Some mechanical seals have very fine tolerances. Any damage to bearings and mechanical seals can sometimes lead to the misalignment of the pump shaft with the motor. Whenever some of the motors are dismantled or even when the pump is not running smoothly, pump coupling alignment must be done.
So, alignment is used to ensure that the centerline of a pump shaft coincides precisely with the centerline of the driven machinery. The alignment is vital in ensuring that the machine runs smoothly with minimal to no vibrations.
Misalignment reduces the reliability of the machine and impacts productivity. It also increases machine breakdown and reduces your uptime. Shaft alignment helps to avoid all these issues and ensure optimum running.
Pump Shaft Alignment
As long as the two shafts aren’t bent or crooked, two alignments need to be checked and adjusted. Have a look.
Angular alignment and Offset alignment
Most alignments are rough and can be done using straight feeler gages and an edge ruler. But for precision alignment, many technicians utilize dial gauges with magnetic bases.
Offset Alignment
Radial coupling alignment can be checked using a straight edge ruler. An expert will place a ruler across the coupling hales at the bottom, top, and both sides any gaps between the two coupling halves will show that the shaft is offset slightly. This misalignment can be fixed by shifting the motor or by putting shims that can raise the driven machine or motor.
Angular Alignment
An expert may insert a feeler gauge between the coupling faces and rotate both coupling halves at the same time. That will help him check whether the shafts have angular misalignment between them.
The feeler gauge readings are checked at four points on the shaft coupling. This misalignment is fixed by shifting the machinery or shimming. The driven machine and motor ought to be bolted solidly to the base after finishing up the alignment positions of the pump.
Conclusion
Misalignment of any motors and machinery can be a huge inconvenience to the productivity and reliability of a pump. If you want your pump to perform efficiently, hire an expert to check and correct any misalignments.
Pump coupling alignment can help reduce breakdowns and increase uptime. Sometimes it’s hard to determine any misalignment. A professional can help you check your machinery and ensure that everything is running smoothly. You must ensure proper alignment of the shaft and motors at all times.
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