Misalignment is the most common fault we find on UK plant floors, and the most commonly dismissed. A coupling that looks fine by eye can still be far outside tolerance, and the machine will run — expensively — for years.
How it shows up in the data
Classic misalignment produces elevated vibration at two times shaft speed and unusually high axial vibration across the coupling. Compare readings either side of the coupling and the phase relationship tells you whether it's angular, parallel or a combination.
What it actually costs
The machine keeps running, which is exactly why it gets ignored. Meanwhile:
- Bearing life falls sharply as side loads increase.
- Seals fail early and lubricant escapes.
- Couplings wear and elastomeric elements shred.
- Motors draw more current for the same output, all day, every day.
Doing it properly without stopping production for a day
Laser alignment on a typical pump set is a short job when preparation is done: soft foot checked and corrected, shims clean and to size, thermal growth allowed for, and pipe strain removed before you start. Most of the time lost to alignment is spent hunting for shims, not aligning.
Align once, correctly, and the machine's vibration signature drops immediately — which gives you a clean baseline to trend from.