A common source of frustration during the precision alignment process is, how can we make a controlled move when making the horizontal adjustment? We trainers often hear our clients say they don’t have jacking bolts, or pushers, etc. There have been numerous excellent blogs written on the subject of jack bolts. Pry bars, sledge hammers…
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Correct fastener torque is important for proper assembly of rotating machinery components to machine bases. Proper torque insures that the fastener will perform as designed. This will in turn help your machine to perform as designed. Hold down bolts and jacking bolts are typically manipulated while performing a precision shaft alignment. These are often the…
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Alan Garbers with Johnson Controls International contacted me regarding an alignment problem, and asked for my advice. Here is a condensed version of his email. A client rents portable chillers, and related equipment. They built a 125HP portable pump skid with a Bell & Gossett pump on a VFD. I was there to commission the…
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We have written, here on the VibrAlign blog, about adjustable chocks used in place of shims for vertical adjustment and machine support. A recent experience at a customer site prompted this article, to share a simple tip that could save valuable time and effort. The customer was using vertical jack bolts while viewing live alignment…
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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…
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Precision alignment of rotating equipment is a task which requires precision. Those of us who perform this task are asked to position big, heavy machines to tolerances often less than the thickness of a human hair. The measuring tools used to perform shaft alignment are quite capable of successfully showing us how to position these…
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Recently while visiting a client’s site, we were asked for alignment advice regarding an electric motor coupled to a mixer. The customer shared that the electric motor sat upon an adjustable base plate with adjustment bolts (jack bolts) in the vertical and horizontal planes. Despite the base plate having vertical jack bolts, VibrAlign’s typical…
Read MoreMany of our classroom discussion topics relate to problems in the field when attempting a precision shaft alignment of rotating equipment. One such topic is how to move a piece of equipment horizontally that does not have jack bolts already mounted on the base. The obvious answer is to mount a set of jack bolts…
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Jacking bolts provide an easy and accurate way to horizontally position a motor during a shaft alignment. However, it they are left tight against the feet, some unexpected problems may occur. During a recent training class at an Ohio steel mill, we went out to check the alignment on a blower fan that had been…
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The VibrAlign Training Faculty sees a lot different machines during our training classes across the USA. The one statement that we hear repeatedly from mechanics and millwrights is, “I would rather align a 500 HP motor & pump set than a 10 HP one”. We agree! While small machines are easier to “physically” adjust during…
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…
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