This depends very much on the type of equipment and the speed it is running with. In general rotating equipment has to be aligned within ±0,05mm for the parallel offset and within 0,05 mm over the full coupling diameter. It is very important that accuracy is not mixed up with the target alignment. For example: A diesel engine will grow parallel 0,2 mm over a generator during operation. The target alignment should then be -0,2 mm ± 0,05mm.
Nearly nothing!! First of all it depends very much on the type of coupling which is used. Some
couplings can take parallel offset easier then angular offsets or vice versa.
A coupling in general is designed to transmit power and to allow for misaligned during start up.
Most couplings are designed to "absorb" loads due to misalignment but still there will be forces
going into the machinery and these will cause damages to seals, bearings and other parts.
For a 0,05mm precision, we can measure up to 15 meters distance.
Yes, all our Shaft systems have a software program to measure soft foot.
In most cases a laser alignment system can be used for performing an accurate and fast alignment.
However we must not forget that a laser alignment system is a tool and not a magic box. An alignment
engineer still has to use his brains and creativeness in order to solve alignment problems.
We choose the tool for each specific problem and situation and sometimes we go back to use dial
indicators. Sometimes, from a practical point of view, there is no possibility to use a laser
alignment system.
It is always the most accurate to rotate the laser alignment system over 180 degrees. However, in some situation this is physically impossible. Modern systems like our shaft systems are able to measure over an angle of at least 60 degrees.
The traditional cardan shafts (without hemokinetic device) need to be aligned with a zero angle. An angular error results in a non linear movement which causes vibrations and extreme forces in mainly bearings, couplings and seals.
The accuracy of a measurement with a laser system is depending on a number of factors and influences like:
Selecting the most suitable measurement technique depends very much on the type of applications you have. But there a few considerations:
Typical measurements are: straightness, flatness, perpendicularity, parallelity and line bore.
Although geometric laser systems are nowadays very versatile they have their limitations:
This depends very much on the application but we are able to measure thermal growth when for example a machine train is operation but we have our difficulties measuring the parallelity of rolls when the paper mill is producing.
In general it starts with a few centimetres and it ends around 100 meters. It also depends on the measurement procedure which is followed.
We have both Sokkia MONMOS Total Stations and Faro Laser Trackers with which we do all 3D measurements.