During a precision laser shaft alignment, we measure the setup dimensions and input these into the Fixturlaser Laser System Display Unit. The requisite dimensions are Stationary Sensor to Movable Sensor, coupling center to M Sensor, M Sensor to movable inboard foot, and foot to foot on the moveable machine. One dimension that shaft aligners occasionally…
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A dowel pin, in its simplest form, is a hardened steel shaft, usually very short, and can be straight or tapered. It is often used in machinery for: Precise locating of machinery components, such as the top half of a pump, gearbox components, line shaft bearings, etc. Dowels are usually located in diagonal corners of…
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A reader of our blog posted a comment stating that he could not cut a step shim to correct for angular soft foot, since it was not permitted in API standards. Which, naturally, made me do two things: • Look at API Standards, because, at least in my 33 years of aligning machinery, I have…
Read MoreOn numerous occasions I have witnessed brand new pump skids where the electric motor was already bolt bound. Bolt bound is common in all industries. While conducting the field alignment portion of a precision shaft alignment training class at a chemical plant in southeastern Georgia, I had the opportunity to witness innovation at work to…
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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…
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To the casual observer, precision shaft alignment of large machinery may look like “grunt work” a task that only requires a strong back. But those of us who perform shaft alignment know it is moving big heavy machines to within very small tolerances. As such, small movements can often make big differences in alignment quality.…
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Anyone involved in precision shaft alignment knows that unintentional movement is the biggest contributor to non-repeatable alignment results. Movement can come from several sources: Soft foot, loose bolts, flexible bases, excessive bearing clearances, improperly mounted or loose sensor mounting hardware, etc. One of the more elusive and least considered sources of movement is cupped washers…
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Another video in VibrAlign’s “Concepts of Shaft Alignment” video series is titled “Bearing Clearances” The video illustrates radial and axial bearing clearances which can affect the precision shaft alignment process. The video was based on ideas for visualizing alignment created by David Zdrojewski, CEO of VibrAlign. According to Zdrojewski, “One of my passions is…
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OL2R is the acronym for OffLine 2 Running. OL2R is an optional program and special precision bracket set that is available for the Fixturlaser NXA Pro & Ultimate (also XA Pro & Ultimate). This option allows the shaft aligner to accurately measure vertical AND horizontal changes of machines from a static (OffLine) position to a…
Read MorePrecision shaft alignment of rotating equipment is an essential part of any solid preventative maintenance program. To accommodate aligning any type of machinery you must be able to move one of the elements of the machine to achieve a precision shaft alignment. There are many limiting influences that could cause you to not be able…
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OL2R Measurements (Offline To Running) are used to collect very accurate (and actual) Thermal Growth Values and Targets for critical rotating machinery. Offset Measurements (Cardan Shaft) are critical for offset drives to ensure there is no angular misalignment causing lead/lag issues with the drive shafts resulting in production related quality problems. Both the OL2R and…
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While assisting a recent Fixturlaser NXA Training Class with a precision shaft alignment we came across an unusual alignment challenge. When tightening the hold down bolts, after making a Verti-Zontal Compound MoveTM, we were seeing insignificant amounts of horizontal movement at the motor feet but nothing unusual. However, upon rechecking the alignment, we were out of…
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When performing precision shaft alignment, regardless of the measuring tools being used, size matters. Many coupled machines have obstructions around the couplings, such as transmitters, oil or cooling lines, conduit clamps, and many other components which can make precision laser shaft alignment challenging. Fixturlaser’s new generation Bluetooth sensors (pictured on the left above) are the…
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