Newman Tools Inc. Tel 1-800-465-1384 Fax 1-800-605-2442
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vast selection, over 30,000 different items including "hard-to-find/special sizes"
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Newman Tools Inc. Tel 1-800-465-1384
Fax 1-800-605-2442
...IN STOCK...
vast selection, over 30,000 different items including "hard-to-find/special
sizes"
|
Overview Your motivation to perform an "alignment" on your power transmission equipment may fall into one of three general categories: (1) A New Installation; (2) Re-alignment after coupling/bearing replacement; (3) Preventive maintenance. Your goal is to accurately bring equipment on one side of the coupling (say the right side) into precise alignment with equipment on the opposite side (the left side, or reference). To visualize what you need to do, imagine holding two pencil erasers (that are on the end of a new pencil) close together, but not touching each other. The reference pencil will be in your left hand, and the pencil you would like aligned with it is in your right hand. How can you accurately measure where the right hand pencil is in relation to the reference pencil on the left? That's where shaft alignment equipment comes into the picture. Preliminary Inspection If your equipment has been previously installed and is displaying obvious warning signs that something is wrong, such as excessive heat or vibration, or you've performed more than one replacement on this particular equipment, misalignment is definitely a candidate as the culprit. There could be more too it than that, however, and it's a good idea to check for what's known as "Soft Foot". Soft foot is the term commonly applied to that condition which exists when all four (4) of the machine feet are not supporting the weight of the machine. This condition is one of the major causes of frustration and lost productivity. First Step Careful measurements and technique play a critical role when preparing to do an alignment. Reference points and dial indicator readings are all part of package. Once you are ready to perform the alignment procedure, as many as five (5) physical measurements must be taken from the equipment. This includes the (1) SWING DIAMETER, the distance to the (2) FRONT and (3) BACK feet of the moveable machine (to the right of the coupling), and the distance to the (4) FRONT and (5) BACK feet of the stationary machine (to the left of the coupling). These measurements are generally done with a tape measure. Although you should be as accurate as possible when measuring from stated reference points, these initial physical measurements are not as critical as the dial indicator readings themselves. Second Step Once the initial physical measurements are taken and the alignment equipment is mounted and secured, you are then ready to "rotate" the alignment equipment on the shaft and coupling assembly. By doing this, you will obtain the three pairs of dial indicator numbers, which then describe the position of the moveable side of the coupling with respect to the stationary (or "reference") side. Last Steps Involved Once the physical dimensions and the dial indicator readings are collected, the last step is to plug these numbers into the formulae provided to determine the shims needed in the vertical direction, and any adjustment from side-to-side in the horizontal direction. Summary It is rare that your equipment will be in precise alignment after shimming for the first time. It may take at least two or three times to bring your equipment into alignment within an accepted tolerance range. With the right maintenance equipment and a positive mental attitude, shaft alignment doesn't need to invoke the terror and agony once associated with the process. Back to -Math- |
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