Pre alignment checks P . S.

Rathore Sr
Engineer

✔ Check the soft foot problem

✔ Check the any pipe strain, by putting dial gauge of pump foot and loosing
hold dn bolts
✔ Check the worn our foots/foundation
✔ Check the SAG of dial bar by rotating 180 deg on solid rod, this is always
positive, set this reading negative on the top 12:00 o’clock position
✔ Check any thermal growth on driver or driven machine check OEM
manulas,this is TLC where T is temperature difference L is height of
machine centre line above foundation bolts C is coefficient of thermal
expansion
✔ Take the as it is readings before performing alignment
✔ Check the shaft run out/bent shaft
✔ Check the shaft lift with help of screw jack if machine rotor is heavy, for
checking bearings condition of machines
✔ Check axial float if bearing is sleeve type
✔ Note down all these parameters before doing alignment
Type of coupling, type of bearings, run out, lift, axial float, soft foot, dial
gauge bar SAG, pipe strain, coupling gap
Hot alignment reading just after M/C shut
down

Cold alignment readings before performing

alignments

Soft foot readings

Pipe strain value if any

Shaft run out

Shaft lift for bearing condition

Axial float if sleeve bearing

Thermal growth OEM values

Dial gauge bar SAG

Condition of machine foundation

Magnetic centre of motor running

Coupling spacing measurement

Old shim measurements at all four locations

Precautions:
✔ Along with above measures rotate dial 0 deg to 360 deg ,reading at
360 deg again it should be zero, if not than repeat this process and
in second roud it becomes zero than calculate average value at all
three location i.e. at 90, 180 and 270 deg positions
✔ Rotate both shafts altogether to nullify the effect of shaft run out,
by doing this we are taking all four reading at same points on both
shaft for all four locations no relative movement between shafts
✔ Where there is axial movement of shaft i.e. with sleeve bearing
preference should be given to reverse indicator method of
alignment
✔ And where it is not possible to rotate both the shaft all together
because of one machine is too much heavy to rotate then use Face
and Rim method of alignment
✔ TAKE ALIGNMENT READINGS WHEN HOLD DOWN BOLTS ARE TIGHT,
then lose them and move machine, for another take of reading
again re tight the bolts and reapet process
✔ Rotate machine in normal direction of rotation of machine
✔ Use proper sign convention

Face and RIM method equal triangle

method)
✔ Set 0.00 at top 12:00 clock position
✔ Sequence of alignment
a. Angular alignment in elevation; Say coupling is MORE
open at bottom and difference in top and bottom face
reading is 0.2 mm, and dial indicator movement
diameter(may equal to coupling diameter if face reading is
taken at just tip of face of coupling) is 100mm. Distance
between front and rear foot of movable machine is 600mm,
then rear feet of movable machine are lowered by amount=
(600/100)*0.2 mm i.e. 1.2mm
b. Parallel alignment in elevation; say top and bottom
reading difference is -0.4mm, divide it by 2 which comes out
0.2mm.and movable machine is lower than stationary. Put
0.2 mm shims below all four legs of movable machine,
c. Angular alignment is top view or plan; same as in
step”a” view from station machine side towards moving
machine
d. Parallel or offset alignment in plan, same as step “b”

Reverse indicator methods precautions:

✔ Stationary machine RH side and movable machine in LH side
✔ Rotate in direction of rotation
✔ View from stationary machine end towards movable machine
side.
✔ Set both the dial indicator 0.00 at top i.e. 12:00 O’clock position.
✔ Sign convention for graphing: At stationary machine if dial
indicator reads +ive at 6:00 O’clock then draw above/left of
centre line for vertical/ horizontal alignment respectively. If dial

LEFT side
indicator reads –ive at movable coupling then draw below/right
in graph during performing alignment vertical/horizontal
respectively.

View from here

RIGHT
RIGHT side