Marine Engineering

There are three shaft alignment procedure or methods currently used to calculate the amount of shim changes and horizontal moves required to achieve accurate machine alignment. They are each capable of arriving at the same results by use of mathematical formulas and/or graphical solutions. There are various tools that are available to help in the process. The first is a simple pocket calculator. With the proper formula and a basic understanding of the alignment process, accurate machinery movement can be achieved. The second method available is the graphical solution. This method uses a simple 10 x 10 piece of graph paper that gives a pictorial representation of the machines and the amount of movement needed to correct the misalignment. The third method is the use of a computer, either a desktop or a special computer designed specifically for the alignment task. We mentioned the computer method only to make you aware of its existence.  The following are the methods of alignme...

One of the most important parts of pump setup is making sure that the pump and the drive motor are carefully aligned. Misalignment may account for over 50% of malfunctions in rotating machinery, leading to problems such as worn or broken couplers, vibration, and excessive wear of bearings, seals and wear rings. Excessive misalignment can even cause breakage of mounts or pump/motor casings. Once the pump set has been properly installed, the final alignment can be checked and, if necessary, corrected. Obviously, re-alignment is needed whenever the pump or motor are moved or replaced. What do we mean by ‘alignment’? Long-coupled pumps have a separate pump and motor shafts that are connected through a coupler. Ideally, these two shafts will be exactly parallel and have exactly the same centre-line. Flexible couplers can tolerate small alignment errors, but for smooth, trouble-free running, it is important to ensure that these two shafts are lined up to within the tolerances specified...