Precision Shaft Alignment On-site Course

Precision-aligned machines run more smoothly and suffer fewer failures - plus they consume less energy. Precision alignment must be part of your reliability improvement strategy.

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Precision alignment = reliability

Achieving precision alignment (and eliminating soft foot) is one of the keys to achieving reliable rotating machinery. With each rotation of the shaft, misalignment puts the shaft, coupling, bearings, seals, and the support structure under undue stress and strain. It sucks the life out of the machine and consumes additional energy.

It is simply not adequate to use a straightedge or dial indicators (unless trained in the precision use of the dial indicators). Precision alignment and the elimination of soft foot (base and foot flatness, pipe strain elimination, etc.) are some of the fundamental skills of an organization seeking to improve reliability.

Easy to use ≠ easy to do

Unfortunately, it is common around the world for organizations to purchase laser alignment systems without providing the necessary training on how to use the system, or what it means to achieve precision alignment. As a result, maintenance technicians simply follow on-screen prompts and “go through the motions” to align the shafts. It is, therefore, common for machines to be operated with misaligned shafts and strained casings (due to soft foot).

It is critical that the maintenance technicians appreciate the importance of precision alignment and they understand what the measurements are telling them. They must also understand how to overcome the challenges that present themselves due to different machine designs and mounting issues.

It is simply not enough to purchase a laser alignment system and assume that you, therefore, have precision alignment.

On-site: practical, hands-on training with an expert instructor

The course can be delivered at your site, enabling your crew to put what they have learned into practice. The course includes the animations and simulations, but the experienced instructor can also use “test-rigs” to demonstrate how to perform each of the tasks.

Course agenda

The course can be structured to suit your needs, but the “standard” course covers:

  • An overview of precision alignment
  • A detailed introduction to alignment including the reliability benefits
  • The basics of dial-indicator calculations
  • Rim-and-face and reverse-dial dial-indicator alignment overview
  • Pre-alignment checks
  • Soft foot detection and correction
  • The rim-and-face method in detail
  • The reverse-dial method in detail
  • Laser alignment methods in detail
  • Moving the machine (and how to deal with the bolt bound and base bound situations)
  • Dealing with dynamic and thermal growth
  • Machine train alignment

This training will prepare any alignment practitioner or vibration analyst with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve precision alignment, which is so important to the reliability of the equipment. Reliability engineers and maintenance supervisors would also benefit from this training.