An apparatus for affecting tissue, comprising: an end effector configured to interact with a tissue; and a surgical stapling and cutting instrument, comprising: one or more drivetrains (12, 14, 16) configured to drive a plurality of gear components in order to perform operations of the surgical instrument; and one or more vibration sensors positioned relative to the one or more drivetrains of the surgical instrument to sense and record vibration information from the one or more drivetrains of the surgical instrument, wherein the one or more vibration sensors are configured to generate an output signal based on the vibration information, and wherein the output signal is used to determine a status of the surgical instrument, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one frequency filter configured to receive the output signal of the one or more vibration sensors, wherein the at least one frequency filter is configured to generate a filtered signal based on the received output signal, the apparatus further comprising a memory storing predetermined threshold values, and a processor in communication with the at least one frequency filter, wherein the memory includes program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate a processed signal based on the filtered signal, wherein the memory includes program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to employ a fast Fourier transform to develop the processed signal, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to detect a malfunction of one of the one or more drivetrains when the predetermined threshold values are less than the corresponding values of the developed processed signal. an end effector configured to interact with a tissue; and a surgical stapling and cutting instrument, comprising: one or more drivetrains (12, 14, 16) configured to drive a plurality of gear components in order to perform operations of the surgical instrument; and one or more vibration sensors positioned relative to the one or more drivetrains of the surgical instrument to sense and record vibration information from the one or more drivetrains of the surgical instrument, wherein the one or more vibration sensors are configured to generate an output signal based on the vibration information, and wherein the output signal is used to determine a status of the surgical instrument, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one frequency filter configured to receive the output signal of the one or more vibration sensors, wherein the at least one frequency filter is configured to generate a filtered signal based on the received output signal, the apparatus further comprising a memory storing predetermined threshold values, and a processor in communication with the at least one frequency filter, wherein the memory includes program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate a processed signal based on the filtered signal, wherein the memory includes program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to employ a fast Fourier transform to develop the processed signal, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to detect a malfunction of one of the one or more drivetrains when the predetermined threshold values are less than the corresponding values of the developed processed signal.