Rotating Equipment

Alignment

Hassan Mohamed A. M. Hassan

Lead Mechanical Engineer
Worley Parsons Engineers Egypt Ltd.
Cairo Egypt 01223190213
Tel.: +2-02-22706178
Email hasmonem@gmail.com
Rotating Equipment Alignment (One of the most cause of failure)

• Types of Couplings
• Alignment Preparation check list
• Preparation on Alignment
• How to Do Alignment
• Isolation Standard
• (Software for Pumps Alignment Calculations)

• Post assessment
Rotating Equipment Alignment (One of the most cause of failure)

It is collinear of two center lines

1-Is the proper positioning of the shaft centerlines of
the driver and driven components.
2-Alignment is accomplished either

A- Shimming
B- Moving a machine component.

Its objective is to obtain a common axis of rotation at

operating equilibrium for two coupled shafts or a train
of coupled shafts.
Why it is important to make shaft alignment?
Shafts must be aligned as perfectly as possible
to maximize equipment reliability and life,
particularly for high-speed

It is important because misalignment can introduce

1-High level of vibration

2-Cause bearings to run hot

Proper alignment

1-Reduces power consumption and noise level

2-Helps to achieve the design life of bearings,
seals, and couplings.
Types Of Couplings

1 -Rigid Couplings :
It is a metal to metal contact (%100 collinear)
2 -Flexible Couplings

* Spacer with shims

* Gear
* Grid
* Rubber
* Others
* Torque converter
 Equipment Driver

Misalignment
It is important because misalignment can introduce a high
level of vibration, cause bearings to run hot, and result in
frequent repairs of bearings, seals, and couplings.
Proper alignment reduces power consumption and
noise level, and helps to achieve the design life of bearings,
seals, and couplings.
Equipment Driver

Alignment
 Types Of Misalignment
Vertical View

Equipment Driver

Equipment Driver
 Types Of Misalignment
Horizontal View

Equipment Driver

Equipment Driver
 Alignment Procedures

Vertically And Horizontally

Equipment Coupling Motor

It is collinear of two center lines
Motor Equipment

Coupling
Pump Grouting

Special grouting concrete

1 -Rigid Couplings

Equipment Driver

2 –Flexible Couplings

*Spacer with shims

Equipment Driver
*Spacer with shims
 *Spacer with shims

Spacer is not connected directly to both hubs,

but through the shims

Equipment Driver
*Gear
*Gear

Equipment Driver
*Grid
 *Grid

Equipment Driver
Torque
converter Stationary
Guide wheel

Turbine Liquid

Secondary
Shaft

Cooling water
Pump Primary
Impeller Shaft

Packing
 Pump Turbine

MOTION MOTION

HYDRAULIC HYDRAULIC
ENERGY ENERGY
Higher speed Lower speed Normal speed

Conversion Diversion Normal

Guide Blades Guide Blades Guide Blades
Guide
Vanes
3- Alignment
Preparation
check list
 Parallel misalignment

Vertical

Driver
OR Equipment

Horizontal
 Angular Misalignment

Equipment Driver
Vertical

OR

Horizontal
 Correcting of
Misalignment
I- Vertical Plane

A- Parallel Misalignment

Equipment

Shims
I- Vertical Plane

B- Angular Misalignment

Equipment

Shims
II- HORIZONTAL Plane
A- Parallel Misalignment

29
A- Parallel Misalignment
1 3

2 4 30
II- HORIZONTAL Plane
B- Angular Misalignment
1 3

2 4 31
 How To Do Alignment
Gauge Pointer
does not move around the rim

Equipment Driver

Motor and Equipment shaft

Rotate in the same time
32
Dial indicator -10
Vertically
10
-20 20
-30 30

40 40
-50 50
-60 60
-70 70
-80 80
-90 100 90

Flange
 1- Balanced Type Horizontally

-10
Flange -20
10
20
-30 30

40 40
-50 50
-60 60
-70 70
-80 80
-90 100 90

Dial indicators Types and Functions

 2 - Continuous Type

Small needle
10
190
Flange 180
20
30
170
160 40
50
150
140 60
130 70
120 80
110 100 90
 Dial indicators Types and Functions

1- Balanced-Type

Negative direction positive direction

Stem moves out -10 10
-20 20
Stem moves in
-30 30

40 40
-50 50
 • 2 - Continuous Type

Small needle

10
190 20
180
30
170
160 40
50
150
140 60
130 70
120 80
110 100 90
Measure and correct

* Pipe strain
* Soft foot
* Run out
* Thermal growth
*Mechanical centre
* Magnetic centre
* Pipe strain Maximum 0.002 in

EQUIPMENT
PLANT LINE
* Soft foot One driver leg is not
settled on the base

Maximum 0.002 “
* Run out
Maximum 0.002 “
Total Run out

Flange
* Run out
* Run out
Maximum 0.002 “

Shaft
* Run out
Maximum 0.002 “

Flange
Growth factors (Expansion factor) (mil/in./F)
for common materials are as follows:
Aluminum 0.0126
Bronze 0.0100
Cast iron, gray 0.0059
Stainless steel 0.0074
Mild steel, ductile iron 0.0063
• For vertical growth, L is usually taken as the vertical
height from the bottom of the foot where shims
touch the machine to the shaft centerline.
• In the case where the machine is mounted on a base
that has significant temperature variations along its
length, L is the vertical distance from the concrete or
other constant temperature base line to the shaft
centerline.
 * Thermal growth for hot liquid pumps
1- Apply the alignment procedure for the pump at ambient Temp.
2- Heat up the pump by opening the start up bypass for ½ hrs.
3- Put the dial indicator on the shaft and adjust to zero reading
4- close the bypass
5- Take the dial indicator reading after 24 hrs.
6- This reading is the shaft thermal growth thermal growth
7- Add the center line thermal growth reading under the driver legs
X = Shaft Thermal growth

Equipment Driver
 * Thermal growth for Compressors
1- Apply the alignment procedure for the compressor at ambient Temp.
2- Go to catalogue and read the center line thermal growth amount.
3- Add the center line thermal growth reading under the driver legs
4- If the equipment manual gives the whole equipment thermal growth
The center line thermal growth = whole equipment thermal growth /2
(Ask the vendor to confirm type of catalogue thermal growth )

After minutes
of Starting

Driver
Equipment

X = The center line Thermal growth

This design is to avoid As thermal expansion
any thermal growth will be in all directions

Equipment

Cooling
water

48
Measurement of bar sag.
The attachment that will be used

SAG
Steel block
Dial indicator

Piece of Pipe

Bar Sag on 12 O'clock Position

 Piece of Pipe

SAG
Sag factor
SAG
Electrical motors have no thrust bearings
Face reading is affected
by driver end play Radial
Bearing

Rim

Face

Equipment

Driver
 Question :
Why Electrical motors have no thrust bearings
Answer:
They have instead a magnetic center

Pointer

When motor starts

The magnetic field
will fix the rotor in
Driver
the Magnetic .C.

Magnetic centre 52
Rim and Face

• The face reading error is not sensible during

rotating the motor rotor 180 deg. to measure
the misalignment reading.
• We don't know the rotor travel distance, is
inward or outward ???
• Reversal alignment has Zero error and is the
basic of the optical alignment
 Rim and Face

D 2
A Motor
Equipment

Y
Rim and Face Alignment

is prohibited all over the world because of

the rotor axial movement affects the dial
indicator face reading

Use only
--Reversal Alignment or
--Optical Alignment
 How To Do Alignment
Gauge Pointer
does not move around the rim

Equipment Driver

Motor and Equipment shaft

Rotate in the same time
56
 Driver
Equipment

The same
Misalignment

Driver
Equipment
VERTICAL READINGS

Dial indicator Parallel reading 2x

Parallel actual x
misalignment
HORIZONTAL READINGS
Parallel actual
misalignment
If : x
- Both shafts rotate
Or - One shaft rotates,
The dial indicator
reading is the same,

And equal to:

Double of the actual
Misalignment amount

2x
 Reversal Alignment

This arrangement is compulsory to start Reversal Alignment

F=0

F M
M =0
D1
D2
D3
 Reversal Alignment

This arrangement is Wrong to start Reversal Alignment

F=0

F M
M =0
D1
D2
D3
 1-Reversal Alignment

M
 Reversal Alignment
This arrangement is compulsory to start Reversal Alignment

Equipment Driver

D1 Inboard Out board

D2
D3
 1-Reversal Alignment

F 0 = Zero Reading M 0 = Zero Reading

Fixed F0
Equipment Driver

M0 M

Inboard Out board

 1-Reversal Alignment
F x = Misalignment Reading M x = Misalignment Reading

Mx
Fixed
Equipment Driver

Fx M

Inboard Out board

 F M

This is angular
Misalignment
reading

The Reversal alignment method, eliminates the

Angular misalignment due to
prime mover axial movement
F M
F M

This is angular
Misalignment
reading
F M
Parallel Reading Vertical

Fixed Movable

12 Ock 12 Ock
0 64

0 0

36 0
70
6 Ock 6 Ock
Parallel Reading Horizontal

Fixed Movable

12 Ock
12 Ock

20 0 40
0

6 Ock 6 Ock
1-Reversal Alignment
Calculation Method
 F M
D1 = 0 64
D2 =
D3 = 20 0 0 40
Sag = (0)
36 0
/2 /2
/2 /2
VERTICALLY
D2
INBOARD = { MV - FV } D 1 + FV
{ } D3
OUTBOARD = MV - FV + FV
D1 10 FH MH +20

HORIZONTALLY
{ } D2 FV 18 MV +32
INBOARD = MH - FH + FH
D1
{ } D3
OUTBOARD = MH - FH + FH
D1 Mils
VERTICALLY

X D2
INBOARD = X + FV
MV- FV
=
D1

INBOARD = { MV - FV } D
D1
2
+ FV X
}
= MV- FV }
D2
D1

MV- FV
X
Inboard
FV MV FV
F M

D1
D2
74
VERTICALLY
Y D3
OUTBOARD = Y + FV
MV- FV
=
D1

D3
OUTBOARD = { MV - FV } D 1 + FV Y
}
= MV- FV }
D3
D1

MV- FV
Y
Out board
FV MV FV
F M

D
1

D3 75
 D1 = 4 in F M
D2 = 8 in 0 64
D3 = 16 in
Sag = ( 0) 20 0 0 40
F = 0
M = 0 36 0

/2 /2 /2
/2
VERTICALLY
8
INBOARD = { 32 -18 } 4 + 18 = + 46
16
OUTBOARD = { 32 - 18 } 4 + 18 = + 74 +20
MH
10 FH
HORIZONTALLY

INBOARD = { 20 -10 } 84 + 10 = + 30
FV 18 MV +32

OUTBOARD = { 20 - 10 } 164 + 10 = + 50 Mils

 D1 = 4 in F M
D2 = 8 in 0 66
D3 = 16 in
Sag = (1) 20 0 0 40
F = +1 34 0
M = -1
/2 /2
/2 /2
VERTICALLY
8
INBOARD = { 33 -17 } 4 + 17 = + 49
16
OUTBOARD = { 33 - 17 } 4 + 17 = + 81 +20
FH MH
10
HORIZONTALLY
8 FV 17 MV +33
INBOARD = { 20 -10 } 4 + 10 = + 30

OUTBOARD = { 20 - 10 } 164 + 10 = + 50 Mils

Reversal Alignment
Graphical Method
Vertically

Outboard
Inboard

MV Remove shims
(+) FV F M

D1 Add shims
D2
D3

79
 Vertically
FV = 18 mils
MV = 32 mils

Inboard Outboard
32 mils
18 mils
Remove shims
F M Add shims
4 in

8 in

16 in
Horizontally

D3

D2

D1
Outboard
Inboard
F M

MH

FH

81
5/3/2006
EXAMPLE

FH = 10 mils
MH = 20mils

Inboard Outboard

20 mils
10 mils

F M

4 in

8 in

16 in
 3-Reversal Alignment Software
Sag
Sag Factor
D1 D2 D3 Factor(F) (M)
2 4 8 0 0

0 40
ADD shims

20 F 0 0 M 40 REMOVE shims
Move towards 9
Move towards 3

20 0
10 -1 20 1
10 20
10 10 20 20

Inboard (vertical) 30 0 REMOVE shims

Outboard (vertical) 50 0 REMOVE shims

Inboard (Horiz.) 30 0 Move towards 9

Outboard (Horiz) 50 0 Move towards 9

Rim and Face P = Parallel Reading
Alignment A = Angular Reading

P A
D/2
Equipment Driver

X Inboard Out board

Y
PARALELL READING

VERTICAL
HORIZONTAL

12 Ock

9 Ock. 3 Ock

6 Ock
85
Angular Reading
VERTICAL

12 Ock 0

X
6 Ock

86
Angular Reading Horizontal

3 Ock 0

X
9 Ock

87
 OR

A P
D/2
Equipment Driver

X Inboard Out board

88
 CALCULATION
METHOD

P A
0 0

- 14 0 +8 0

-6 -16

P = PARALLEL READING A = ANGULAR READING

 X=
P A
Y= 0 0.
D=
Sag = - 1 -14 0 +8 0
/2 -6 -16
VERTICALLY
X
AV
/2
INBOARD = – PV Mils
D
-3
SAG
OUTBOARD = Y AV – PV Mils = +1
D
PV -2 -16AV
HORIZONTALLY

X
INBOARD = AH – PH Mils
D PH -7 +8AH
Y
OUTBOARD = AH – PH Mils
D
90
 X = 4 in
Y = 12 in P A
D = 4 in 0 0
Sag = -1 -14 0 +8 0
/2 -6 -16
VERTICALLY
/2
INBOARD = { 4 -16 } – (-2) = -14
4 -3
SAG
= +1
12
OUTBOARD = { -16 } – (-2) = -46
4
PV -2 -16AV
HORIZONTALLY

INBOARD = { 4 8 } – (-7 ) = +15 PH -7 +8AH

4

12
OUTBOARD = { 8 } – (-7) = + 31 Mils
4
91
 EXAMPLE PV
PV = - 2
AV = - 16 mils
PV = - 2 mils
Outboard
PV = - 2
Inboard

AV = -16

D=4
X=4

Y = 12
 Graphical Method

Vertically
PV

Outboard
PV
Inboard

(-) AV

D X
Y

PV
PV
Horizontally
PH

AH

Inboard Outboard
PH

D X PH

94
 Horizontally If PH = +7

AH = +8 INCHES
Inboard
+7
Outboard
D=4
X=4

Y = 12
EXAMPLE
PH = - 7
PH = - 7 mils
AH = + 8 mils

AH = +8

Inboard
PH =-7
D=4 X=4 Outboard

Y = 12
D X Y Sag
2 4 8 0

0 0
Remove Shims

-12 P 0 0 A 0 Add shims

Move to 3 O'clock
Move to 9 O'clock

44 0

-6 PH 0 AH

Inboard (Vertical) -22 Remove Shims 0

Outboard (Vertical) -22 Remove Shims 0
Inboard (Horizontal) 6 0 Move to 3 O'clock
Outboard (Horizontal) 6 0 Move to 3 O'clock
 Optical Alignment

Transducer Reflector
F M

Equipment

Driver

Inboard Out board

 Reflector

Bracket Bracket

Chain Shaft
SIDE VIEW
HRIZONTAL 0 VERTICAL
ANGLE 90 PRISM
POSITION
ADJUSTTMENT ADJUSTTMENT

Bracket

Shaft Chain
 Transducer
GREEN LED:
INDICATES BEAM
ADJUSTEMENT
RED LED:
LASER ON
WARNING

HOUSING MARK
= CENTER OF
BRACKET POSTS
LOCKING
KNOB

SCRATCH-RESISTANCE
LENS

POEWR
DATA CABLE
REFLECTOR
1- PRESS M and remove transducer cap.
-The laser beam now is on.
-Leave the reflector cap on for now.
-Beam strikes the cap, it should be visible.
- Hold a sheet of paper to locate the beam

Rotate the side thumb

Wheel to raise or lower
the reflector

This lever to lock

The reflector position
 REFLECTOR

HORIZONTAL
ADJUSTMENT

VERTICAL
ADJUSTMENT
 OFF Beam misses detector
Red Blinks quickly
Green Is OFF

OFF

END Beam hits non linearized

area of detector
Red & Green Blinks quickly
Alternatively
END

COORDINATES Beam hits area

of detector
Red & Green Blinks Slowly
-2 1 Together
1- PREPARING FOR ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE

a- Solid flat foundation

b- Machine mobility ( 2 mm higher & screw type positioning )

c- Soft foot ( Must be checked immediately)

d- Thermal growth
HORIZONTAL MACHINE ALIGNMENT

Select DIM Cycle through with and

1-Transducer to reflector

2-Transducer to coupling center

3-Coupling diameter

4-RPM

5-Transducer to front feet

6- Front feet to rear feet

DIM CONFIRM EACH
1 ENTERY WITH
ENT
2

4 RPM
5 6
 DIM

1-Transducer to reflector
mm
120

2-Transducer to coupling center

mm
60
 DIM

3- Coupling diameter D

4-Transducer to front foot, right m/c

mm
180
DIM

BEAM
DEFLECTOR
 DIM

5-Front foot to back foot , right m/c

M 5-Laser beam adjusting
1- PRESS M and remove transducer cap.
-The laser beam now is on.
-Leave the reflector cap on for now.
-Beam strikes the cap, it should be visible.
- Hold a sheet of paper to locate the beam

Rotate the side thumb

Wheel to raise or lower
the reflector

This lever to lock

The reflector position
 Rim and Face

D 2
A Motor
Equipment

Y
Rim and Face Alignment

is prohibited all over the world because of

the rotor axial movement affects the dial
indicator face reading

Use only
--Reversal Alignment or
--Optical Alignment