In rotating equipment installations, there are many tools employed by the concrete pouring team, the baseplate fabricator, the rotating equipment installer, the pipefitter, the alignment team, etc., to get the job done as effectively and efficiently as possible. “Square, plumb, level, and true” is what allows those teams to work together.  “True” means something is exact or accurate.  In rotating machinery, true can encompass how accurately equipment is aligned, in flatness, straightness, or rotational centerline (coupling) alignment.

Cutting corners in square, plumb, level and true is non-negotiable.  If one team does not hold to this principle, it can cause significant problems for the rest of the teams in the form of delays involved in having to work around and remedy the alignment problem. We’ve heard the stories of machinery installations that have bolt-bound issues, pipes that don’t fit, and baseplates that are warped, many resulting in a need for extreme soft-foot corrections.

These are all symptoms of some part of the installation not holding to square, plumb, level, and true. When all teams abide by this principle of square, plumb, level, and true, the installation will be more efficient, have fewer delays and ensure that no costly rework will be needed to undo incorrect installation.