Brad Case - Acoem USA - Page 2

The NXA Extended Alignment Function – What is it? When to use it.

When training clients to use VibrAlign’s Verti-Zontal Alignment Process we show taking the 3rd measurement at a horizontal position, typically at 3 o’clock. This is simply for expediency and is NOT a requirement as Fixturlaser Shaft Alignment Systems can take measurements at any position due to the inclinometers in M & S sensors. If possible…

Back Off Jack Bolts for Improved Alignment Results

Millwrights and mechanics know the benefits of using jack bolts to precisely control the horizontal position of the movable machine when performing a precision shaft alignment. However, we also see the tendency to tighten the jack bolts, on both sides of the movable machine, either before or after tightening the hold down bolts. Tightening jack…

Other Influences to Precision Shaft Alignment Results

Over the years we have fielded several technical support calls from maintenance personnel having repeatability and soft foot issues (during an alignment) all of which had a common issue; other influences. Meaning not the typical looseness, coupling backlash, soft foot issues. During the “heat of the battle” to get the precision shaft alignment job finished…

Reduce Force to Maximize L10 Bearing Life

Simply put, L10 bearing life is the number of service hours that 90% of bearings will survive or conversely 10% of bearings will have failed. L10 life: is the preferred term in specifying bearing life and is defined by The American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA). A bearing life equation is: This calculation assumes proper installation…

Coupling Tolerances vs. Shaft Alignment Tolerances, What’s The Difference?

Plenty! This question still comes up fairly often in our training classes. If you look any of the coupling manufactures installation instructions there is a chart for the maximum allowable misalignment based on the coupling size. These tolerances are for the coupling, what about the machines the coupling connects? Shaft alignment tolerances are more about…

If It Moves Your Laser Will See It

Laser Shaft Alignment tools are a great asset for today’s maintenance professional, enabling them to perform precision shaft alignments to very tight tolerances; and do so quickly when using the VibrAlign Verti-Zontal Process. Laser alignment systems are a tool and as such show the user what is occurring “mechanically” during the alignment process, including if…

The Language of Alignment

Rim & Face, Angle & Offset, Parallel & Angular Deviation, Parallel Offset, thousands of inch and mils! What does it all mean? Actually it’s pretty much the same thing, though not exactly. I’ve been a VibrAlign Technical Trainer since 2008 with training classes in a variety of industries and with students previously using other methods…

Do You Have Bar Sag?

I’m not referring to what happens after you have had too many adult beverages at your favorite watering hole! I’m referring to the bars that holds your rim dial indicator(s) when performing a precision shaft alignment. Bar sag also called rod sag needs to be compensated for, should it occur, otherwise you are introducing a…

Using the AlignHot App (Hot Check) to Determine Thermal Growth Targets

A previous blog of mine discussed the benefit of taking a set of hot alignment readings to verify if the offset targets used for a cold alignment, to compensate for thermal growth (dynamic movement), were correct. http://thealignmentblog.com/blog/2015/04/15/benefit-hot-alignment-check/ So what if the actual hot alignment readings you get show a large difference from the anticipated hot…

The Benefit of a “Hot” Alignment Check

There have been numerous posts on TheAlignmentBlog.com dealing with Thermal Growth and Dynamic Movement of rotating machinery. http://thealignmentblog.com/blog/category/alignment-troubleshooting/dynamic-movement/. Thermal Growth continues to be a subject that is discussed and taught in our training classes, though on a daily basis is not always correctly compensated for in industry. Many maintenance personnel performing precision shaft alignments use…

Uncoupled Shaft Alignment – It Doesn’t Need To Be Difficult.

The night before the OJT portion of a recent Fixturlaser GO Pro Training class, at a Combined Cycle Power Plant, the shim packs of the disc type coupling between a 3300 HP electric motor and fluid drive began to fail. The machine was shut down before any damage could occur and was waiting for our…

Don’t Overlook “Hidden Shims” Under the Feet!

A recent Fixturlaser EVO class performed an alignment check on a 35HP, 1750 RPM electric motor and chill water pump set. The initial set of alignment results indicated horrible angular misalignment (14 to 16 times tolerance) and offset misalignment (6 to 8 times tolerance) in the vertical and horizontal planes. Before making corrections, pre-alignment checks…

Dial Indicator Alignments Have Never Been Easier!

Here’s the formula for better dial indicator alignments: Fixurlaser Dials App + Fixturlaser Dial Indicator Kit + Instructional Video Earlier this year we introduced the Free Fixturlaser Dials App. The app was designed to walk the user through the reverse rim alignment process using dial indicators. We are also now offering a new Dial Indicator…

Video: Concepts of Shaft Alignment – Backlash

VibrAlign, Inc. has released a new video entitled “Concepts of Shaft Alignment: Backlash”. The video describes and depicts how coupling backlash can cause measurement errors and illustrates two guidelines for controlling backlash. The video series was based on ideas for visualizing alignment created by David Zdrojewski, CEO of VibrAlign. According to Zdrojewski, “Our research shows…

Combination Soft Foot?

Any aligner knows that not properly correcting soft foot during a precision shaft alignment leads to frustration and anguish, not to mention wasted time. Soft foot is such a problem there has been numerous articles on The Alignment Blog the past few years about the subject. The articles discuss the many causes of soft foot…