Shaft

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Alignment
Misalignment
Rotational Centres
 All shafts, whether they are straight or
bent, rotate on an axis called the
rotational center.

The rotational centre forms a straight line

 Co-Axial Shafts
 Two shafts are said to be co-axial when their
respective rotational centers form a single axis.
 Misalignment
 Shafts are misaligned when the two
shafts are not co-axial.
 Misalignment can occur through :
 Pipe strain
 Bearing wear

 Settling of foundations

 Base distortion due to torque

 Thermal changes

 Vibrations in the connected pipes

 Measuring Misalignment
 Machines are designated as
stationary and movable.
 Measuring Misalignment
 The rotational center of the stationary
machine is a datum or reference line.
 Measuring Misalignment
 Misalignment is determined by finding the position
of the movable rotational centerline in relation to
the stationary centerline in two planes.
Measuring Misalignment
 Viewed from the top - Horizontal Misalignment

 Viewed from the side - Vertical Misalignment

Types of Misalignment
 Offset misalignment

 Angular misalignment
 Types of Misalignment
 Offset Misalignment
 Types of Misalignment
 Angular misalignment
Alignment Tolerances
 Alignment Method
 With all alignment methods -
measurements are taken at the
shaft ends or coupling.
 Alignment Method
 Misalignment is corrected at the feet.
 Alignment Method
 How far & where the feet move is calculated from
measurements taken at the coupling or shaft ends
Ways of Shaft
Alignment
Different Ways of Aligning
Shafts
 Mechanical Methods
 Straight edge / feeler gauge

 Radial misalignment

Determine offset using straight

edge & feeler gauges

 Angular misalignment

Measure the gap 180° apart

Dial Indicator Methods

 Rim face method

 Reverse rim method

 Rim Face Alignment Method

 Rim dial gauge measures

radial misalignment (offset)

 Face dial measures angular

misalignment
 Reversed Rim Alignment
Method
 Tradition method

 Both dials measure offset

on the rim

Radial misalignment - difference

between the 2 readings
Angular misalignment - slope
between the 2 readings
 Laser Systems

 Single laser - single or

double detectors

 Twin lasers - twin detectors

 Three Stages of Alignment
 Pre-alignment
 Off site preparations - check machine specifications
 On site preparations - visual checks of machine

 On site actions - check condition of foundations’

 Rough-alignment
 Ensure the shafts are aligned “in-the-ballpark”

 Precision alignment
 Use laser system
 Check for ‘Soft foot’

 Three phases: Measure, Align and Document

Benefits of Shaft
Alignment
Destructive Forces
 When shafts are misaligned -
forces are generated at the coupling
 Machine Downtime
 Surveys indicate that poor alignment can
cause 50% of machine breakdowns
Causes of Vibration
Checking for Misalignment
 Horizontal vibrations H - Indicates inbalance

 Vertical vibrations V - Indicates foundation problems

 Axial vibrations A - Indicates misalignment

Saving Energy
 Correct shaft alignment can make
up to 15% energy savings

Elastomeric Coupling

Grid Coupling
 Reduced Mechanical Wear
 Bearings - shaft misalignment increases load on bearings

 Bearing life exponentially reduces with increase in load

 ie: Double the bearing load - reduce bearing life to 1/8th

 Seals - shaft misalignment can

 Increase leakage

 Reduce expected seal life by 50%

 Increase Production Capacity
 Today - production processes must have
very high reliability

Downtime can cost US$5k to 25k + per hour

Correct shaft alignment reduces plant non availability

 Improve Product Quality
 Correctly align machine rolls in Plastic, Paper
and Steel Industries

 Correctly align shafts to reduce vibration

levels and mechanical loads
Centrifugal Pump

Alignment
 Alignment
Both equipment have the same shaft centerline.
 The closer you get the hot running
alignment, the better the connected
equipment will run, giving longer
bearing and seal life.

 NoSpecific alignment procedure can

be used on all drives; There are
fundamentals that do apply to all.
 Thepreferred method of aligning
equipment is to have the coupling
mounted and completely assembled.

 Thedial indicator rotates with the

equipment, but its stem remains in
contact with a specific surface with
no sliding of the stem over a large
surface.
Fundamentals

 safety is the first thing to think.

 Lock out and tag out all equipment.
Fundamentals
 The twenty to thirty minutes that is
spent cleaning up the machines before
the alignment will save an hour and half
at the end.

 Alldirt, grease, and rust must be

removed from the base and the
machine feet.
Fundamentals
 Allhold down bolts to the machine
should already be loosen from cleaning.

 Fill
any gaps between the machine feet
and the base and tighten bolts.
Fundamentals

 Which machine is going to be moved,

and which machine is going to remain
stationary.

Is one machine heavily piped in?

Is one machine much heavier than the other?
Does one machine have no access to its feet?
Fundamentals

Which coupling type is used?

Fundamentals

 1- flat edge and feeler gauge.

 2-dial indicator.
 3- laser kit.
:Misalignment Conditions
 Angular misalignment.

 Parallel misalignment.

 Axial misalignment ( end float ).

:Misalignment Conditions
 CombinedAngular and Parallel
misalignment.
:Before Starting
 Soft foot:
 The equipment, motor, is not sitting flat on
its base or it rocks.

 Bytightening all the hold-down bolts, the

motor bearings are put under strain and
can cause vibration.
 Soft foot correction:

The soft foot must be corrected first

by shimming under the motor foot
until it no longer rocks.
 :Before Starting
 Indicator Sag:
 The difference in the dial indicator reading
when it is on top of a shaft as opposite to
when it is on bottom.
 This is a gravitational effect.

Calibrate the dial indicator setup sag.

:Note
 All
vertical corrections should be made first
and the horizontal corrections are made
second.

 Theeasiest way to make horizontal

corrections is with jacking bolts.
Dial Indicator (Rim-and-face) Alignment
Procedure
 SET UP:
1.Mount two dial indicators on the pump
coupling half X so they contact the
driver coupling half Y
2. Check setting of indicators by rotating coupling
half X to ensure indicators stay in contact with
coupling half Y but do not bottom out.
Adjust indicators accordingly.
 MEASUREMENT:
To ensure accuracy of indicator readings:
1. Always rotate both coupling halves together so
indicators contact the same point on coupling half
Y. This will eliminate any measurement problems
due to run out on coupling half Y.
2. Take indicator measurements with driver
foot hold-down bolts tightened. Loosen
hold-down bolts prior to making
alignment corrections.

3. Take care not to damage indicators

when moving driver during alignment
corrections.
ANGULAR ALIGNMENT

A unit is in angular alignment when indicator A

(angular indicator) does not vary by more
than 0.05 mm (.002 in.) as measured at four
points 90° apart at operating temperature.
Vertical Correction (Top-to-Bottom)
1. Zero indicator A at top dead center (12
o’clock) of coupling half Y.
2. Rotate indicators/coupling halves to
bottom dead center (6 o’clock). Observe
needle and record reading.
3a. Negative Reading - The coupling
halves are farther apart at the bottom
(6 o’clock) position than at the top (12
o’clock). Correct by adjusting leveling
screws near the center foundation
bolts in order to raise the center of the
base plate.
3b. Positive Reading - The coupling halves are
closer at the bottom (6 o’clock) position than at
the top (12 o’clock) position. Correct by
adjusting
leveling screws near the center foundation bolts
in order to lower the center of the base plate.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 until indicator
A reads 0.05 mm (.002 in.) or less.
Horizontal Correction (Side-to-Side)
1. Zero indicator A on left side of coupling half
Y, 90° from top dead center (9 o’clock).
2. Rotate indicators/coupling halves through top
dead center to the right side, 180° from the start
(3 o’clock). Observe needle and record reading.
3a. Negative Reading - The coupling halves are
farther apart on the right (3 o’clock) side than the
left (9 o’clock) side. Correct by sliding the shaft
end of the driver to the left or the opposite end to
the right.

3b. Positive Reading - The coupling halves are

closer together on the right (3 o’clock) side than
the left (9 o’clock) side. Correct by either sliding
the shaft end of the driver to the right or the
opposite end to the left.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 until indicator
A reads 0.05 mm (.002 in.) or less.

NOTE: Drive trains of over 100 HP are supplied

with adjustment provisions fastened to the
baseplate which may be used to make all
horizontal alignment corrections.
5. Re-check both horizontal and vertical
readings to ensure adjustment of one
did not disturb the other. Correct as
necessary.
PARALLEL ALIGNMENT
A unit is in parallel alignment when indicator
P (parallel indicator) does not vary by more
than 0.05 mm (.002 in.) as measured at
four points 90° apart at operating
temperature.
Vertical Correction (Top-to-Bottom)
1. Zero indicator P at top dead center (12 o’clock) of
coupling half Y.
2. Rotate indicator/coupling halves to bottom dead
center (6 o’clock). Observe needle and record
reading.
3a. Negative Reading - Coupling half X is lower
than coupling half Y. Correct by removing
shims of thickness equal to half of the
indicator reading from under each driver foot .

3b. Positive Reading - Coupling half X is higher

than coupling half Y. Correct by adding shims
of thickness equal to half of the indicator
reading under each driver foot.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 until indicator
P reads 0.05 mm (.002 in.) or less.

NOTE: Equal amounts of shims must be added

to or removed from each driver foot, or the
.vertical angular alignment will be affected
Horizontal Correction (Side-to-Side)
1. Zero indicator P on left side of coupling
half Y, 90° from top dead center
(9o’clock).
2. Rotate indicator/coupling hubs through
top dead center to the right side, 180°
from the start (3 o’clock). Observe needle
and record reading.
3a. Negative Reading - Coupling half Y is to the left
of coupling half X. Correct by sliding driver evenly
to the right a distance equal to half of the indicator
Reading.

3b. Positive Reading - Coupling half Y is to the right

of coupling half X. Correct by sliding driver evenly
to the left a distance equal to half of the indicator
reading.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 until indicator P reads
0.05 mm (.002 in.) or less.
5. Re-check both horizontal and vertical readings to
ensure adjustment of one did not disturb the
other. Correct as necessary.

NOTE: Failure to slide driver evenly will

.affect horizontal angular alignment
COMPLETE ALIGNMENT
A unit is in complete alignment when both
indicators A (angular) and P (parallel) do not
vary by more than 0.05 mm (.002 in.) as
measured at four points 90° apart when pump
and driver are at operating temperature.
1. Zero indicators A and P at top dead center (12
o’clock) of coupling half Y.
2. Rotate indicator to the bottom dead center (6
o’clock). Observe the needles and record the
readings.
3. Make corrections as outlined previously.
4. Zero indicators A and P on the left side of coupling
half Y, 90° from top dead center (9 o’clock).
5. Rotate indicators through top dead center to the
right side, 180° from the start (3 o’clock). Observe
the needles and record the readings.
6. Make corrections as outlined previously.
7. Recheck both vertical and horizontal readings to
ensure adjustment of one did not disturb the other.
8. Correct as necessary.
FINAL ALIGNMENT (Hot)
1. Run the unit under actual operating
conditions for a sufficient length of time to
bring the pump and driver and associated
systems to operating temperature.
2. Shut down and lock out driver as described
above.
3. Remove coupling guard.
4. Check alignment while unit is still hot .
5. Reinstall coupling guard.
:Final Readings
 A tolerance is like the end zone in
football. Whether the ball is caught at the
front, back, side, or middle of the end
zone it is a touchdown. As long as your
shafts are aligned to within the specified
tolerance, your alignment is done. There
is no reason to waste time continuing the
alignment in order to get a displayed .
000” for all values.
 The End
Any Questions ?

 Thanks.