COURSE TITLE:

Vibration analysis and

rotating machines balancing.
Toufik BETTAHAR
IAP-EBM-TMI
Course content (syllabus):

CHAPTER3 : ROTATING MACHINERY FAULTS ANALYSIS

 - Types of faults
 - Gear Faults
 - Bearing faults
 - Rotor faults
 - Process faults
 - Case Study
CHAPTER4 : ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
 - Imbalance types and balancing theory
 - Shop balancing
 -Trim balancing
 - Case study

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 Chapter N° 03
ROTATING MACHINERY FAULT
ANALYSIS
ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Imbalance: is a result of uneven distribution of mass, which causes the
machine to vibrate. The vibration is produced by the interaction of an
unbalanced mass component with the radial acceleration due to the
rotation, which together generates a centrifugal force.

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Types of imbalance:
Static Unbalance: Static unbalance is an
eccentricity of the center of gravity of a rotor,
caused by a point mass at a certain radius
from the center of rotation. An equal mass
placed on the opposite side (180°) will
balance the rotor.
Couple unbalance: in couple of unbalances,
it is possible to have two equal masses
placed symmetrically about the center of
gravity, but positioned at 180° from each
other. The rotor is in static balance (there is
no eccentricity of the center of gravity), but
when the rotor turns, the two masses cause a
shift in the inertia axis, so that it is no longer
aligned with the rotation axis, leading to
strong vibrations.
Vibration analysis and rotating machines balancing
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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Types of imbalance:
Dynamic unbalance: is a combination of static and couple unbalance
and is the most common type of unbalance found in rotors. To correct
dynamic unbalance, it is necessary to make vibration measurements
while the machine is running and to add balancing masses in two
planes.
Dynamic unbalance follows the same condition as couple unbalance
and can be measured only when the part is rotating. Dynamic
unbalance is present when the central principal axis of inertia neither is
parallel to nor intersects the shaft axis at the center of mass.

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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Balancing theory:
Unbalance will occur any time a rotor or a component mounted on a rotor
has a mass center (or center of gravity, i.e. cg.) that is not coincident with
the axis of rotation. When this occurs, a force is generated due to rotation

 𝐹un𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒=𝑚×𝑒×𝜔2
of the shaft that is defined by the following equation :

𝐹un𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 =𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝑚=𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝑒=𝐸𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝜔=𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑟𝑎𝑑/sec= 2𝜋𝑁/60
𝑁=𝑆ℎ𝑎𝑓𝑡 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑,𝑅𝑃𝑀

Vibration analysis and rotating machines balancing

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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Balancing theory:
 For a rotor’s lateral balance resonance (critical speed), the classic 1X-
filtered Bode & Polar responses are shown here
 Vectors start in the direction of the Heavy Spot
 Amplitude peaks at the resonance frequency, ωres
 Phase increases 90°against-rotation from slow-speed to ωres
 Data must be slow-roll compensated to remove effects of rotor run-out
 Note amplitude at low speed is Zero on both Bode & Polar plots

Vibration analysis and rotating machines balancing

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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Single-Plane Balancing:

-Given some original vibration

O, we add a Trial Weight,
resulting in O+T.
-The Trial Weight’s effect is T.
-We want to create a T that is
equal & opposite to O, thus
canceling out O.
-We modify T’s magnitude by
changing the TW amount.
-We modify T’s angle by
changing the TW location.
-T is “pinned” at the head of O
and swings from there.

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Influence Coefficient Method
Single plane balancing using the influence coefficient method takes the
graphical method and applies math to get the same results. Since the
synchronous (1x) vibration is described by a vector with magnitude and
phase, vector math is used to manipulate the results.
Let’s consider the previous example:

-We gathered balance information from a large centrifugal induced draft fan
in a coal fired power plant.
-The analyzer showed us that the vibration is 5.6 mils pk-pk at an angle of
135°.
-We applied a trial weight to the rotor and re-run the fan to get our trial
vibration vector.
-we chose to install a 74 oz-in weight at an angle of 315° from our phase
reference mark as measured in the direction opposite rotation.
- We install our trial weight at exactly 180° from the high spot (our O vector),

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Influence Coefficient Method
-We measured the synchronous vibration amplitude and phase to be 3.3
mils pk-pk at 238° and we plotted this on our polar graph and labeled it as
our O+T.

-Since our goal in balancing is to cancel out our original vibration (O vector)
we want to shift the angle of our trial weight so that our T vector is oriented
180° from our O vector

-we rotated our trial weight by 26° in the positive direction (opposite rotation).
-We also want to make our T vector equal in length to our O vector.
-Since our T vector was longer than our O vector in this example, we knew
we need to reduce the amount of weight.

-So We divide the length of the O vector by the length of the T vector and
multiplied by the amount of the trial weight to get 58 oz-in.

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Influence Coefficient Method
-Now let’s do the math:

1-Calculate T Vector

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Influence Coefficient Method
2-Calculate Influence Coefficient

3-Calculate Heavy Spot

4-Calculate Correction Weight

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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
2 Plane rotor balancing using IC method
Direct vs. Longitudinal Influence Coefficients
For multi-plane measurements, even if only 1 balance plane is used, we
describe ICs as:
H I J = the IC response in measurement plane ‘I’, due to a balance weight in
plane ‘J’ .
For a Balance Plane 1 (BP1) weight:

Direct ICs occur closest to BP1, this is at Brg. 1:

• Brg. 1, Direct IC = H11
• H11 = T1 / TW1 = [ (O+T)11 – O1 ] / TW1

Longitudinal ICs are responses at any other

axial location, so Brg. 2 here:
• Brg. 2, Longitudinal IC = H21
• H21 = T2 / TW1 = [ (O+T)21 – O2 ] / TW1

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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
2 Plane rotor balancing using IC method
Direct vs. Longitudinal Influence Coefficients
• Note that Direct ICs are generally have larger magnitude (more
response), as they are closest to the active balance plane.

• Longitudinal ICs are generally smaller, being further from the balance
Plane.

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
2 Plane rotor balancing using IC method
A ‘full’ 2-plane balance exercise involves 4 runs:
 An original ‘As-Found’ run.
 2 Trial Weight runs, one each for BP1 & BP2.
 Final ‘As-Left’ run, with the solution installed.

This first 3 runs generates 4 ICs generated as follows:

 Brg. 1, Direct: H11 = T1 / TW1 = [(O+T)11 – O1] / TW1
 Brg. 1, Longitudinal: H12 = T1 / TW2 = [(O+T)12 – O1] / TW2
 Brg. 2, Longitudinal: H21 = T2 / TW1 = [(O+T)21 – O2] / TW1
 Brg. 2, Direct = H22 = T2 / TW2 = [(O+T)22 – O2] / TW2
The ICs can be listed in matrix form as:

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
2-Plane IC Solution / Trim Balancing
 Using the 4 ICs, we can calculate a 2-Plane solution, or a Trim Balance
 For vibration O1& O2 at Brgs. 1-2, Correction Weights for BP1 & BP2 can be
calculated using either a matrix or algebraic solution, as follows:

 Algebraic equations allow an analyst to manually calculate a solution or perform a

trim balance, but data management can be ‘tedious’.
 For fast, accurate results, analysts should utilize balancing software for these
calculations, and especially when solving for more than 2 planes.
 The ICs obtained can then be applied to any future balancing on the same (or
similar machines)
Vibration analysis and rotating machines balancing
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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
2-Plane IC Solution / Trim Balancing
Most software packages will offer advanced interfaces that make job & data
management easier, along with advanced math & matrix capabilities for enhanced
solutions:

 Slow-roll / run-out compensation (for proximity probe data)

 Measurement weighting, to focus on particular machine areas
 Analyst must choose measurements to emphasize, and which are lower ranking
 Leaving original weights in place
 Useful when weights must be welded in place, or when grinding/drilling is used
 Predicting results for alternate solutions (based on linear responses)
 Using various combination of transducers, weight planes, multiple speeds
 Least-squares minimization routines (vs. exact point solutions)
 Static-couple balancing

Vibration analysis and rotating machines balancing

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Rotors shop balancing:
Field balancing vs. at-speed balancing
A rotor can be balanced successfully in the field within its own casing and
bearing system. However, access to balance planes can be a limiting factor.
Some machines accommodate this requirement by adding a single access
hole or a series of access points at each of the two end planes, thus
eliminating the need to remove the entire upper casing half. However, if the
location of the unbalance is not in an accessible plane, the correction at the
end planes is only a compromise.

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ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Rotors shop balancing:

Turbine Rotor to be balanaced Fly weights

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 ROTATING MACHINES ROTORS BALANCING
Rotors trim balancing:
Trim balance is the final balance procedure done to a spindle after assembly
and during full speed testing. This is procedure is necessary for two reasons.
One, often additional components are attached to the shaft after assembly
into the housing. Their imbalance will not be compensated for by the
adjustments made on the Balancing Machine.
Second, the balance machine is only capable of rotating the shafts are rather
low speed; typically around 1000 RPM. Trim balancing is performed at full
operational speed; often in excess of 12,000 RPM and sometimes as high as
60,000 RPM.
Compliance with ISO 1940/1 requires operation and testing at higher
speeds than can be achieved on the balancing machine.

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