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alignment and balancing

Do You Do the Verti-Zontal?

By David Zdrojewski

The use of lasers in measuring misalignment has improved the shaft alignment process. Literally thousands and thousands of laser-based measuring tools have been sold over the past 20-some years. No doubt, laser systems have eliminated many errors and simplified the process used to measure misalignment. However, after all these years, we haven’t dramatically changed or improved the basic process used to correct misalignment. The way we have been correcting misalignment is inefficient, time consuming, and frustrating to those who have to move machines to make proper alignments.

Rolling-Element Bearing Analysis (REBA) Techniques and Practices

By Dennis H. Shreve, Commtest Inc.

When it comes to diagnosing common machinery problems with the tools offered with vibration measurements and monitoring, there are typically 5 major areas requiring correction: (1) unbalance, (2) misalignment, (3) looseness, (4) resonance, and (5) rolling-element bearing faults. This paper will examine modern-day techniques for early detection of faults in rolling-element bearings.

Asset Condition Management

Gross horizontal alignment error and softfoot tip

When you discover a gross horizontal misalignment with your laser alignment system, make the horizontal adjustment and re-check for softfoot. The motor is now in its operating position and

Tip ...

Asset Condition Management

Bolt-Bound Made Easy: Optimizing Alignment

When you get bolt-bound or base-bound on a critical machine train, usually one that is very difficult to move, it is not enough to just be able to fix individual pairs of feet to obtain

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Dual-Keyed Couplings Transmit Torque, Restrain Lateral Motion

A new line of large bore couplings that feature axial and annular keyways for use with pumps and mixers driven by unsupported shafts is being introduced by Stafford Manufacturing Corp. of Wilmington, Massachusetts.

PINPOINT Laser Systems, Inc., is pleased to annouce the New Bore Alignment Kit

Pinpoint Laser Systems is introducing a new precision Microgage Bore Alignment Kit for industrial applications.  Our newest product is perfectly suited for aligning extrusion presses, rams, precision screws, lathes and turning centers, propeller shafts and stern tubes, bar feeders, and many other demanding applications.  This Microgage Bore Alignment Kit is compact, precise, easy to set up, and most importantly, affordable - for small and large firms alike.

New Microgage 2D Spindle and Lathe Alignment Measuring Kit

PINPOINT Laser Systems, Inc., is pleased to annouce the New Microgage 2D Spindle and Lathe Alignment Measuring Kit.  We are very excited and we believe you, as well as your readers will find this Microgage Spindle and Lathe Alignment Measuring Kitof great interest and value.

Asset Condition Management

Eliminating Pipe Stress - “TOOL BOX TRAINING”

Maintenance Supervisors should use this tool to train their maintenance techs, welders and contractors - 10-20 minutes - Post them in the Maintenance Shop after use:


Pipe stress is caused by misalignment of the mating surfaces of two pipe flanges creating abnormal internal stress of pump bearings, seals, motor bearings, couplings, and can possibly change the displacement of a pump.

General Rules which: (if you want to stop self induced failures)1. Pipe Flanges attached to pumps must be aligned where the gap does not exceed the thickness of two gaskets or tolerance established by your company's engineering standards.2. Pipe flange bolts must drop in without assistance.3. Cable pullers, come-a-longs, or long bars should not be used when aligning a flange which is connected to a pump.4. Validate the elimination of pipe stress by following the procedure below.- caused by seals leaking- caused by static vibration- caused by overloading while static- caused by inadequate lubrication caused by abnormal loading (seal leaking)- caused by misalignment and excessive loading Ensure your contractors follow the same process to eliminate pipe stress. Pipe stress elimination should be validated during commissioning of new pump.1. Align the two shafts between your pump and driver (typically an electric motor) to tolerance recommended by the equipment vendor or your company's engineering standards.2. Validate misalignment to insure motor and pumps shafts are aligned to specification.3. Disconnect the outlet flange on the pump.4. Revalidate laser alignment of shafts.5. If alignment has moved then you have pipe stress. Do the same for the inlet flange.6. Make corrections as stated in the following procedures to eliminate pipe stress.- The Ricky Smith Method as learned from Dan Turner (my maintenance and engineering manager at Exxon during the 1970s)

1. Bolt flanges to pump and insert blind flange gasket along with two regular flanges between pump and mating flanges. (cover the hole between welding area and inside the pump)
2. Attached welding ground to flange. (do not attach ground lead to pump; welding group must always be attached to flange) Warning: failure to accomplish this one task properly will cause bearing failure by "electric arcing" which is a failure mode of bearings.
3. Tack weld flange into place reverse welding each tack.
4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Reverse stitch weld on opposite sides on the flange similarly used for cast iron welding.
6. After initial reverse stitch weld then weld normally using electrode recommended by the American Welding Society (typically E-6010 5P or GTAW.
7. After root pass; weld in any direction you wish.
8. Allow to cool and then disconnect flange, replace gaskets and;
- Validate bolts will drop into holes without pry bar
- Validate gap between flanges is no more than two gaskets thick.

If you have questions send me an email at ...

Carlos Bienes and Adam Stredel join Alignment Division

LUDECA is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Laser Alignment Division, Carlos Bienes and Adam Stredel.

PINPOINT Laser Systems, Inc., is pleased to announce the Microgage 2D System

Peabody, Massachusetts:  Pinpoint Laser Systems is introducing a revolutionary new 2-dimensional Microgage for precision measuring, machine alignment, calibration, and other demanding industrial applications.  Roll and web lines, CNC cutting and milling equipment, lathes, stamping presses, injection molding machines, extrusion systems and other production equipment are easily checked and aligned for improved operating efficiency and reduced downtime with this new Microgage.  The new Microgage 2D is compact, easy to set-up and use right on the factory floor.  The attached photograph shows the new Microgage 2D checking roller parallelism on a long multi-color printing press.

Asset Condition Management

Shaft alignment tolerances & base- and bolt-bound situations

Use Shaft Alignment Tolerances to help solve base- and bolt-bound situations. If, when performing an alignment, a base-bound or bolt-bound situation presents itself, take advantage of using ...

ROTALIGN ULTRA LIVE TREND Real-time measurement of machine positional change

An important contribution one can make to lower the operating costs of rotating machines is to align them correctly using the real coupling target values. Target values recommended by manufacturers do not always reflect the real machine centerline movements due to thermal growth, pipe strain and dynamic factors.

Unique, New Laser Alignment Kit For Industry

Pinpoint Laser Systems is introducing the new Pinpoint Proline Alignment Kit - a visual laser system for checking and measuring straightness, flatness, squareness, parallelism, leveling and many other tasks.  This kit combines the features of a transit, an infinitely long straightedge and laser alignment system all in one compact, portable, versatile product.  Precision laser alignment for production, maintenance, and plant engineering projects, both large and small, has never been so easy.

Asset Condition Management

Machinery Alignment and Soft Foot

Measuring machinery misalignment with today's tools, particularly computerized laser alignment systems and well-designed bracketing, is no longer as difficult a task as it once was, when all you

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Asset Condition Management

Sof Shoe Soft Foot Tip

While checking for Soft Foot with either dial indicators or a laser, use a set of feeler gages to measure the gap under each corner of every foot. This simple and quick step will identify if

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Asset Condition Management

Balancing Without Phase

Often by necessity, sometimes by preference, it may become necessary to balance a rotating machine or part under conditions where a phase measurement is either impossible or unavailable. In this

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New “Laser Align” iPhone App Available for Download

LUDECA, INC., a leading provider of laser alignment and condition monitoring solutions, presents “Laser Align” a free reference tool for shaft alignment of rotating equipment. With this app you can access important reference material and learn about key laser shaft alignment concepts.

Laser Shaft Alignment: Repeatability and Accuracy Issues
Asset Condition Management

Laser Shaft Alignment: Repeatability and Accuracy Issues

Laser Shaft Alignment: Repeatability and Accuracy Issues

A 1 hour 17 minute Web Workshop recording playback by Alan Luedeking, LUDECA, INC.

This presentation is an in-depth treatment of the subject of repeatability and accuracy when laser aligning directly coupled rotating machines. The presenter will discuss how to troubleshoot your readings and will then take your questions concerning these topics.

• Repeatability, Accuracy, Reproducibility and Resolution
• Response to corrections
• Diagnosing and correcting problems with Standard Deviation

 

The Expected and the Unexpected

The Ever Increasing Benefits of Modern PdM Technologies

by Bill Hillman, CMRP

When dial indicators, straight edges, and taper gauges were the only tools available for doing shaft-to-shaft alignment, machines were often left in a rough alignment condition.  This happened because either too much time would need to be invested in order to obtain the required degree of precision or human error entered into the calculations. 

Soft Foot Tutorial
Asset Condition Management

Soft Foot Tutorial

A 44 minute Recorded Webinar Playback on Demand by Alan Luedeking, LUDECA Inc.

This presentation is an in-depth treatment of the subject of soft foot, or machine frame distortion, in directly coupled rotating machines. The presenter will cover how to measure soft foot with different methods and discuss the pros and cons of each. He will also discuss how to diagnose and correct soft foot conditions, and will then take your questions concerning these topics.


Watch this tutorial to learn:

  • What is soft foot? 
  • What types of soft foot are there and why is this important? 
  • How do I measure soft foot correctly? 
  • How do I diagnose the soft foot condition I measured? 
  • How do I fix a soft foot?
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