alignment and balancing

Misalignment can occur between the driver and driven components no matter what mechanism is used to couple them together. This includes belt driven equipment as well. Unfortunately, properSheave ...

The answer may surprise you:
- 6 percent of machines fail during the infant mortality period (startup).
- 11 percent of machine failures are due to age.
- 89 percent of machinery failures are random. This means that your equipment is as likely to fail after a few months of operation as it is after longer periods of operation (many months, years, etc.)

Source: Information from a United Airlines Study.

Machines usually give some type of indication before failing. Condition Monitoring techniques like vibration analysis can help you become aware of the changes in machinery condition that lead to failure. This knowledge will lead to benefits such as:
- Reduction in machinery failures
- Fewer catastrophic failures
- Increased production
- Better maintenance planning
- Better maintenance scheduling
- Greater control over spare parts
- Reduced costs
- Increased uptime
- Increased equipment reliability
- Increased equipment life
- Improved profit
- Reduced risk
- Many more

You do not have wonder 89% of the time what is going to happen next with the equipment in your facility.

Learn more at http://ludeca.com/no-excuses/

1. It is impossible to implement good planning and scheduling methods
2. Equipment failure is usually random and the root causes are very difficult to determine
3. Higher level of equipment damage is experienced
4. Higher equipment repair cost is experienced
5. Higher spare parts inventory is required
6. Greater maintenance staffing is required
7. Higher overtime labor cost is experienced
8. Higher machine downtime is experienced
9. Higher risk to product quality
10. Higher risk to human safety
11. Higher environmental risk
12. Lower production availability is experienced resulting in reduced capacity
13. Lower profit is experienced
14. Competitive advantages are lost

Learn how LUDECA can help with your maintenance and reliability needs!

Tip Provided by: Ludeca

It is a good idea to complete a few pre-alignment steps prior to conducting any alignment activity. For instance:

1. Verify a possible misalignment condition by using a condition monitoring technology such as vibration analysis or thermography when possible. This will help to identify the type of misalignment condition that is present, and any other conditions that could prevent a successful alignment. This may prevent unneeded work activity.

2. Conduct a visual inspection to identify foundation deterioration, grout quality issues, broken bolts, cracks in the machine feet or base, etc. These issues should be corrected before any alignment activity is started.

3. You may wish take a current power consumption and vibration reading on the equipment prior to any alignment activity and another set of readings after the machine has been properly aligned. This will document reductions in harmful vibration as well as the energy required to operate the equipment resulting from improved alignment.

4. Consideration should be given to thermal growth. Accurate thermal growth values should be determined and used during the alignment process. This will help ensure that the equipment is properly aligned during normal operating conditions.

More Maintenance Tips by LUDECA