Blog

How to have a Successful Condition Monitoring Training Experience

September 26, 2013

With Training funds being difficult to obtain these days it is critical that we do everything possible to have a satisfactory and productive training experience.  This includes evaluating whether it would be more cost-effective to attend a training class off-site (such as at a vendor’s facility) or have the course conducted at your facility. There […]

Recommended Shim Corrections to Minimize Potential for Soft Foot

September 24, 2013

While visiting a customer’s facility,  I was asked if I could provide some tips on how shims should be replaced when making a required vertical correction on a machine being aligned. The following steps were recommended to minimize the potential for creating a soft foot: When possible, upon starting the alignment, replace any old, dirty, […]

Turning Large and Hard-to-Turn Shafts when Taking Alignment Readings

September 19, 2013

When rotating hard-to-turn shafts by means of straps,  pipe wrenches, chain hoists, or any other means, you could be deflecting the shaft. This can cause significant alignment and repeatability problems to occur, making the task of collecting accurate alignment readings almost impossible. The problem is easy to overcome, though. Simply switch your ROTALIGN® ULTRA to Multipoint or […]

How to Balance Rigid Rotors

September 18, 2013

If you want to find the secrets of the universe,  think in terms of energy,  frequency and vibration.” ? Nikola Tesla Could Tesla’s secret be the energy wasted due to vibration at a frequency equal to shaft speed all caused by rotor unbalance? Balanced rotors are critical for achieving production and profit goals. Unbalance creates […]

Use the Internet as a Condition Monitoring Work Tool

September 13, 2013

Most of us use the Internet to email our friends,  review sports scores, read the news, or entertain ourselves. Management usually frowns upon employees using the Internet during working hours, for valid reasons. Nevertheless, the Internet can be a valuable work tool and it is important that you and your management understand the ways in […]

Machine Shaft Alignment: The Virtual Move

September 10, 2013

ROTALIGN® ULTRA will always suggest the ideal move,  but in the real world,  as we all know, that’s rarely how things work out. It may tell you to shim an impossible amount (say by asking you to remove more shims than what you have under the foot) or require a horizontal move in a direction you […]

Process Data is important to your Analyst

September 3, 2013

Good condition monitoring software will have capabilities that allow importing of critical process data into the CM database.  Information such as temperatures,  pressures, equipment speed, etc., are very important to the vibration analyst or other CM analyst.  This information provides additional parameters to help the analyst understand and confirm the results uncovered during their analysis.