Shaft Alignment

Misalignment is a common and sometimes serious problem. Poor

alignment can cause premature wear or failure of bearings,
overheating of shaft couplings, and, in extreme cases, cracked or
broken shafts.
Depending on the design, the pump motor to line shaft coupling may
be aligned by the face and rim method or the reverse indicator
method described below. Refer to the pump manufacturer’s
instructions for specific directions for assembly and alignment.

Horizontal Pump Alignment

Horizontal pumps usually are coupled to the pump driver with a

flexible coupling.
The amount of misalignment a flexible coupling can tolerate is
dependent on the coupling’s design and characteristics, such as
speed and torque, of the machines being coupled. The coupling’s
manufacturer should provide installation instructions indicating the
allowable tolerances for a particular design. A horizontal pump
usually can be aligned acceptably by either the face and rim method
or the reverse indicator method. In most cases, the pump driver is
aligned to the pump, as the pump is usually connected to rigid
piping and is more difficult of move.
There are a number of laser alignment systems available for
horizontal shaft alignment. These systems typically have a laser that
mounts to one shaft and a target that mounts to the other shaft. A
microprocessor takes the data from the laser and target and
calculates the required movement and shim placement. These
systems greatly reduce the time required for the alignment process.

Preliminary Checks for Alignment of Horizontal Pumps:

1) At least 0.125 inch of nonrusting shims should be installed

(available) under each leg of the motor to allow for
adjustments that may be required during the alignment
procedure.
 2) Compensation should be made for any “soft” or “dead” foot
condition. A “soft foot” condition is comparable to a short leg
on a four-legged table. To check for a “soft foot,” make sure
all four feet are securely bolted to the baseplate. With a dial
indicator, check the rise of each foot as its hold down bolt is
loosened. Retighten the hold down bolt after the rise is
recorded, so that only one bolt is loose at a time. If one foot
rises more than the other three, that foot is the “soft foot.” For
example, if one foot rises 0.005 inch while the other three rise
only 0.002 inch, a 0.003-inch shim should be added to the
“soft foot.”
3) The hold down bolt holes should be checked for sufficient
clearance to allow for movement during the alignment
procedure.
4) Jacking bolts or other fixtures for moving the motor should be
fabricated or procured.
5) The mounting brackets and extension bars used for the
indicators should be constructed to minimize sag. Sag is the
effect of gravity on the indicator extension bar and can greatly
affect the accuracy of the readings when using the reverse
indicator method or rim readings of the face and rim method.
The sag of an indicator bar can be determined by securely
attaching the bar to a section of rigid bar stock or a shaft
mandrel. The bar stock or mandrel can be supported and
rotated by hand or between centers on a lathe. With the
indicator bar positioned on top, zero the indicator and rotate
the bar stock 180 degrees. The indicator reading will be twice
the actual amount of bar sag, see figure below. To correct
alignment readings for sag, add twice the amount of bar sag to
the bottom indicator reading. The bar sag is always expressed
as a positive number regardless of indicator convention.

Important: The procedures described below for the face and rim
and the reverse indicator alignment methods assume that
movement towards the indicator moves the indicator needle in
the positive direction, while movement away from the indicator
moves the needle in the negative direction.
 Figure (1): Checking indicator bar for sag

I) Face and Rim Alignment Method

The face and rim method of alignment utilizes a dial indicator

attached to one of the coupling flanges to check for angular
misalignment and parallel misalignment (offset), see figure below.
Indicator readings can be taken by rotating just one shaft; but to
compensate for an untrue surface on the face or rim of the coupling
flange, both shafts should be rotated together in the direction of
normal rotation. If it is not possible to rotate both shafts, the
indicator base should be attached to the shaft that is rotated. The
procedure is the same whether one or both shafts are rotated. From
the dial indicator readings and the dimensions of the motor, the
amount each leg should be moved can be determined analytically.
The Face and Rim Worksheet simplifies the required calculations.
The following procedure uses the Face and Rim Worksheet (figures
3 and 4).

Figure (2): Face and rim alignment method.

Figure (3): Face and rim alignment worksheet
Figure (4): Face and rim alignment worksheet example
 Face Reading
Column1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6
Twice Column1+ Bottom – Top inboard movement
(Reading) bar sag Column 2 Left – Right Column 4 × B ÷ 2R

Top 0 0 0 +1 +4
Bottom +1 +2 +1
Right +3.5 0 +3.5 - 2.5 - 10
Left +1 0 +1
Rim Reading
Column1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6
Twice Column1+ Top - Bottom Column 4 ÷ 2 Column 4 ÷ 2
(Reading) bar sag Column 2 Right - Left

Top 0 0 0 +10 +5 +5
Bottom -12 +2 -10
Right -5 0 -5 +2 +1 +1
Left -7 0 -7

Total Movement for Motor Legs

Total movement of outward legs Total movement of outward legs
(column 5R +column 5F)
Top + Bottom +9 up +6 up
Right + left -9 left -1.5 left

Face Reading

1) Attach the indicator base to the motor coupling and adjust the
indicator so that the button is resting near the outer edge of the
pump coupling flange face. Measure the distance from the
centerline of the indicator button to the shaft centerline and
enter this value on the worksheet as dimension R. Measure the
horizontal distance from the face of the pump coupling flange
to the center of the inboard leg and enter this value on the
worksheet as the dimension A. Measure the horizontal distance
from the face of the pump coupling flange to the center of the
outboard leg and enter this value on the worksheet as the
dimension B.
 2) Rotate the shaft with the indicator so that the indicator is at the
top or 12 o’clock position and zero the indicator.
3) Rotate both shafts, preferably in the direction of normal
rotation, and record the indicator readings at 90-degree
intervals. For consistency, right and left readings should be
designated for both shafts looking from the pump end towards
the motor end. The indicator should read zero at 360 degrees.
If it doesn’t, zero the indicator and retake the readings.

Rim Reading

1) Enter twice the actual amount of bar sag in Column 2, Bottom

Reading. Attach the indicator base to the motor coupling
flange and adjust the indicator so that the button is resting on
the rim of the pump coupling flange.
2) Rotate the shaft with the indicator so that the indicator is at the
top or 12 o’clock position and zero the indicator.
3) Rotate both shafts, preferably in the direction of normal
rotation, and record the indicator readings at 90-degree
intervals. For consistency, right and left readings should be
designated for both shafts looking from the pump end towards
the motor end. The indicator should read zero at 360 degrees.
If it doesn’t, zero the indicator and retake the readings.

Calculations:

With all the readings entered in Column 1 for both the Face and Rim
readings; follow the directions in each column.

Face and Rim Readings:

Column 1
These are the actual readings obtained from the dial indicator.
Column 2
Enter twice the actual amount of bar sag for the fixture being used.
Column 3
Add Columns 1 and 2. Column 2 is the effect of bar sag and is only
added to the bottom reading of the Rim Readings.
Column 4
Face: Subtract the top from the bottom and the right from the left
from the corrected readings in Column 3.
Rim: Subtract the bottom from the top and the left from the right
from the corrected readings in Column 3.
Column 5
Face: This is the amount of movement required at the outboard legs
to correct the angular misalignment. Multiply the value in Column 4
by the dimension B, divided by two times the dimension R.
Rim: This is the amount of movement required at the outboard legs
to correct the parallel misalignment. Multiply the value in Column 4
by ½.
Column 6
Face: This is the amount of movement required at the inboard leg to
correct the angular misalignment. Multiply the value in Column 4
times the dimension B, divided by two times the dimension R.
Rim: This is the amount of movement required at the inboard leg to
correct the parallel misalignment. Multiply the value in Column 4 by
½.

Total Movement for Motor Legs:

This part of the table sums the required movement at each leg for
parallel and angular misalignment to determine the total required
movement.
Column 1
Add the value in Face Column 5 to the value in Rim Column 5 to
determine the total movement required for outboard legs.
Column 2
Determine the direction of the required movement by the sign of the
value in Column 1. A positive value means the motor should be
moved up or right. A negative value means the motor should be
moved down or left.
Column 3
Add the value in Face Column 6 to the value in Rim Column 6 to
determine the total movement required for inboard legs.
Column 4
Determine the direction of the required movement by the sign of the
value in Column 1. Positive values mean the motor should be moved
up or right. Negative values mean the motor should be moved down
or left.

II) Reverse Indicator Method

The reverse indicator method of alignment can be used when it is

possible to rotate both shafts. This method uses two dial indicators,
one attached to each shaft, taking a reading on the opposite shaft.
Indicator brackets are available that allow the indicator to be
attached directly to the shaft, indicating off the indicator bar. This
arrangement reduces bar sag and eliminates inaccuracies caused by a
poor surface condition of the shaft. From the data obtained by the
reverse indicator method, it is possible to determine, either
analytically or graphically, the movement or shims necessary to
align the shafts. A graphical method is presented below using the
Reverse Indicator Alignment Worksheet (figures 5 and 6).

Record Indicator Readings

1) Attach indicator bars and indicators to shafts and position

shafts so that the pump indicator, that is the indicator nearest
the pump, is on top and the motor indicator is on the bottom.
By increasing the span between the indicators, the accuracy of
the readings usually can be increased, although bar sag may
also increase. Zero both indicators at this position.
2) Rotate both shafts, preferably in the direction of normal
rotation, and record the indicator readings at 90-degree
intervals. For consistency, right and left readings should be
designated for both shafts looking from the pump end towards
the motor end. Both indicators should read zero at 360 degrees.
 If not, zero indicators and retake readings. It is very important
to record whether a reading is positive or negative and to keep
track of each value’s sign while performing the addition and
subtraction in the following steps.
3) To correct for bar sag, add twice the actual amount of sag to
the bottom readings.
4) Subtract the top reading from the corrected bottom reading and
the left reading from the right reading; then divide the
differences by 2. These values will be used for plotting the
position of the shafts.
Figure (5): Reverse indicator alignment worksheet
Figure (6): Reverse indicator alignment worksheet example
Figure (7): Reverse indicator alignment plot
Plot Data

1) Two graphs will be needed (figure 7), one for the horizontal
plane (top view) and one for the vertical plane (side view). The
horizontal scale of both graphs will represent the horizontal
distance from the plane of the pump indicator to the plane of
the rear motor feet. Since the pump shaft will not be moved, it
will be used as the horizontal reference in determining the
position of the motor shaft. The vertical scale will represent
the misalignment of the motor shaft.
2) Establish the horizontal scale, marking with vertical lines the
relative position of both indicators and the front and rear motor
feet. Draw two horizontal lines representing the pump shaft
reference line for the horizontal and vertical planes. A vertical
scale of 0.001 inch per division is usually satisfactory.
3) Plot the values from “Record Indicator Readings,” step 4,
above. These values represent the vertical distance from the
pump shaft line to the motor shaft line at each of the indicator
locations. The top-bottom readings are used in the vertical
plane plot, and the left-right readings are used in the horizontal
plane plot. The sign convention is different for the two
indicators. If the values for the pump indicator are positive, the
plot will be above and left of the pump shaft reference line.
The plot will be below and right of the pump shaft reference
line for positive motor indicator readings.
4) Draw a line from the pump indicator point through the motor
indicator pump point extending to the rear motor feet line. This
line represents the position of the motor shaft. The vertical
distances from the motor shaft line to the pump shaft line at the
two motor feet lines are the required movements of the motor
feet to align the motor to the pump. On the vertical plane plot,
these distances represent the required amount of shims to be
added or removed. On the horizontal plane, these distances
represent the amount of lateral movement required at the
motor feet.
5) After any shimming or movement of the motor, repeat the
readings and plot data to verify the alignment.