The consequences of positional change due to thermal growth in machinery as it pertains to shaft alignment are well documented. Methods for determining these changes and compensating for them are not only essential to the reliability of machines but can prevent catastrophic failure. It is therefore of great importance that these methods be carried out […]

There are a lot of numbers and stats associated with lubrication; or, with the lack of proper lubrication in this case.  For instance, it is said that 60% – 80% of bearing failures are related to lubrication issues of some kind; lack of lubrication, over- or under-lubrication, mixing lubricants that are incompatible, choosing the wrong […]

Soft Foot Measurement – It really is important! On a recent visit to a power plant, they asked me to help them align a pump with their new EASY-LASER XT Alignment System.  It was a machine they had previously aligned with dial indicators, which they thought was “pretty good”.  The initial measurement showed a vertical […]

For many years, applying heat was explained as simply just that, applying heat. How it was done was usually left totally up to interpretation. In a field application, this could be left to the discretion of the crew doing the job, based on either what was available or considered most effective/least expensive/easiest. Any one of […]

  Many shafts have keyways cut into them to hold the coupling. “Keys” are pieces of square metal stock inserted to hold the hub in place. If there are two (2) keys, one on each side of the coupling, you should not “align” the keys across the coupling. Instead, it is very important to ensure […]

Tremendous science goes into engineering the many grease formulations that keep physical assets working their best. The sheer number of grease types available is as varied as the applications where they are used. Yet their composition remains a simple mixture of base oil, thickener, and in most cases some additives. The Base Oil is the […]

Today’s advancements in technology have allowed many maintenance tasks to be performed more easily and efficiently. Such is the case with using a laser alignment system to accomplish sheave/pulley alignment. However, prior to setting up the laser system to perform the alignment, one important and often overlooked step is to measure and correct sheave run-out. […]

Every person that performs vibration analysis develops his or her own analysis process.  Suggested steps at a minimum should include: Open the spectrum (FFT) and locate the running speed peak and reset the reference speed to that speed.  Since all induction motors vary in speed based on the load, this is necessary for accurate analysis, particularly at […]

Once again, I was struck by a smart sign that reminded me of the importance of safety: “TAKE FIVE for SAFETY.” This one popped up while touring the APM Training and Development Center in Houston, Texas after our #NoExcuses for Equipment and Bearing Failures workshop. It was the perfect closing theme to a day of learning […]

Repost from Benchmark PDM Maad Blog   Let us review this case study on a common issue when working on a pump and motor alignment done by Brian Franks, Owner and Field Service Technician of JetTech Mechanical. He begins in the normal manner entering the distances of the machine. As you can see this is […]

There are four condition indicators RMS, Max RMS, PEAK, and Crest Factor. Easy to explain and use, it can give you an overview of an assets health with just one reading. Let’s go over them in more detail: RMS – use it to indicate trends in friction levels (lubrication, stage 1&2 bearing failure) Max RMS […]

Better Running Conditions from Precision Alignment We performed an alignment as part of a yearly check on a Caterpillar G3606 engine mated to an Ariel JG-D compressor. Documentation was established to track the performance of the equipment before and after the alignment. Before alignment: The engine was running overloaded, consuming more fuel than budgeted, and […]

Bearings vs. Lubricants_ Regreasing Commenting to Ana Maria Delgado CRL with LUDECA, about the bearings and the lubricants that keep them operating, it occurs to me to write about a point of view that few people observe. When we talk about lubricants, and regularly when referring to bearings, we talk about grease. Where the grease […]

A sensor generally measures 95% of what it’s capable of measuring in line with the sensor. Two common types of vibration sensors are: Single axis accelerometers Triaxial accelerometers So which one is best for your application? A single axis sensor simply measures vibration in only one axis, so the sensor can be moved to the […]

Our colleges at Benchmark PDM recently had a request from a customer to do some pump alignment. When we normally think about pump alignment, we usually think of shaft to shaft alignment. In this case, they wanted bore alignment. They were installing a brand-new pump and when they rotated the shaft, they could hear grinding. […]

It seems a simple question, yet when asked, the answers are not always similar, or simple. Some say, “to fight friction” and that is true. We do add grease to an asset’s moving parts to reduce friction. But there’s more to it than that. Some say, “to reduce heat” and that is also true. The […]

You’ve always heard the adage, “S” Laser on the Stationary and “M” Laser on the Movable.”  In this day and age, however, this “truism” has almost become obsolete. You see, the concept of the “stationary” machine, per se, is obsolete. ALL machines CAN be moved if they really need to be (no machine grew out […]

I attended a training recently on the Easy-Laser XT770 alignment system at an oil and gas fracking company in West Texas. During the training I heard the term “grease worms” and even though I have been in the lubrication field for 29 years, I was unfamiliar with this animal. Come to find out, it is […]

Once you understand how grease actually works to lubricate a bearing, it becomes obvious why over-greasing causes so much trauma to both bearings and the grease itself. Remember, all we want from our lubricant is to provide a little separation in the war zone. Nothing more… nothing less. If you’re reading the term “war zone” […]

I’m sure you have heard how important precision maintenance is to the health of your equipment, but have you ever seen the real impact it has? Recently, to show this point within my company, we did some training to demonstrate how restoring a machine into a precision state can make a real difference. We divided […]