The alignment of pump shaft couplings and motor drive shafts is critical to ensure efficient running and to reduce the risk of breakdown.
Misaligned pumps and drives result in vibrations and premature wear of bearings, seals and couplings. It is a recognised statistic that over 50% of plant failures are a result of misalignment.
Offset drives and Cardan shafts also require alignment in order to prevent excessive vibrations resulting in shaft and coupling breakdowns.
Laser shaft alignment systems are used as standard in today’s industry for the precision alignment of pumps and drives.
The Fixturlaser XA system is a laser shaft alignment system specifically designed for conducting alignment swiftly and precisely in the field. In addition to the alignment of horizontal and vertically mounted pumps and drives, the standard XA system can expanded to conduct alignment of offset drives and cardan shafts.
Benefits of Pump Alignment
- Reduced vibration levels
- Increased meantime between failures
- Reduced maintenance costs
- Reduced energy consumption
- Increased production quantity
- Improved plant safety
Pump Alignment Products
The Fixturlaser XA system is an expert system for precision alignment of pumps and drives. Despite its sophisticated technology, the XA system has been designed for ease of use, and includes user friendly features such as:
- Backlit Colour LCD screen for easy viewing, even in direct sunlight.
- Touchscreen interface for simple navigation.
- On-screen animations and icons which guide users through completing the alignment process.
- Pre-mounted fixtures - lasers can be attached straight to the shaft without complicated assembly.
- Digital CCD laser technology, 30mm laser detectors and line-laser technology – virtually eliminates the need to conduct lengthy rough alignment checks.
- USB ports for transferring measurement data to PCS - no need for additional software or printers.
- Express Mode which registers 3 measurement points automatically when the shafts are turned.
Unlike the majority of complex laser shaft alignment systems that are on the market, the Fixturlaser XA requires minimum training, making it perfect for Technicians who may only perform alignment on a periodic basis. From opening the case lid, users can complete alignment measurements in under 5 minutes.
Standard XA System applications and capabilities:
- Horizontal shaft alignment software and fixtures
- Vertical shaft alignment software and fixtures
- Softcheck™ softfoot measurement application for soft foot condition compensation
- Feet Lock Function - extended adjustment capabilities in base or bolt-bound situations
- Target Values - to enable compensation for pre-determined alignment targets provided by pump or drive manufacturers.
Pump Alignment for Offset Drives & Cardan Shafts
Cardan shafts are an excellent way of power transmission, when it is impossible to position two machines in line. There is the general misunderstanding, however, that offset mounted cardan driven machines do not require alignment. However, a misaligned cardan rotates with an uneven angular speed over a full turn. This generates vibrations with harmful forces throughout the drive chain. The risks with misaligned cardan shafts are similar to other misaligned machines plus the risks for damages caused by a broken cardan shaft.
The Fixturlaser OffsetXA fixtures, combined with the Fixturlaser XA system, provide you with:
- Express setup without using the display unit
- The inclinometers show the exact position of the lasers
- The Express result and alignment - the illustrations guide you
Conventional alignment methods, such as straight edges, spanner bars, tape measures, and machinist levels cannot provide the needed level of accuracy.
Using the Fixturlaser XA together with the Fixturlaser OffsetXA expansion kit, you can precision align any offset mounted machine as fast as you align any other shafts.
