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Below is a short list of when someone should consider using permanently mounted vibration sensors. This scenario would involve either epoxying on the vibration sensors or drilling into the equipment to allow for the sensor to be physically attached to the equipment. A vibration cable is then attached to the sensor and terminated into a […]

We previously discussed misaligned couplings and how to reduce failures when ultrasound and alignment meet in “Ultrasound and Alignment Meet at the Coupling to Reduce Failures.” In this follow-up blog, we will discuss how ultrasound and alignment come together to improve belt-driven performance. Misalignment in belt-driven equipment is one of the leading causes of failures […]

We previously discussed a lack of repeatability and identified some of the most common and easy-to-correct culprits in Laser Shaft Alignment Troubleshooting: Part 1 Repeatability. In this follow-up blog, we will discuss Response to Corrections. Along with measurement repeatability, the laser alignment system’s ability to display the correct moves to bring the machines into alignment […]

Sometimes I will assist a customer on-site for shaft alignment.  The first thing I will ask is, “what is the tolerance you wish to achieve?” Many times I would be given a specification, but sometimes I would be told “we need it aligned to 1 thou.” 1 thou I would ask, where?  The answer would […]

Misalignment in rotating equipment is one of the leading causes of failures throughout the industry. It breaks down machines and often costs your company thousands upon thousands of dollars in repair expenses and unplanned downtime. Imagine if you could combine two technologies you may already be using to prevent some of these failures. Ultrasound testing […]

In 2019, JetTech Mechanical LLC was hired to perform maintenance for NGL Pipeline in Colorado. They serviced several SPX Clyde Union Pumps, BB3-D12X12X17W 2 stage 3250 HP, and 3775 RPM, pumping at  7525 US GPM 2000 Ft of Head. Part of the service was to remove and replace the pump’s opposite drive end thrust bearings.  […]

What is repeatability? Repeatability is the consistency of measurement results between consecutive sets of readings. Laser alignment systems are capable of producing highly repeatable and reproducible measurements with just a few components attached to rotating machinery. When troubleshooting the cause(s) of lack of repeatability, it is helpful to try to identify some of the most […]

Pump and Motor Skid packages are essential pieces of rotating equipment that come as a complete package, with both machines mounted on a “skid”.  They are aligned at the factory and then shipped to the location to be installed at the facility.  If the skid was aligned at the factory, is it unnecessary to align […]

AUGUST 2020 – PUMPS AND SYSTEMS Improper bearing installation is a common cause of bearing failure. If a bearing is damaged during installation, no amount of lubrication or alignment will save that bearing. At best, it will only prolong its inevitable premature failure. Poor bearing installation starts with poor bearing storage. It is important to […]

We know bearings need grease; both to perform well and to last a lifetime. But do we really understand where that grease goes and how it performs its function? There are two states that grease lives in when a bearing is lubricated. We refer to them as the Bleeding Phase and the Churning Phase. Let’s […]

Ultrasound for coupling inspection?  What?  Yes, ultrasound technology has many pillars for asset management.  The technology is amazing and can be used in a variety of different not so obvious applications.   Types of couplings you can inspect with Ultrasound and how There are many different types of couplings used in the industry for rotating […]

Maintenance departments periodically schedule maintenance checks on their belt- or chain-driven equipment in order to confirm that a good alignment exists between the pulleys or sprockets, especially if evidence of premature wear on the belts, chains, or sprocket teeth is detected. Visual Pulley Alignment D90, DotLine Laser, SheaveMaster, or SheaveMaster GreenLine laser pulley alignment tool […]

Chris Greene is currently a technical trainer with Ludeca and has spent years before that as a lead mechanic as well as other related industry roles. Chris has been involved with reliability and installation since 2008. Chris attributes his mechanical proclivity to growing up in and around in his parent’s foreign car repair shop and […]

The use of a strobe light or stroboscope is another tool in the toolbox of the analyst in the field of Reliability. This tool can be used for a variety of purposes including checking or verifying the rotational speed of a component if the shaft or coupling is accessible. The user can inspect it without […]

Often, when I get a report or a technical support call, if I see the user got a perfect “0-0”, I become immediately suspicious rather than celebratory.  What I mean by “0-0” is that the coupling results or feet corrections (or both) are perfect zeros.  There are times where that is possible, for example, this […]

The many applications of Ultrasound, as diverse as they are, rarely get used to their fullest capacity.  The Mining Industry poses many challenges in condition monitoring due to various machine types, speeds, and access. Below are 10 of some of the prime applications for Ultrasound: Air Compressors and Blowers designed to supply air on demand […]

Maintenance planning, scheduling, and work execution are all critical for the success of best practice returns in maintenance and reliability. Unfortunately, it is easy to confuse and merge these processes together, thereby lowering the efficiency of maintenance activities and the overall health of manufacturing assets. The reality is that each of these efforts is dependent […]

A balancing tool is simply anything that serves the analyst for the purpose of statically or dynamically balancing a rotating piece of machinery. Precision balancing should include: An instrument capable of reading data from different types of vibration sensors, including accelerometers, velocity sensors, and proximity probes among others. It should also be able to display […]

Correcting a shaft alignment problem brings a vast set of challenges to the workload of our mechanics, millwright, and engineers. Those issues could be in the form of physical constraints preventing movement or distortion from poor bases or pipe stress. They could be as simple and frustrating as soft foot or old bent shims. But, […]

Throughout our industry, technicians and maintenance personnel have been guided by various myths on how to lubricate their rolling elements.  Some do take their time and try their best to calculate the correct amount, but in this day and age where we all have to do more with less, there is a drop in the […]