In mechanical trades, most of us have been taught that most installed machines must be installed level and the bases must be flat. But contrary to what many of us think, level and flat are two completely different terms. Level simply means that the machine is parallel to earth, or horizontal. Flat means that the…
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One of the great things about being out and about with other shaft alignment professionals is seeing how they get work done. Two recent shaft alignment training classes had some great examples of how to stay organized. During an alignment on a gas compressor a few weeks ago, these guys had to manage shims at…
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The inclinometers in a laser alignment system work against gravity in the horizontal plane for a typical horizontal shaft alignment. When performing a vertical shaft alignment, the process will be different. Here is the process for aligning a vertically-mounted C-faced motor as shown on a vertical alignment demonstrator: Mount the sensors across the coupling. Special…
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Back around 1982, when I made my first forays from machinist into mechanical maintenance, I remember hearing about coupling alignment while working at a now-defunct rope factory in North Carolina. I considered myself a decent machinist, although I had little experience beyond technical school. I remember a welder showing me how to align shafts. “Straight…
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In shaft alignment, machines that run hot often have thermal growth targets. Thermal targeting simply means that the shafts may be misaligned while at room temperature, but as they heat up to operating temperature, they will “grow” into alignment. But where does the thermal growth target come from? Many times, the machine manufacturer will specify…
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It is always the question with machine train shaft alignments: what needs to be moved? The best way to approach a multiple machine set shaft alignment project is to know where everything is and where everything needs to be. This particular auxiliary generator set has 10 pieces of rotating equipment to align. An induction motor…
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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…
Read MoreGood day Alignment Blog readers! Today, I would like to introduce a new member of the VibrAlign team in the Eastern Region. Art McFadden joined our sales team in the Mid-Atlantic this year and he shares our Passion for Precision. Art has a mechanical background with many years of experience in electrostatic powder coating equipment…
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Here’s a thought-provoking question for you my fellow shaft aligners: is cutting shims to correct soft foot overkill? That concern was addressed last week during a shaft alignment training class where we aligned a nice little water pump. The motor had one of the stamped out bases that are always fun to work with. We…
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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…
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There are some special considerations to keep in mind when performing shaft alignment on machines which are supported by sleeve bearings, regardless of the type of alignment measuring tool being used. Bearing Clearances. In all sleeve bearings, there is clearance between the bearing and the journal, or shaft. This amount of clearance should be known.…
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This past week I had the pleasure of teaching a couple hybrid shaft alignment training classes–part of each class was using the rim and face dial indicator method and the other part was using a laser alignment tool. I love these classes because I learn a lot so what nuggets of wisdom was I able…
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Vertically-mounted motors that are coupled may need alignment, whether they are C-faced or not. In cases where the motors are not C-faced, the shaft alignment is treated as a horizontally-mounted motor, with a couple exceptions. Here’s a quick walk-through on a Fixturlaser GO Pro. Inclinometers cannot be used, since they cannot detect changes in the…
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There are several things that must come into play to achieve a quick and accurate shaft alignment. One of those things is starting with a good foundation. By foundation, I mean everything between the bottom of the machine and the floor. So, let’s start at the bottom and work our way up. Inertia Block or…
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The guy in the photo is Peter Eccleston. Peter is the Senior Technical Support Specialist for VibrAlign. Peter and the other technicians in the Repair Group perform calibrations and repair services on all of VibrAlign’s shaft alignment tools. They work hard to make sure your Fixturlaser shaft alignment tool is performing in tip top shape.…
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