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Having the right accessories in your alignment kit can make a big difference in the field. Easy-Laser provides a range of accessories to extend the versatility of their already capable laser shaft alignment systems. Picking the right accessories for your alignment kit will make sure that you are ready for any alignment job. In this article, we cover the range of accessories available to extend your alignment capability. We cover the essential items that should be part of every kit; add-ons for those who are serious about precision maintenance; and a couple of brackets for specialised applications.
THE ESSENTIALS:
Shims are an essential consumable for every alignment kit. Pre-cut, high-quality, stainless-steel shims make the alignment of machines safer, easier, and more reliable. Your alignment kit should include shim kits of various sizes, to make sure that they provide adequate support for the machines you are aligning, and various thicknesses, so you can make quick, accurate adjustments to machine feet. Always check and restock your shim kits after a job and before a major shutdown.
Other essential accessories to have in your alignment kit are: sliding brackets, magnetic brackets, extension rods and extension chains. These affordable accessories can extend the scope of jobs you can take on significantly.
Sliding brackets are used for alignments on shafts that cannot be rotated. The bracket has spherical feet that are placed on the shaft surface and held onto the shaft with standard chains. The spherical feet are adjustable to fit small, or large diameter shafts. Releasing the chains slightly, allows the bracket to be slid around the shaft diameter so you can complete the alignment, even if the shaft cannot be rotated.
Magnetic brackets are used to mount the laser measurement head on flanges or shaft faces. This may be required where couplings don not allow the standard v-brackets to be attached to the shaft outer diameter. Four super magnets hold the bracket and laser measurement heads firmly in place while completing the alignment.
Extension chains are used for extending the standard chains on v-brackets so that you can complete alignments on machines with larger shaft diameters. A set of extension chains will allow you to align machines with shafts up to 450 mm in diameter. Additional chains can be added to extend the diameter range even further.
Extension rods allow you to lift the laser heads, so they can see over the top of couplings. Various length options ranging from 30 mm to 240 mm are available to get the right fit, but a set of 8x 120 mm rods arguably provide the best value.
PRECISION MAINTENANCE
If you are serious about precision maintenance, consider adding a belt pulley aligner, digital level, or even a vibrometer to your kit.
Accurate alignment is key for the reliability and life of v-belts and pulleys, chain and sprocket drives, and synchronous (timing) belt drives. A belt aligner in your kit will allow you to align these drive assemblies accurately with ease. Easy-Laser’s range of belt aligners (XT190) includes options that link directly to the display on your existing shaft alignment system.
A digital precision level (XT290) allows you to set up machine foundations and bases accurately, prior to machine installation.
A vibrometer (XT280) can be used to diagnose machine faults such as unbalance, misalignment and looseness. The unit can also be used to demonstrate the impact of your accurate alignment work on the machine operation by checking vibration, before and after your intervention.
SPECIALIST ACCESSORIES
If you would like to set yourself apart with your alignment capability, Easy-Laser provide a range of accessories for specialised applications such as Cardan shaft alignments and Dynamic Measurements.
Universal joints, Hookes joints, or Cardan shafts, present some interesting challenges in alignment. The shafts need to be parallel, despite being off-set to ensure smooth operation. If the shafts are not parallel, the coupling will impart changes in the rotational velocity to the shafts during each revolution, causing rough operation and significant stress on components, leading to premature machine failure. The Easy Laser XT550, XT660 and XT770 alignment systems, combined with a Cardan bracket set will enable you to align the Cardan shaft applications with confidence.
Despite our best efforts to align machines accurately while stationary, they often move out of alignment during operation. This unwanted movement can be caused by thermal expansion, pipe strain or even structural deflection under heavy machine loads. Unwanted movement can cause significant stress on bearings, shafts and structures, causing failure or reduced service life. Dynamic measurements using Easy-Laser’s EasyTrend program and a set of Dynamic Brackets allow you to monitor, understand and correct these problems before they damage machines. EasyTrend is available with the XT770 alignment system.
CONCLUSION
Laser alignment systems are powerful tools in any asset maintenance toolkit. A couple of carefully considered accessories added to your alignment kit will make sure you are ready for any alignment job and take your alignment capability to the next level.
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