axis, SHIFT + mouse wheel: zoom Y-axis
  • BACKSPACE: undo last zoom step, SPACE: undo all zoom steps

Viewer

  • F11: full screen mode on/off
  • CTRL + C: copy diagram, CTRL + I: show/hide information bar

A complete list can be found in the appendix of the user manual (question mark symbol in the software).

How do I contact support when I think I found a bug in the software?

When you have a problem with the ExpertViewer and think that this might be a bug in the software, then we highly appreciate you to report this to us, so we can investigate and improve the ExpertViewer software. On the top of this page, you find the link to our technical support. When you contact us, it really helps us when you provide the following information, depending on the use case:

  • Software version of the ExpertViewer software, which can be found in the menu under Help –> Version information.
  • Windows version
  • OPTIME subscription

When the support requests more information, it is helpful to provide for example log files of the ExpertViewer software, which can be analysed by the support team and the developers to investigate the problem. How to access and send the ExpertViewer log files:

  1. In the ExpertViewer application, click the “i” (Info) icon located in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  2. Click the “Open Log File Directory” button.
  3. In the opened folder, select all available log files (such as ExpertViewer.log and ExpertViewer.log.1).
  4. Send us these log files, e.g. as attachments to your support request.

Tip: if you cannot open the software anymore, you can also reach the log files directly in the Windows Explorer. They are located in the log file directory of your user profile: C:\Users[User name]\AppData\Roaming\Condition Monitoring

After receiving your files, we will analyze them to identify and resolve the issue.

In which languages is the software available?

The ExpertViewer user interface is available in multiple languages, including English, German and Japanese. You can change the language in the program settings: right-click in any viewer, select Settings, go to the Language section, select the required language and click OK. The new language takes effect after restarting the software.

The user manual (accessible via the question mark symbol) is also available in the selected language, e.g. completely in German when the software is set to German.

Is there a manual or a training available for the software?

Yes, both are available:

Manual: Click on the question mark symbol in the upper area of the ExpertViewer to open the user manual directly from within the software. The manual is available in several languages, including English and German.

Training: We offer a two-part ExpertViewer training:

  • Part 1 - On-demand training: Approximately two hours of video material covering all the basics. You can watch these videos whenever it suits you.
  • Part 2 - Live workshop: A half-day workshop with practical exercises. The focus is on your individual analysis workflow - which functions you want to use and how to use them best on your own live data.

Please contact your Schaeffler representative or our support for training bookings.

What are the system requirements for the software?

The ExpertViewer is a Windows desktop application (not a browser plugin or web app). Your system needs to meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Windows 10 / Windows 11 (32/64 bit)
  • Dual-core processor
  • 2 GB RAM (recommended: 4 GB RAM)
  • DirectX 11-compatible graphics card
  • At least 75 MB of free disk space for the software
  • Screen resolution: 1024x768 pixels at 96 dpi (recommended: 1280x800 or higher)
  • Internet connection with HTTPS enabled
  • Administrator rights for the installation
  • A three-button mouse is recommended

For the best working experience we recommend one large monitor (27” or larger) or a dual-monitor setup, so that trends, time signals and spectra can be analysed without rearranging the interface.

What is the OPTIME ExpertViewer and when do I need it in addition to the OPTIME dashboard?

The ExpertViewer is an optional expert analysis tool for the OPTIME ecosystem. While the OPTIME app and dashboard are designed as easy-to-use interfaces for commissioning, configuration and a first view on the data, the ExpertViewer is the toolbox for in-depth vibration data and root cause analysis.

Typical tasks you perform in the ExpertViewer:

  • Viewing all KPI trends of a sensor simultaneously
  • Analysing raw time signals, envelope (demodulation), velocity and displacement spectra
  • Using analysis cursors (harmonics, sidebands, harmonics with sidebands, gear mesh, speed)
  • Identifying bearing damage frequencies with the integrated Schaeffler bearing database
  • Documenting analysis results with Expert Feedback labels
  • Acknowledging alarm notifications

The ExpertViewer does not add automated analysis results. It accesses exactly the same data that the OPTIME system measures and stores in the Schaeffler cloud - it simply provides an extended set of tools to analyse this data in depth. The ExpertViewer is an optional add-on to OPTIME and requires a separate subscription.

Why do I only see one raw time signal per day for my OPTIME sensors?

This is the standard measurement behaviour of the OPTIME system, not a limitation of the ExpertViewer:

  • Every 4 hours the OPTIME sensor calculates and transmits its KPI values (characteristic values). These form the trends you see in the upper viewer.
  • Once per day the sensor additionally transmits the complete raw time signal (a burst of approx. 3 seconds). These data sets appear in the time signal list in the lower left corner and are the basis for the spectra.

If additional data is required for a specific moment, a manual measurement can be triggered from the OPTIME dashboard. Such manually triggered measurements (including measurements of the second and third sensor axis) also become visible in the ExpertViewer.