If you are a regular Alignment Blog reader, you may remember an entry in which Stan Riddle discussed why we should care about precision alignment of flexible couplings. Today, I would like to offer up some evidence that many of you may well relate to. We were called to align this chilled water pump in a…
Read MoreA couple of weeks ago we calculated cold alignment targets from field data. We ended up with angles and offsets but the class wanted to go through the math involved in calculating the foot values. It was an interesting math exercise so if you’re up for some brain stretching, follow along. Here are our target…
Read MoreIn my post “How Does Calculating Your Own Alignment Targets Work?”, I discussed using a hot check to determine proper alignment targets. Thermal growth is not rocket science. However, it is often misunderstood. I see people causing harm by compensating for thermal growth incorrectly. Let’s look at a simple blower illustration: If we assume that…
Read MoreA recent training class offered us an opportunity to check both the hot and cold alignment conditions on a blower. It was a great time to calculate our own thermal offset values from field data and compare them to the OEM recommendation. So how do we go about doing this? Why would we even want…
Read MoreIt’s a new year and time to reassess our goals. We test our gauges, adjust sensor settings, tweak valves, etc. We check our equipment against a standard to verify it still works optimally. When’s the last time you have done the same for your mechanics and technicians? VibrAlign’s shaft alignment courses will calibrate your personnel to…
Read MoreJacking bolts provide a smoother, easier way of moving machinery than using pry bars and hammers. Their use will almost always speed up the alignment process, prevent excessive minor moves back and forth, and generally make the task of shaft alignment much more pleasant. More and more companies are realizing the benefits of using jacking bolts…
Read MoreAny equipment that goes through large temperature differences between startup and normal operation should have accurate thermal targets calculated to allow for proper shaft alignment. Shaft alignment data can be taken when the machine is at operating temperature and compared to readings taken when the machine is at ambient temperature. The resulting calculations provide alignment…
Read MoreMy name is Stan Riddle, I’m a trainer for VibrAlign, I’ve been involved in aligning machinery for about 31 years. My background was as a machinist, and a tool and die maker. In the early 80’s I decided that I would get into maintenance because they would never computerize it, and I’ve been pulling wrenches…
Read MoreOur next monthly shaft alignment class for the Houston area will be on Jan. 24-25.
Read MoreOur next monthly shaft alignment class will be held in Richmond on Jan. 24-25.
Read MoreVia PR Web the press release for the re-launch of our blog.
Read MoreWe’re going to try something different this week. We see some interesting stuff out there. We want you folks to troubleshoot this one. The OJT portion of a recent alignment training class involved checking the shaft alignment on an engine-driven reciprocating gas compressor. One of the great things about this part of the class is…
Read MoreBowl mills are used to pulverize coal prior to being blown into coal fired boilers. They are very large machines with heavy rotating components usually driven by an internal planetary gear set in the bottom of the mill. A typical steam generation power plant will have multiple bowl mills for each boiler in the facility.…
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The photo to the right was taken at a recent training class. The maintenance guys at this facility were excellent aligners. They were adamant about getting their shaft alignments to “better than excellent” levels. They believed in preparing the surfaces of the base and the motor before installation. Their company spent thousands of dollars re-working…
Read MoreEngineering and technical people often use technical phrases that sound complicated. Thermal growth is one of those terms. It sounds like it could be an engineering marvel – one that would help us perform complicated alignments of high temperature, high speed machines. So, here’s the “secret” of thermal growth. When metal gets hotter, it gets…
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