During the field alignment portion of a Fixturlaser GO Basic shaft alignment training class, we were attempting to align a 100 H.P., 3600 RPM motor to a double suction pump. Sounds easy enough! Here’s the skinny… The pump and motor [...] Read More
A recent Fixturlaser GO Basic Training class performed a field alignment on a 100 HP, 3 Phase, 5600 RPM electric motor coupled to a crude oil pump in a refinery. The class decided it would be permissible to use the [...] Read More
Previous blogs have discussed several different solutions for solving Base Bound & Bolt Bound conditions when preforming precision laser shaft alignment (Base/Bound Math and Solving Base/Bound Alignment Alignment Problems). Sometimes though, the solution for a Bolt Bound issue is fairly [...] Read More
Sometimes precision laser shaft alignment is a quick, neat, orderly maintenance task. And sometimes, it is not! Occasionally, everything that can be wrong IS wrong. While teaching a Fixturlaser Go Pro training class in Illinois, the class went into the [...] Read More
Base-bound and bolt-bound problems do not need to be the end of your machine alignment. It just means the original rotational centerline of the stationary machine we want the movable machine to be co-linear with isn’t a practical solution. Most [...] Read More
Some machines are not manufactured with a typical 4 footed configuration. Precision shaft alignments can still be easily accomplished on these “non-typical” machine configurations, if you remember a couple of simple rules. When aligning a machine with three feet, like [...] Read More
Stan’s “Shims 101” blog last year provided some great guidelines and reasons for using pre-cut Stainless Steel Shims. We repeatedly see rotating equipment that is supplied with carbon steel shims under the feet and/or shims of the incorrect size. When [...] Read More
Our service group received a call from a water treatment plant in the western US for assistance to align a gearbox with C-face motor to a rotary lobe pump. After numerous failed attempts and multiple hours of frustration they had determined the [...] Read More
A customer in the northeast US was concerned that his laser wasn’t working properly. He called into our office stating “the motor shaft is a ¼ inch low at the coupling, but the laser shows I need to remove a [...] Read More
While working on a sludge pump, several issues arose that could have caused alignment headaches that would have lasted hours. There isn’t any medication that would have removed that pain. In this scenario and all alignment jobs, Pre-Alignment is a [...] Read More
As alignment professionals we all want to do the right thing and perform the best shaft alignment possible; however there may be a time when you have to choose and knowingly leave a machine slightly misaligned for the short-term until [...] Read More
Normally, it is faster and more accurate to perform shaft alignment while the machines are coupled together. This offers several benefits such as: Keeping the relative angular positions of the shafts the same allows the technician to align the true [...] Read More
If you align machinery for a living then more than likely you have encountered machines that are base-bound or bolt-bound. Base-bound is when the movable machine has to be lowered and there are either too few or no shims under [...] Read More
Today’s maintenance personnel are tasked to do more in less time so production can resume as soon as possible. As such, aligners of rotating machinery may believe they are saving time by eliminating some steps of the shaft alignment process [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
Sometimes we get wrapped up in our work. So much so that we forget to take a step back and get the big picture. Whether using dial indicators or a laser alignment tool for shaft alignment, backing up a few [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
The pictures above are just a few ways to mount your laser alignment tool to the machinery you are aligning. We at VibrAlign field phone calls from time to time from folks wanting to know if their setup will work. [...] Read More
Everyone has had shaft alignments that seemed to be possessed. Whether you’re using a laser alignment system or dial indicators, one set of readings tells you to go in one direction, the next set of readings tells you something completely [...] Read More
Not too long ago I was called to one of our sister shops to perform a laser shaft alignment on a 3600 RPM skid-mounted end-suction ANSI pump. Easy, right? Honestly, I made a few mistakes right off the bat: Thinking [...] Read More
A manufacturing operation in western North Carolina recently purchased a Fixturlaser GO and shaft alignment training. This company is going through a multimillion dollar expansion. We decided, as part of the training, to check some alignments of recently ‘installed and [...] Read More
A VibrAlign trainer recently conducted a shaft alignment training class on the Fixturlaser XA Pro. This 1 ½ day class includes one day of classroom training, followed by a half day of field training, usually on the customer’s own in-plant machinery, using [...] Read More
Previous blogs have defined thermal growth of rotating equipment and discussed several different methods to calculate the cold (ambient) alignment targets to compensate for thermal growth. The OL2R program (Off Line to Running) of the Fixturlaser XA Pro allows the aligner [...] Read More
We are sometimes asked, “Does your laser alignment equipment measure axial alignment?” While it sometimes raises some eyebrows, the answer most frequently given is, “There’s no such thing.” What is sometimes referred to by maintenance personnel as “axial alignment” is really [...] Read More
In my last two classes, we (well, they) aligned a couple pumps that were a little finicky. OK, they were pains. But they were alignable. The process and troubleshooting steps we practiced in class were applied to real-world, flimsy-based, soft foot-ridden, [...] Read More
When you opt to use your own shaft alignment tolerances instead of using the industry standards, how do you decide what to use? The subject of shaft alignment tolerances has been touched on before but a couple interesting discussions have taken [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
A 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 [...] Read More
In 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 [...] Read More
A 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 [...] Read More
Jacking 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 [...] Read More
Any 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 [...] Read More
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 [...] Read More
Engineering 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 [...] Read More
In a recent training class, a mechanic asked, “Why should I worry about aligning a flexible coupling? I thought the reason we used flexible couplings is because they didn’t have to be aligned.” That’s a great question, and one that [...] Read More
Yes? No? Maybe? Yes! You may have heard this in the past…”We can’t align our vertical pumps since there is no adjustment due the ‘machined fit’ between the electric motor and pump housing. Plus it has a rigid coupling!” You [...] Read More
This is probably one of the most common questions we are asked during our alignment training classes. And the best answer might be, “Sometimes, if you must, maybe!” Let me preach on it. Undercutting bolts is a method used to [...] Read More
We all know what soft foot is, correct? Soft foot is when we are sitting at dinner and the table rocks. Our solution: put a matchbook, folded piece of cardboard or sugar pack under the leg that needs to be [...] Read More
A few months ago, while teaching a shaft alignment training class, a customer asked if we could take a look at a machine that the maintenance group was having trouble assembling. After a quick inspection, the photo on the right [...] Read More
The OJT portion of a recent training class was the alignment of a 3600 RPM electric motor driving a Bell & Gossett Fire Service Water Pump. As the hold down bolts were tightened (in a cross torque pattern) the horizontal [...] Read More
Jacking bolts provide a smoother, easier way of moving machinery than using pry bars and hammers. Their use will almost always speed up the shaft alignment process, prevent excessive minor moves back and forth, and generally make the task of [...] Read More
There are three common errors made in shaft alignment—coupling backlash, soft foot and not tightening and loosening moveable machine hold down bolts in a proper sequence. Of these, soft foot can be the most problematic. But coupling backlash runs a [...] Read More