What laser alignment is
Shaft alignment means positioning two coupled machines — a motor and a pump, for example — so their shaft centerlines are collinear when the machines are running. Laser alignment is the modern replacement for dial-indicator (clock gauge) methods: it is faster and more accurate.
A laser emitter and receiver are mounted on the two shafts. As the shafts are rotated, the system measures the offset and angle between them and calculates exactly how much to shim and move each foot. A misaligned machine puts a damaging force on its coupling, bearings, seals and gears with every revolution; correcting the alignment removes that force.
The benefits
- Longer time between failures. Reducing misalignment forces on bearings, couplings, seals and gears significantly extends mean time between failures (MTBF).
- Lower operating temperatures. Misalignment heats up bearings and especially couplings. Correct alignment reduces that heat and the premature failures that come with it.
- Less vibration and energy loss. Aligned machines run smoother and waste less power.
- Protected warranties. Many equipment warranties require proper alignment at installation. Even machines aligned at the factory need re-alignment after shipping and installation.
When alignment is needed
- New or replacement machinery. Alignment shifts during shipping and when base plates are bolted down, even on skid-mounted units.
- Repaired or overhauled machinery. Re-aligning after reinstallation makes the repair last and avoids creating new problems.
- Moved machinery. Relocating an asset almost always disturbs its alignment.
- Recurring failures. Repeated bearing, seal or coupling failures — or vibration at 1× and 2× running speed — often point to misalignment.
Our alignment process
- Pre-alignment checks. We check for soft foot, pipe strain, base condition and coupling runout, because no alignment holds on a rocking foot.
- Measure. The laser system records the as-found offset and angularity in both the vertical and horizontal planes.
- Correct. We shim and move the machine to bring it within tolerance, allowing for thermal growth where the machines run hot.
- Report. You receive an as-found and as-left report. We tailor reports to your needs, and we always aim to get as close to zero as possible.
Why choose Hamdon for laser alignment?
We bring the same care to alignment that we bring to balancing and vibration analysis — and because we do all three, we can tell whether vibration is really caused by misalignment, unbalance or something else before you spend money on the wrong fix. Competitive pricing, fast scheduling, and detailed reports you can file with your maintenance records.