Years ago, an automotive oil filter company’s ad campaign, capitalized on the phrase “pay me now, or pay me later”. The premise was that you could pay less upfront for an inferior oil filter, and then pay again because the oil filter would fail, and your vehicle’s engine would require an overhaul. Or, you could…
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The validity rule is an important concept in precision shaft alignment. It can be used to confirm that your readings are accurate and is why we don’t have to rotate a full 360 degrees in order to get accurate alignment information. Here is a previous blog post with an embedded video that discusses dial indicator…
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Precision shaft alignment of wind turbine generators mounted on adjustable chocks is as straightforward as when aligning rotating machinery mounted on chocks down at ground level. In the case of a recent NXA Training Class in a Vestas V82 we knew before going up-tower that one revolution of the adjustable chocks equals 1mm. Also,…
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The two main types of compressors are dynamic and positive displacement. The positive displacement compressor is probably the one you’re most familiar with. It traps gas in a volume and then decreases that volume. The decrease in volume causes a rise in pressure. A dynamic compressor uses a rotating element (usually called an impeller) which…
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Recently, VibrAlign was called to consult with a customer to recommend a procedure and alignment tools for a very long-distance vertical pump alignment. First, we will describe the machine and then how we aligned it. This large raw sewage pump machine train begins at the driver level. In this plant, floor levels are described by…
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Unbalance and misalignment are problems that need to be addressed as soon as possible, but before you can begin to fix them, first you need to know how to find them on a spectrum. We will go over this below. For example, with a fan, unbalance appears on the spectrum as a higher than…
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Documenting and saving alignment data is critical to being able to achieve repeatable shaft alignments. It also helps you maintain an effective predictive maintenance plan that will ensure your plant runs smoothly. When a machine is experiencing a problem, it will save a lot of time if you can look back on recorded data from…
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Knowing how to perform a precision shaft alignment is important when it comes to maintenance skills. Whether you are using dial indicators or a laser alignment tool (if you are in the market for either, we have several options), being able to achieve an accurate, repeatable alignment is key. A few reminders: The pre-alignment…
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During a recent training class at the facility of a client who had their initial Shaft Alignment Best Practices training class 5 years prior, I found out none of the previous class attendees were still in maintenance. The “new” guys never had anyone show them the proper use of their laser and most had no…
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The emergence of portable computers, the internet, and the ubiquity of portable smart devices has given rise to a new type of industry–the data center. A data center is simply a building used to house computer servers. While these servers may be used for many different types of data storage, their requirements for in-house…
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It’s no secret that there is a shortage of skilled labor in manufacturing, specifically in machinery maintenance. Therefore, those in leadership positions must answer the question “training or no training?”. Another way to look at it is, am I willing to invest in the workforce to better insure a more reliable operation? I wrote a…
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Over the past few years I have had training classes for the maintenance personnel at several ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains. These are some of the most memorable training trips I have had. But apart from the beauty of these areas, there is one downside for some: the high altitude. These resorts are typically…
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Some things just don’t pass the “eye test”. Your eyes are actually great tools for seeing things that are not straight, not plumb, not level (pictures hanging on a wall for example), not right. Many times, just by looking at a coupling you can tell “it’s not aligned”, and you are usually correct. Visual Inspection:…
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One question that arises regularly in training is about doing alignment checks. Is it okay to just check the alignment? Of course, it is. As a matter of fact, many industries have dedicated crews to specifically do alignment checks. The major difference is no equipment is moved, just measured. We lockout, remove guards, install the…
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The goal of a precision alignment is to align the machine within tolerance when at operating condition. Many, but not all, machines are aligned without the need to compensate for offline to running (OL2R) movement most often associated with thermal growth. A previous blog post (see link below) discussed how to read an alignment report…
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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.
