Shaft alignment: Easy, accurate, and cost-effective

Misalignment is a mechanical defect defined as the lack of spatial coincidence of the geometric axes corresponding to two coupled transmission shafts.
To understand this, it is first important to know what the shaft alignment process entails. This procedure, applied to industrial rotating machinery, consists of joining one or two machines (usually a motor or a pump) which are positioned in such a way that the energy point is transferred from one shaft to the other, ensuring that the rotation axes of both parts are aligned when the machine is operating under normal conditions.

Why is shaft alignment important?

It is important to note that when shafts are misaligned, the risk of costly and unplanned machine downtime increases considerably. Misalignment is understood as a mechanical defect in which the geometric centerline of two coupled shafts does not coincide along the axis of rotation.

Let’s look at some of the potential problems caused by failing to align shafts correctly:

• Increased friction leading to excessive wear, higher energy consumption, and potential premature equipment failure.
• High wear on bearings and seals.
• Premature shaft and coupling failure.
• Excessive lubricant leaks.
• Coupling failure.
• Increased vibration and noise.

ROYSE and the new Laser-Equiling2 from Schaeffler

If the shafts of pumps, fans, compressors, and gearboxes are not precisely aligned with each other, they rotate irregularly. The resulting imbalance increases the temperature in couplings, bearings, greases, and motors. The system consumes more energy and wears out faster, and shaft breakages can even occur, leading to failures in the corresponding machines and equipment.

With the new LASER-EQUILIGN2, Schaeffler introduces to the market a completely new system for aligning rotating shafts based on innovative single-laser technology.

Single-laser technology uses only one laser or sensor unit and a reflector. The single laser only needs to be aligned with the reflector. This is why it is quickly ready for operation, provides accurate measurement results, and is much more attractive from an economic standpoint.

LASER-EQUILIGN2 sets new standards, including:

• Simple and intuitive operation thanks to a non-verbal user interface
• 8” TFT display with capacitive touchscreen (can be operated with suitable gloves)
• Innovative and proven single-laser technology
• 4-point measurement with maximum precision
• Bluetooth communication
• Quick and easy installation