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Machinery & Equipment MRO
December 2021
Alignment is a critical component of extending motor life. Learn why you should pair alignment with a condition monitoring program. BY ERIC ELDER
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hen machinery is misaligned, it can cause downtime, slow down production, increase energy costs, and damage machinery. Misaligned machines can also run hot as a result of consuming excess energy. This means not only higher energy bills, but also potential lubrication breakdown and safety concerns. Proper shaft alignment is especially important for rotating equipment operated at high speeds. Misalignment happens when the centerlines of the driver and the driven equipment shafts are not colinear, or in
a straight line with one another. Correct shaft alignment increases the operating lifespan of machinery. A properly aligned shaft provides the most efficient power transmission from a motor to the driven equipment. By shifting alignment from being an afterthought to a regular occurrence, you not only extend motor life — you free up your maintenance team to focus their time on true priorities. When equipment is properly aligned, there’s less need for repairs and replacements, because components last longer. But alignment isn’t a one-time thing. To understand how alignment changes over time, you need to collect and analyze condition monitoring data using handheld tools and sensors.
Consequences of misalignment
Poorly aligned machinery requires more replacement parts than properly aligned
machinery, so it’s more expensive and time-consuming to maintain — and diverts parts and labour from other needs. For example, misalignment can cause seals to fail. And when a seal fails, it can cause fluid leaks and harm other machine components. Seals themselves can also be expensive to replace. Misalignment is also a leading cause of excessive vibration. It can also cause premature failures in bearings, couplings, or shafts. These failures can also go on to damage other components or lead to downtime. Flexible couplings can tolerate more misalignment than rigid couplings, but they still have certain requirements and tolerance limits. Using flexible couplings is not a substitute for proper alignment, and improper coupling choices can cause failures. A coupling that is too tolerant of misalignment for the application, for example, can cause increased vibration
Photo: Fluke
HOW ALIGNMENT AND CONDITION MONITORING EXTEND MOTOR LIFE
