I was asked to help a customer align a 500HP Motor / Blower. The new motor came in on a skid, was lifted into place with a crane, new electrical boxes fitted and coupling put into place. Now the easy part, the precision shaft alignment! We took two sets of measurements which repeated. Made one…
Read More
As technical trainers, we travel all over the country visiting factories, mills, power plants and refineries. Just to mention a few. We see and work on equipment of every type and size. From small 10 HP electric motors and pumps moving cooling water, to house sized engines turning generators that power our cities. Out of…
Read More
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…
Read MoreUnbalance is another common machinery vibration problem. Unbalance is the uneven distribution of mass around a rotating axis. Any rotating machine can have an unbalance problem, not just fans. It is important to note that once rotating machinery components are balanced, they should stay balanced until something changes. These changes are normally: Dirt, paint, or…
Read More
Many blogs have been written about what it means to be either base-bound or bolt-bound and how to correct the situation. I want to write again about it because I encounter this frustration scenario in almost every training class. I am surprised by how many millwright/mechanics (including myself) can get so wrapped up in the…
Read MoreMachines vibrate for lots of different reasons-some good, others not so good. Over the next few months, we are going to write about some of the most common machinery vibration causes, and possible solutions. COUPLING MISALIGNMENT One of the most common problems in coupled rotating equipment is misalignment. Simply stated, misalignment is when the driving…
Read More
Precision alignment of the generator to the gearbox in a wind turbine (the high speed shaft) is critical to proper operation. 60 percent of wind turbine downtime is related to drive train failure: gearbox, generator, main shaft, and their associated bearings. We also know from industry studies that misalignment of rotating machinery is responsible for…
Read MoreI love my job, I love conducting precision shaft alignment training at various facilities across this great country and interacting with industrial maintenance technicians that have suffered through or are suffering through the same issues I did. I love proving over and over again that the VibrAlign method of precision shaft alignment is the best…
Read MoreMost Fixturlaser alignment tools have detectors in the sensors that can measure a change of position up to 30mm (over 1 inch). In most instances, this is more than enough to measure even severe misalignment. However on long spans, if the misalignment is severe, the machines may need to be roughed in before precision alignment…
Read More
VibrAlign has numerous blogs on soft foot and the frustration that goes along with not eliminating it. Repeatability (or the lack of) can be a major issue. Vibration analysis will pick it up if it is severe enough. When performing a precision shaft alignment most, if not all, soft foot will be eliminated in our…
Read MoreIn his blog post “Repeatability vs. Desired Outcome – parts 1&2”, Stan Riddle, one of my fellow technical trainers for VibrAlign, explains why alignment results may vary from the expected outcome. He explains in some detail a number of causes and how they are affecting your alignment process. Many of these causes could be eliminated…
Read More
VibrAlign’s Team of 6 dedicated Technical Trainers conducted over 200 “Shaft Alignment Best Practices” Classes across America in 2015. Our classes were conducted in all types of industry including but not limited to: Food and Beverage Power Generation (fossil fuel, nuclear, & wind) Gas Compression Petro-Chemical Mining Water/Waste Water HVAC (facilities maintenance) Construction/Contracting Various Types…
Read More
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…
Read More
While training mechanics all around the US, I have noticed that many of the questions asked in class are the same regardless of the industry. Fixturlaser tools are very intuitive and easy to use, so this puts the mystery on the alignment process. So here are some answers to some common alignment process related questions…
Read More
In my last post, we looked some reasons for non repeatable, or when “two plus two doesn’t equal four”. This time, let’s think about when we don’t get an expected or desired outcome when we shim and move. Think of it as when “two minus two doesn’t equal zero.” You may perform an alignment measurement,…
Read More
If you’re working to maintain machines, Acoem USA wants to help.
We’re committed to providing tools, training, and services that will transform your approach to maintenance and reliability.
