Alignment fundamentals

Eng. Islam Gad

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Training Program for Mechanical Staff

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Alignment Fundamentals Course

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 Course Contents
1. Introduction
2. Mis-Alignment
3. Alignment Tools
4. Pre-Alignment Checks
5. Alignment Methods
6. Face and Rim Alignment Method
7. Reverse Indicator Method
8. Internal Components Alignment

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Introduction

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 Why Alignment is so Important

We are all under great pressure to increase uptime, reduce costs, and
improve product quality, no matter what your role is we all can contribute
to these goals.

One way we can help is to perform precision shaft alignment on our

rotating machinery.
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Recent studies have proved that more than 50% of machines failure
causes are due to misalignment.

The forces that result from misalignment generate vibration, these forces can
Damage the coupling, seals, shaft and bearing for the exist equipment, but
the vibration can damage other Components even machines located within
close proximity 05/12/2024
 Power consumption save by alignment
Example:

Pump motor work 24 h per day for 50 week a year

Motor specs:
Power: 30 kw Volts: 400 P.F. = 0.92
Kw / hr cost 0.20 $
Ampere before alignment = 36 A
Ampere after alignment = 34 A

Required:

Calculate the power consumption cost saved after Alignment

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 Solution

For 1 Motor

Power consumption cost = 1.73 * Ampere * Volt * P.F. * (price of kw / hr)

Power consumption saved cost = (1.73 * (36-34) * 400 * 0.92 * 0.2)/1000
Power consumption saved cost = 0.255 $ / hr
Power consumption saved cost for 1 year = 0.255 * 50 * 7 * 24
Power consumption saved cost for 1 year = 2,142 $

Power consumption saved cost for 1 year per 100 Motor = 214,200 $

Don’t forget that there are also additional costs (cost of damage parts
replaced according to misalignment) 05/12/2024
Mis-Alignment

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 Shaft Misalignment Causes

1. Poor training staff

2. Low quality tools
3. Foundation Distortion
4. Base Plate Distortion
5. Shims Distortion
6. Soft Foot
7. Equipment Thermal Growth
8. Wrong Assembly of Bearings or Bearing Housing
9. Pipe Strain
10. Vibration source with Equipment Foundation Looseness
11. ………

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 Consequences of Shaft Misalignment

1. Increase in equipment noise level

2. Increase in bearing housing temperature
3. Bearings Failure
4. Mechanical Seal Failure
5. Coupling Failure
6. Gears Failure
7. Shaft Failure
8. Higher power Consumption
9. Increase in Radial and Axial Vibration
10. Increase Leakage from seals

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 Misalignment Types

There are three types of misalignment:

1. Parallel misalignment
2. Angular misalignment
3. Combined misalignment

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Parallel Misalignment

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Angular Misalignment

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There are three movement axes
1. The X axe
2. The Y axe
3. The Z axe

D.B.S.E. = Spacer Length +/- 0.25 mm

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Alignment Tools

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 Alignment Tools

1.Tape Measures and Rulers

2.Straight, Feeler and Taper Gauges
3.Slide Calipers
4.Micrometers
5.Magnetic Base
6.Shims
7.Dial Indicators 05/12/2024
Measure Tape and Ruler

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Straight, Feeler and Taper gauges

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Slide calipers

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Micrometer

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Magnetic Base

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 Shims

According to API 686

 Max Number of Shims under each feet ≤ 5 Shims

 Shims under each feet (3mm < Thickness < 12 mm)
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Dial indicators

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Stem straight motion and corresponding Needle rotating direction

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Dial Indicators Common Problems
1. Hysteresis
2. Fully Extended or fully Forced
3. Reading

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Pre-Alignment Checks
1. Gauges /sag check
2. Shaft lift (bearing damage )
3. Runout check
4. Soft foot
5. 4 shims Max
6. how to cut shims
7. pipe strain /cable strain

Alignment special cases

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We will try to find and correct any problems in the following areas

1. Unstable or deteriorated foundations and base plates

2. Damaged or worn components on the rotating machinery
(e.g., machine casings, bearings, shafts, seals, couplings)
3. Excessive run out conditions (e.g., bent shafts, bored coupling
hubs)
4. Machine casing to base plate interface problems (e.g., soft
foot)
5. Excessive piping, ductwork, or conduit forces

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1. Foundation and Base Plate Checks
With respect to the successful long-term operation of the
machinery, an outstanding alignment job can quickly deteriorate if
the equipment is perched on unstable frames, inertia blocks or
foundations

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2. Damaged, Worn or Improperly Installed Machinery Components Check

f machinery has been operating for some time, the bearings that support the
otor may have sustained some damage and it is suggested that some checks
should be made to insure that the bearings are in good working order.

One of the simplest tests that can be performed is a shaft ‘‘lift check’’

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If the shaft is supported in rolling element-type, the amount of lift
on the shaft should be negligible (i.e., 0 to maybe m0.05 mm)

If there is an excess amount of shaft lift with a rolling element

bearing, four possible reasons for this is as follows:

1. The inner race of the bearing is loose on the shaft.

2. There is too much clearance between the rolling elements and
the inner and outer raceways.
3. The outer race is loose in its housing.
4. A combination of two or more of the items above.

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3. Run out
The term ‘‘run out’’ describes a condition where a rotating object
is not concentric or perpendicular with its centerline of rotation

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0

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20

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Radial Run out Axial Run out

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4. Soft Foot
Soft foot generally describes any condition where poor or no
surface contact is made between the underside of the machine
feet and where they contact the base plate or frame.

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Soft Foot Check Methods:

1. Multiple Bolts – Multiple Indicators Method

2. Multiple Bolts – Single Indicator Method
3. Shaft Movement Method
4. Single Bolt – Single Indicator Method

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Soft foot profile is detected by using the feeler gauge and is fill in
soft foot form

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Soft Foot Types:

1. Rocking Soft Foot.

2. Angled Soft Foot.
3. Squishy Soft Foot.
4. Induced Soft Foot.

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Rocking Soft foot:

There are three foot conditions that will result in the Rocking Soft Foot
1. Short Foot.
2. High Foot.
3. Even Feet.

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 Rocking Soft Foot Correction

If the two highest readings are diagonally opposite each other then you have the
rocking soft foot condition.

1. Measure each foot, check the profile, and determine how much is required in
the conventional way.

2. You can use shortcut proposed by Pedro Casanova of Ludeca, Inc.

3. You can use the “80% rule”.

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 Casanova Method:

This method works whether you have a “short foot”,”high foot” or “even” rocking soft foot
condition.

Loosen the hold down bolts on the two feet with the soft foot condition, and leave the
other two feet tight.

Perform a reverse soft foot check on one of the feet (with laser system or dial indicator),
you tighter it. The dial indicator will give you a reading.

Shims that foot with the reading Value. For example, if the reading was 0.25 mm, add a
0.25mm shim. Do not tighten the bolt- leave it loose.

Now do the same thing on the other foot that was soft (diagonally opposite the foot you
just tested). Tighten the bolt, record the value, and shim it.

After completing this procedure, you should repeat the normal soft test to ensure that the
soft foot has been corrected. For example, the test will reveal if one or both of the soft
feet were bent. 05/12/2024
 80% Rule Method

The 80% rule can also be used to determine the size of the shims to place under
diagonally opposite feet. It assumes that the same amount is required under both feet,
and like the previous method doesn’t take into account the profile of the gap under the
feet

1. Add the amount of the two highest feet lifted. In our example 0.55 mm
2. Add the amount of the two lowest feet lifted. In our example 0.05mm
3. Compute the difference. In our example 0.50 mm
4. Multiply by 80%. In our example 0.40 mm
5. Shim half of this amount under the two highest feet. 0.20 mm

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 Squishy Soft Foot

The squishy foot condition exists when the act of tightening the
hold down bolts causes the material under the foot to compress.
1. Too many shims.
2. Bent shims.
3. Dirt shims.
4. Rusted – paint - dust

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 Induced Soft Foot

The induced soft foot exists because of the following causes

1. Pipe strain.
2. Conduit strain.
3. Some other external force is exerted on the machine
(Motor Cables)

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Soft foot example

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5. Piping Forces

Piping Alignment Requirements According To API RP 686:

Pipe flange bolt holes shall be lined up with machinery nozzle bolt
holes within1 .5 millimeters (l/16 inch) maximum offset from the
center of the bolt hole to permit insertion of bolts without applying
any external force to the piping.

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The machine and piping flange faces shall be parallel to less than
10 micrometers per centimeter (0.001 inch per inch) of pipe flange
outer diameter up to a maximum of 750 micrometers (0.030 inch=0.76mm).
For piping flange outer diameters smaller than 25 centimeters
(10 inches), the flanges shall be parallel to 250 micrometers
(0.010 inch=0.25 mm) or less

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 Notes
For raised face flanges, feeler gauge readings are to be taken at the raised
face. Flange face separation shall be within the gasket spacing plus or minus
1.5 millimeters (1/16 inch).

Only one gasket per flanged connection shall be used

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Alignment Methods

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Alignment Planes:

1. Vertical Alignment
2. Horizontal Alignment
3. Axial Alignment

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 Alignment Methods

1. Straight edge and feeler gauge

2. Face and Rim
3. Reverse indicator
4. Other setups
5. Laser alignment

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 Straight Edge and Feeler gauge:

This method used in low priority Equipments

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 Face and Rim

The accuracy of this method is directly related to the diameter the face readings are
taken on. The larger the diameter of the face reading sweep, the more accurate this
method becomes.

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 Advantages

1. This is a good technique to use in situations where one of the machinery shafts
cannot be rotated or it would be difficult to rotate one of the machinery shafts.

2. Many people who use this method understand that the rim (or diametral surface) dials
indicator shows centerline offset or parallel misalignment and the face indicator
indicate that an angular misalignment condition is present.

3. This is a good method to use when the face readings can be taken on a fairly large
diameter (typically 8 in. or greater). This method begins to approach the accuracy of the
reverse indicator technique whenever the diameter of the face readings equals or
exceeds the span from the bracket location to the point where the rim indicator readings
are being captured in the reverse indicator method.

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 Disadvantages

1. Not as accurate as the reverse indicator method if both shafts can be rotated and
particularly if the face measurements are taken on diameters less than 8in.
2. If the machinery shafts are supported in sliding (plain or sleeve) bearings, it is very
easy to axially float the shafts toward or away from each other when rotating the
shafts
results in bad or inaccurate face readings.
3. Bracket sag must be measured and compensated for.

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Reverse Indicator
The reverse indicator method can be used on 60%–70% of the rotating machinery in
existence and is still one of the preferred dial indicator methods for measuring rotating
machinery shafts. It is best suited for use when the distances between measuring points
on each shaft range from 3 to 30 in.

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 Advantages

. Typically more accurate than the face-rim method as the distance from the mounting
point of the bracket to the point where the indicators capture the readings on the
shafts is usually greater than the distance a face reading can be taken.
. If the machinery is supported in sliding type bearings and the shafts are floating back
or forth axially when rotating the shaft-to-capture readings, there is virtually no effect
on the accuracy of the readings.

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 Disadvantages

1. Both shafts must be rotated.

2. Difficult to visualize the positions of the shafts from the dial indicator readings.
3. Bracket sag must be measured and compensated for.

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 Alignment correction
1. Horizontal Alignment Plane

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Horizontal Alignment
Angular

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 Note
DBSE = Spacer gap length for steam turbines and process equipment with
hydrodynamic thrust bearings shall beset with the shaft against the active thrust
bearing.

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Face and Rim Method

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 Face and Rim

The accuracy of this method is directly related to the diameter the face readings are
taken on. The larger the diameter of the face reading sweep, the more accurate this
method becomes.

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For accurate alignment:
Face Diameter must be > 200 mm

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Validity Rule:
(12:00 + 6:00) Readings = (3:00 + 9:00) Readings
:‫قاعدة الصالحية‬
)9:00 + 3:00( ‫) = قراءات‬6:00 + 12:00( ‫قراءات‬

10 12
Analytical Solution
Reverse Indicator Method

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The reverse indicator method can be used on 60%–70% of the rotating machinery in
existence and is still one of the preferred dial indicator methods for measuring rotating
machinery shafts. It is best suited for use when the distances between measuring points
on each shaft range from 3 to 30 in.

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 Alignment special cases

- Hot/Cold alignment (thermal growth)

- Excessive end play specially journal bearings

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ΔL = L ⋅ X ⋅ ΔT

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https://youtu.be/lwxxDC2Mrqo
Alignment for high End play shafts using 2 Dial gauge @ face position

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 F=F1-F2
0 +30

F1 0 F2

-20
F 0

-50 05/12/2024
 Example
0 -20

F1 F2

20
0

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0

40

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Alignment Final report

 results before / After

 soft foot readings before/ after
 DBSE

A R

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Laser Alignment

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Reversed alignment

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‫يعطي النتيجه مباشرة‬

‫‪05/12/2024‬‬
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Thank You for Your Attention

KENT Training Staff

05/12/2024