EDEXCEL MECHANICAL PRINCIPLES H2

UNIT 5 - NQF LEVEL 4

OUTCOME 4 – POWER TRANSMISSION

TUTORIAL 2– BALANCING

4. Dynamics of rotating systems

Single and multi-link mechanisms: slider crank and three/four bar mechanisms; production of
vector diagrams and determination of relationships between velocity, acceleration, power and
efficiency

Balancing: single plane and multi-plane rotating mass systems; Dalby’s method for determination
of out-of-balance forces and couples and the required balancing masses

Flywheels: angular momentum; kinetic energy; coefficient of fluctuation of speed; coefficient of

fluctuation of energy; calculation of flywheel mass/dimensions to give required operating
conditions

Effects of coupling: conservation of angular momentum; energy loss due to coupling; final
common rotational speed

On completion of this tutorial you should be able to do the following.

• Explain the importance of balancing.

• Explain static and dynamic balance.

• Solve problems involving coplanar balance.

• Solve problems involving balancing in four planes.

• Construct vector diagrams.

• Use vector resolution to solve problems.

• Extend the work to more complex problems.

It is assumed that the student is already familiar with the following concepts.

• Angular motion.
• Centrifugal force.
• Basic vector diagram construction.
• Basic trigonometry.

All these above may be found in the pre-requisite tutorials.

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1. INTRODUCTION

The balancing of rotating bodies is important to avoid vibrations. In heavy industrial machines such
as steam turbines and electric generators, vibration could cause catastrophic failure. Vibrations are
noisy and uncomfortable and when a car wheel is out of balance, the ride is quite unpleasant. In the
case of a simple wheel, balancing simply involves moving the centre of gravity to the centre of
rotation but as we shall see, for longer and more complex bodies, there is more to it. For a body to
be completely balanced it must have two things.

1. Static Balance. This occurs when there is no resultant centrifugal force and the centre
of gravity is on the axis of rotation.

2. Dynamic Balance. This occurs when there is no resulting turning moment along the
axis.

2. BALANCING IN ONE PLANE

If the system is a simple disc then static balance is all that is needed. Consider a thin disc or wheel
on which the centre of gravity is not the same as the centre of rotation. A simple test for static
balance is to place the wheel in frictionless bearings. The centre of gravity will always come to rest
below the centre of rotation (like a pendulum). If it is balanced it will remain stationary no matter
which position it is turned to.

Figure 1

If the centre of gravity is distance r from the centre of rotation then when it spins at ω rad/s,
centrifugal force is produced. This has a formula C.F.= M ω2 r where M is the mass of the disc. This
is the out of balance force. In order to cancel it out an equal and opposite force is needed. This is
simply done by adding a mass M2 at a radius r2 as shown. The two forces must have the same
magnitudes.
M ω2 r = M2 ω2 r2
M r = M2 r 2

Placing a suitable mass at a suitable radius moves the centre of gravity to the centre of rotation.
This balance holds true at all speeds down to zero hence it is balanced so long as the products of M
and r are equal and opposite.

Figure 2

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Now consider that our disc is out of balance because there are
three masses attached to it as shown. The 3 masses are said to be
coplanar and they rotate about a common centre.

The centrifugal force acting on each mass is F = M r ω2.

The radius of rotation is r and the angular velocity is ω in
radians/second. The force acting on each one is hence

F1=M1r1ω2 F2=M2r2ω2 F3=M3r3ω2

Figure 3

These are vector quantities and we can add them up to find the resultant force as shown.

Figure 4

If the system was balanced, there would be no resultant force so the force needed to balance the
system must be equal and opposite of the resultant (the vector that closes the polygon). The
balancing mass M4 is then added at a suitable radius and angle such that the product M r is correct.

Figure 5

The result obtained would be the same whatever the value of ω and
when ω = 0 we have static balance. In order to make the solution easier,
we may make ω = 1 and calculate M r for each vector. This is called the
M r polygon or vector diagram.

Note that angles will be given in normal mathematical terms with

anticlockwise being positive from the x axis as shown.

Figure 6

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 WORKED EXAMPLE No.1

Three masses A, B and C are placed on a balanced disc as shown at radii of 120 mm, 100
mm and 80 mm respectively. The masses are 1 kg, 0.5 kg and 0.7 kg respectively. Find the 4th
mass which should be added at a radius of 60 mm in order to statically balance the system.

Figure 7
SOLUTION

First draw up a table to calculate the value of M r for each mass.

Mass radius Mr
A 1 120 120
B 0.5 100 50
C 0.7 80 56
D MD 60 60 MD

Draw the M r polygon to find the value of M r for the 4th mass.

Figure 8

The resultant is 144.3 kg mm and is equal to 60MD.

The mass required is 144.3/60 = 2.4 kg 208o anticlockwise of A as shown.

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 SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE No. 1

Find the 4th mass that should be added at a radius of 50 mm in order to statically balance the
system shown.

Mass A is 1 kg at 100 mm radius.

Mass B is 1.5 kg at 75 mm radius
Mass C is 2.0 kg at 90 mm radius.

Figure 9

Answer 0.52 kg at 156o clockwise from A.

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3. MASSES NOT IN THE SAME PLANE

Consider 2 masses statically balanced as shown but acting at different places along the axis.

Figure 10
For static balance MArA = MBrB

It is clear that even with static balance, centrifugal force will produce a turning moment about the
centre of gravity for the system. In this simple case, the problem is solved by adding equal and
opposite forces at the two points as shown.

Figure 11

Consider the turning moment due to a single mass.

Figure 12
The centrifugal force produced is F = Mrω 2
The turning moment about the reference plane = T.M. = F x = Mrω2x
For dynamic and static balance we must work out the resultant turning moment and add masses at
appropriate points to cancel it out. The appropriate points will be on two planes not coplanar with
any of the original masses. This involves drawing two vector diagrams and since ω is common to
all vectors we can again take ω =1 and draw vectors representing Mr and Mrx. This is best
explained with a worked example.
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 WORKED EXAMPLE No.2

Find the mass and the angle at which it should be positioned in planes A and D at a radius of 60
mm in order to produce complete balance of the system shown.

Figure 13

SOLUTION

Note that the diagram has been drawn with B vertical. It is a good idea to always start by
making one of the known masses horizontal or vertical to make the construction of the vector
diagrams easier. All angles should be expressed in absolute terms.

Plane A is the reference plane. All values of x are measured from plane A thus making Mrx for
A equal to zero. It follows that it does not appear in the vector diagram. Make up a table as
follows leaving unknowns as symbols.

M r Mr x Mrx
A MA 60 60MA 0 0
B 5 75 375 200 75 000
C 2 50 100 300 30 000
D MD 60 60MD 375 22 500MD

Now draw a polygon of Mrx vectors in order to find the value of Mrx at D. Start with B in this
case because it is vertical.

Figure 14

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 Scaling the vector D which closes the triangle we find
Mrx for D = 94 000 = 22 500 MD
Hence MD = 94000/22500 = 4.17 kg and it is positioned 254o

Now we calculate Mr for D.

Mr for D = 4.178 x 60 = 250.68.

Next we draw the polygon for the Mr values as shown.

Figure 15

The vector which closes the polygon represents Mr for point A

Mr for A is 195.
60MA = 195 MA = 195/60 = 3.25 kg at 6o to the vertical.

The answer is best shown with an end view.

Figure 16

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 SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE No. 2

1. A shaft has 4 discs A, B, C and D along its length 100 mm apart. A mass of 0.8 kg is placed
on B at a radius of 20 mm. A mass of 2 kg is placed on C at a radius of 30 mm and rotated
120o from the mass on B. Finf the masses to be placed on A and D at a radius of 25 mm that
wil produce total balance.
(Answers 0.696 kg and 1.52 kg)

2. The diagram below shows masses on two rotors in planes B and C. Determine the masses to be
added on the rotors in planes A and D at radius 40 mm which will produce static and dynamic
balance.( 1.9 kg at 177 o and 2.2 kg at 141o)

Figure 17

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4 SOLUTION BY USING VECTOR RESOLUTION

A more accurate approach to solving the vector diagrams in the preceding work is to resolve each
vector into vertical and horizontal components. The resultant vector is then found by adding these
components. Consider worked example No.1 again.

Figure 18

Each vector has a component in the x direction given by Mr cosθ and in the y direction it is MRsinθ

Figure 19

Work out these for each vector and include it in the table.

Mass radius Mr θ Mr cosθ MRsinθ

A 1 120 120 0o 120 0
B 0.5 100 50 30o 43.3 25
C 0.7 80 56 130o -36 42.9
Totals 127.3 67.9

The resultant vector has x and y components of 127.3 and 67.9. This can be solved with Pythagoras.
Resultant Mr = (127.32 + 67.92 )½ = 144.3 kg mm as before. The mass required is 144.3/60 = 2.4
kg.
The angle φ = atan (67.9/127.3) or tan-1(67.9/127.3) = 28o

The balancing force is 180o anticlockwise of this so the balancing mass must be placed at an angle
of 208o.

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Here is the solution to worked example No.2 using the same method.

Mass radius Mr x Mrx θ

A MA 60 60 MA 0 0 unknown
B 5 75 375 200 75000 90
C 2 50 100 300 30000 30
D MD 60 60 MD 375 22500 MDunknown

MRx cosθ MRxsinθ If balanced, the totals must be zero

A 0 0 so the unknown values may be
B 0 75000 deduced.
C 25980 15000
D -25980 -90000
Totals 0 0

Resultant Mrx for D = (259802 + 900002 )½ = 93670

This is the value for D so 22500 MD = 93670 MD =9360/22500 = 4.16 kg
φ = tan-1(90000/25980) = 73.98o so the true angle θ is 180 o + 73.98o = 253.8 o

Now fill in the table for the Mr values. Again the totals must be zero so we can deduce the values
for A.

M r Mr θ Mr cosθ MRsinθ

A MA 60 60 MA -17.3 -240
B 5 75 375 90 0 375
C 2 50 100 30 86.6 50
D 4.167 60 250 253.8 o -69.3 -240
Totals 0 0

Resultant Mr vector is (17.32 + 1852 )½ = 185.8 and this is equal to 60 MA.

MA = 185.8/60 = 3.1 kg

φ = = tan-1(185/17.3) = 84.6o so the true angle θ is 180 o + 84.6o = 264.6 o

This gives a more accurate answer than that produced by drawing and scaling.

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5. MORE ADVANCED PROBLEMS

Some other points to be considered are:

• The reference plane can be any of the existing planes.

• The moment about any point can be made zero by placing correction masses on one plane
only if static balance is not important.

WORKED EXAMPLE No.3

A rigid rotor caries three thin discs A, B and C mounted on a shaft 1 metre long running from
O to Z. The distances from O are designated x in the table and the out of balance moment as
MR in gramme metre. The out of balance force is at angle θ degrees.

Figure 20
TABLE
x (m) MR (g m) θ (degrees)
A 0.05 20 0
B 0.6 10 120
C 0.85 20 -60

(a) Calculate correcting forces needed on planes A and C to bring the system into balance.

(b) The rotor is suspended from a bearing at O with the other end unrestrained. It can
only
be balanced on disc C. Calculate the corrective balance needed to ensure that end Z
does
not move. Calculate the magnitude of the force resulting at O when the shaft revolves at
500 rad/s.

SOLUTION

Make A the reference plane and re-tabulate as follows.

x (m) MR (g m) θ (degrees) MRx (g m2)

A 0.0 20 0 0
B 0.55 10 120 5.5
C 0.8 20 -60 16

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 Construct the MR polygon.

Figure 21

The red vector produces balance and may be calculated or measured. The length is 26.5 g m
and the angle θ is 19.1o. This is placed on plane A. The table may be further completed.

x (m) MR (g m) θ (degrees) MRx (g m2)

A 0.0 20 0 0
B 0.55 10 120 5.5
C 0.8 20 -60 16
A2 0.0 26.5 160.9 0

Next construct the MRx polygon. This is simply two vectors at opposite angles giving a closing
vector of 10.5 at 120o.

Figure 22

This is to be placed on C so the value of MR is 10.5/0.8 = 13.125 g m

This now produces an imbalance of 13.125 on the static balance (MR) so an equal and opposite
force is added to A

The complete table is

x (m) MR (g m) θ (degrees) MRx (g m2)
A 0.0 20 0 0
B 0.55 10 120 5.5
C 0.8 20 -60 16
A2 0.0 26.5 -199.9 0
A3 0.0 13.125 -60 0
C2 0.8 13.125 120 10.5

A2 and A3 can be combined to a single MR value of 18.5 at 187 degrees. The final table is

(b) The key here is that the moment about end O must be zero to stop the other end moving and
static balance must be ignored. Make O the reference plane and re-tabulate as follows with x
measured from O

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 x (m) MR (g m) θ (degrees) MRx (g m2)
A 0.05 20 0 1
B 0.6 10 120 6
C 0.85 20 -60 17

Construct the MR polygon. The closing vector is 11.6 at 124.7o

Figure 23

This produces zero moment about end O and the balance needed on C is 11.6/0.85 = 13.65 g m
at 124.7o There is now a static imbalance that may be found from the MR polygon.

x (m) MR (g m) θ (degrees) MRx (g m2)

A 0.05 20 0 1
B 0.6 10 120 6
C 0.85 20 -60 17
C2 0.85 13.65 124.7 11.6

Figure 24

A static imbalance of 17.4 g m at 188.5o now exists and this will be countered by a force in the
bearing at O. Centrifugal force = mω2R so the force on the bearing is MR x ω2 = 17.4 x 10-3
(kg m) x 5002 = 4350 N

Note there are various methods of solving the vector diagrams such as drawing to scale or
calculating the vertical and horizontal components of each vector and summing them to find
the resultant.

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