Know About Alignment
Know About Alignment
Know About Alignment
• Misalignment : Introduction…
• Types of misalignment…
• Methods of doing alignment…
• How to record & read alignment readings…
• Concerns for good alignment…
• Scientific diagnosis of misalignment…
End of presentation
What Is Misalignment?
Axis of
rotation
• Parallel or Off-set
• Angular
• Skew
Parallel or Off-set Misalignment
• Precision Alignment
– Face & Rim Dial Indicator method
– Reverse Indicator Method
Steady Movable
Alternate Arrangement
• Dial gauge fixed on the face will indicate angularity and dial gauge fixed on
rim will indicate offset.
• Take the largest possible diameter on the face of coupling hub to take face
readings. Record this for further moves.
• Sometimes two dial gauges are used for face readings to compensate for
axial float.
Face & Rim Dial Indicator Method
Steady Movable
A
D
A
Face & Rim Dial Indicator Method
Actual Position of Movable Machine
Center line of Stationary machine
f2
- f1 A
x
b c
+
Front Feet Rear Feet
Steady Movable
+ a b c
-
Front Feet Rear Feet
Position of rim of movable dial gauge
Position of rim of fixed dial gauge
Reverse Indicator Method
• Stand left side of the movable machine facing to wards
stationary machine.
• Fix the fixtures of the dial gauge on the stationary
machine and put the dial pointers on the movable
machine.
• Use clock method and take four readings at 12 o’clock,
3 o’clock, 6 o’clock & 9 o’clock.
• Do rough horizontal adjustments.
• Take distances a, b, c and plot it on a graph paper as
per scale on a straight line which indicates the
centerline of the stationary machine.
Reverse Indicator Method
• Take the readings for vertical adjustment first by one by
one dial gauge readings. Make the dial gauges zero at
12 o’clock position and rotate both shafts to 6 o’clock
position. Use the sign conventions as shown in figure.
• First plot the reading of movable dial gauge (x2) & fixed
dial gauge (x1) with suitable scale.
• Plot the line at an angle as per the sign convention
shown in the figure extending up to rear feet. This will
show the original centerline of movable machine.
• From the figure calculate the distance f1 & f2 and do
shim corrections accordingly.
• Similarly do the horizontal adjustments.
Reverse Indicator Method
• Advantages
– Geometrically more accurate than face and rim methods as
readings are obtained on larger measurement triangles.
– Negligible effect of axial float of motor on the rim readings.
– Possible to keep the coupling spacer in place when taking the
readings.
• Disadvantages
– Both shafts have to be rotated.
– Should not be used on closed – coupled shafts where the distance
between the shafts is less than the coupling diameter on which the
dial gauge is taking reading.
– Difficult to obtain readings on extremely long shaft. For example
cooling tower drive system.
Laser Alignment Method
• Principle of operation
– Consists of two transmitter & detector(TD) units and one display
unit connected with TD.
– Operating principle is similar to conventional reverse indicator
method.
– After mounting on two shafts, the transmitter prism can be adjusted
both laterally and vertically to center the laser beam on the position
sensitive detector (PSD).
– Readings are obtained by generating a coherent beam from an
infrared emitting semiconductor laser and reflected back in to the
detector via a prism.
– When two shafts are rotated 180 degrees the laser beams &
detectors will describe two half circles. Center of these half circles
represents rotational center of the shafts.
Laser Alignment Method
• Principle of operation
– The detectors measure the relative position of the two
half circles. Display units calculates the irregularity from
the distance between the two TD units and the difference
between the measured value.
– Measured values are represented as offset and angular
error on the display.
– Display unit also shows the position of the movable
machine feet.
– Values can be displayed on real time scale.
– Shaft rotation as small as 60 degree can also give
accurate readings.
Laser Alignment Method
Laser Emitter Laser Receiver
- Understand the type of misalignment based on face & rim dial Reading.
- It is a good practice to correct axial misalignment first & radial then after.
Face & Rim Dial Indicator Method
Direction
Of
+ 0.00 + 0.00
Rotation
+ 0.10 - 0.08
Side view
Side vise misalign = 0.10; Side vise misalign = 0.08;
Moving m/c is little right side. Moving m/c is little away at right.
S M M S
It is a common practice to use two dials for face readings to get rid
of the axial float in the rotor. Subsequently, two readings are taken
as half after subtracting corresponding position dial readings.
Face & Rim Double Dial Indicator Method
Direction of Rotation
Side view
Side vise misalign = 0.10; Side vise misalign = 0.08;
Moving m/c is little right side. Moving m/c is little away at right.
S M M S
• Indicator sag is the term used to describe the bending of the dial indicator mounting
hardware as the dial indicator is rotated from the top position to the bottom position.
• This bending always takes place during the rotation of the dial indicator. The degree to
which the mounting hardware bends depends on the length and strength of the hardware.
• As the bending occurs, significant errors can occur in vertical rim readings of misalignment.
• It is always best to determine the amount of indicator sag present in your equipment before
starting the alignment process.
Soft Foot
• It is the term applied to that
conditions that exists when
all four or six feet of the
machine are not supporting
Short Foot the weight of the machine.
• If this is not corrected prior
to alignment, will lead to
frustration, loss of time and
running in this way may
yield cracks at the soft foot
Angled Foot due to fatigue resulting
from loose nut/ bolts.
Soft Foot
• Determining & correcting Soft-Foot
– Remove all dirt, rust and burrs from the bottom of the machine’s
feet, the shims to be used.
– Set the m/c in place, but do not tighten the hold-down nuts.
Attempt to pass a thin feeler gauge underneath each of the four
feet. Determine exact amount of gap beneath the foot feeler
gauges and place the amount of shims. This will be considered as
being the initial soft-foot correction.
• Final Soft-Foot correction
– Tight all hold down nuts in sequence with a torque wrench.
– Measure the movement of each foot with dial indicator after
loosening it one by one. Add the additional shims as per the
movement noticed.
– Retighten the hold down nut and repeat the entire process once
more, to be sure no movement is present as soft-foot.
Tightening of Holding Down Nuts
• Correct tightening sequence will
help to insure that any unequal
stresses that may cause a shifting
of the movable machine during the
tightening procedure.
• Tighten all nut-bolts with same
amount of force.
• Loosen them in opposite
sequence.
• Always tighten the nuts before you
take readings, though final
adjustments are not done.
Hot Alignment
• When machine is subjected to high temperature it
will grow upwards resulting in level differences
between the cold & hot state and can create
misalignment in hot condition.