The alignment of engines and propeller shafts is critical in shipbuilding and marine maintenance, where the stresses and vibrations created by rotating misaligned shafts will not only lead to breakdowns in the engines shaft assembly itself, but can also result in damage to struts and hulls, leading to leaking and possible sinking.
Unlike land-based driven shaft applications, boats and marine craft are not rigid structures, and are subject to twisting forces as a result of environment and load, all of which will affect the mounting of engine and propeller shaft. Boat engine drive systems do not indefinitely remain in alignment and need to be periodically checked and realigned to reduce wear to drive train units, components, and the craft itself.
The Fixturlaser range of Prop Shaft Alignment Systems which have been specifically developed for measuring and correcting the alignment of driven shafts in marine applications.
Prop Shaft Alignment - Consequences of Propeller Shaft Misalignment
Common problems associated with propeller shaft misalignment include:
- Escalated bearing wear
- Bent or broken shafts
- Drive system vibration leading to transmission damage & failure, engine mounts and the boat hull itself.
- Structural resonance as a result of shaft vibration leading to loosening of struts
- Worn engine mounts
- Rapid wear on universal joints and couplings
Prop Shaft Alignment Systems
Fixturlaser XA Prop Shaft Alignment System
The Fixturlaser XA system is a powerful, easy to use laser guided Prop Shaft Alignment System for checking and correcting alignment in propeller or any driven rotating shaft.
The XA System features:
- Icon-driven large LCD colour touch screen interface
- 3D colour animations to guide users through the alignment process
- Unique line-laser technology and large detector areas for easy set-up and measurement
- Blue-tooth wireless connectivity between laser heads and display unit eliminate the need for cables to transfer data
- Precision Alignment measurements to within 1/100th of a millimetre
- Live onscreen measurements instantly inform users of effects of shimming and corrections to engine or shaft position.
Fixturlaser Centring System - measurement of inside diameters
The Fixturlaser Centering System is a Flexible Geometry Measurement system for measurements on inside diameters. It is a powerful tool for checking bearings journals as well as positioning of support bearings in applications such as propeller shafts.
The Fixturlaser Centering measures the rotational centre position, in two axes, in relation to user defined reference points for Prop Shaft Alignment.
The system is based on the Fixturlaser Geo Platform and provides full functionality for measurement, alignment, and documentation. The rigid fixtures together with easy operated components fulfil the requirements on a quick, easy, and precise alignment system. Alignment of bearing journals in diesel engines within shipbuilding and power generation with the Fixturlaser Centering has proved to be most useful.
Technical specification of the Fixturlaser Centring System:
- Displayed measurement result resolution: 0,001 mm (0,1 mils)
- Operating temperature range: 0 - 40°C (32 - 122°F)
- Power supply: All units run on standard batteries.
- Operating time: Depending on operation cycle 10 - 20 hrs
- Measurement diameters: 80 - 350 mm (3,15" - 13,78") with standard equipment.
