Other Topics - Acoem USA

Precision Shaft Alignment and Vibration Testing of Fire Pumps

Fire pumps are probably THE MOST CRITICAL machines in industrial and commercial buildings. If they don’t work when they are supposed to, no other machine in the building matters. A fire pump needs to be reliable enough to run for a few hours. After that, either the fire is out, or the building is gone. …

Cardan Shaft? Spacer Shaft? What Kind Is It?

Recently, I provided training for a location that had vertical mounted electric motors driving pumps that were one or more floors below them. In this case, these pumps were driven with Cardan Shafts, however they did not have the typical 5-to-15-degree angles (between the motor & pump shafts and the drive shaft) recommended for lubrication…

The Maintenance Supervisor’s 5 Questions

I’ve never been a maintenance supervisor, but I have worked for several. And when a machine has had problems, most maintenance supervisors have 5 questions: What’s wrong with it? How bad is it? How much longer can we run it? What do we have to do to fix it? (…and if they’re really good) What…

Perspective

I don’t know about you, but in my nearly 45 years in industrial maintenance, there have been times when I felt stumped when trying to solve a problem. Sometimes you can just walk away and the solution comes to you while performing another task. Other times, a colleague or coworker may come along and have…

Thoughts on a New Machine Setup

There are numerous items to be considered when performing an initial inspection for a vibration analysis route setup. All things from safety considerations to machine information, smells, and sounds need to be observed and documented. First and foremost is SAFETY!! Are there exposed shafts, sheaves, belts, or nip points? Does an oily or slippery floor…

A Craftsman NEVER Blames the Tools!

I heard this saying recently, and I like it a lot! Whether we are talking about woodworking, precision maintenance, shaft alignment, or any number of other crafts or technical operations-it is true. In my time as a trainer for Acoem USA, I have heard mechanics say (more times than I could count) “my (current alignment…

Understanding the ISO 10816-3 Vibration Severity Chart

The ISO-10816 Vibration Severity Chart hovers above industrial machinery.

The Smart Machine Checker (SMC), and the Falcon (vibration data collector/analyzer) use Accurex™ automatic diagnostic software to determine vibration problems on rotating equipment. Accurex™ performs a first order diagnostic based on ISO 10816-3 specifications (based on overall vibration levels in velocity, in inches per second/peak, or mm/sec/rms), and a second order diagnostic based on several…

Aligned at the Factory – Realigned in the Field

An alignment check was performed on a new pump skid that had been recently installed as part of new construction. Even though it did not have much run time there were already telltale signs of misalignment as indicated by the coupling insert dust on the base. The new pump skid came aligned from the factory. …

Composite Pump Base?

We have written numerous blogs on pump bases, they still at times contribute to precision shaft alignment challenges. A recent class at a wastewater treatment plant, was having difficulty controlling soft foot on several different pump skids with composite bases. Previous blogs have described how a bad base can contribute to soft foot. In this…

Taking Care of your Spares

Rotating equipment, either in storage, or down for long periods of time, should be rotated on a regular basis. This prevents two things: rust forming in the bearings, gears, etc., due to lubricant settling into the reservoir. false brinelling, which is micro-spalling of the bearing raceways due to impacting. This occurs when vibration is present…

Balancing Police Strategy with Community Concerns

The balance of carrying out an effective police strategy while making sure community members have their concerns addressed can be tough to find. While transparency and community engagement are incredibly important, so is keeping certain information confidential and communities safe. We have put together some points to consider as you work to find the balance…

How IIoT is Changing Condition Monitoring As We Know It

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a hot topic, and it will continue to get more and more buzz as it’s benefits on condition monitoring become more apparent through practice. IIoT is projected to become a multi-billion dollar value producer in the industrial field by 2025, and it is not hard to see why.…

A Handy Guide to Balancing Rotating Machinery

icon of a fan with a spot indicating a balancing weight.

Balancing rotating machinery is mostly math, with a bit of common sense and experience thrown in. The math is constant, so here are some tips to help with the common sense and experience part. Preparing to balance Inspect before you balance I once balanced a fan by pulling an air filter out of the fan…

The Future of Policing is AI

What is AI in policing? In the modern world, technology makes industry go round. As society continues to find new ways to harness the power of technology to optimize output, buzzwords like AI have taken center stage. However, AI is proving to be far more than a buzzword. In fact, its here to stay. What…

So You Want to Implement Gunshot Detection? Here’s What to Expect

The start of any technology integration process can seem daunting. Having many moving parts can make it difficult to know where to begin. When you partner with Acoem to install our ATD gunshot detection system, you can trust that we’re committed to making the process smooth for everyone involved. Our standard integration process follows this…