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A FEW THINGS THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE INSPECTED DURING BELT PM’S ARE: Inspect grooves for V-belts for wear using a sheave gauge following supplier recommendations.Rusted or pitted sheaves should be replaced. Otherwise, belt damage/wear and premature failure can easily result.Shiny grooves should not be overlooked and can indicate heavy wear.Corrosion on the sheave and especially in the grooves will build up and rapidly wear the belt and result in premature failure. Sheaves should be replaced if corrosion is found.Bent sides can introduce wear and damage.Replace all belts and never a single belt. Mixing old and new belts results in the load not being shared evenly and could easily lead to damage, premature belt failure and sheave wear.The same manufacturer should always be used. In other words, do not mix and…

A pump housing must be installed so that the surface is flat and level to the required installation tolerances. Doing so requires great precision and ideally the task would be easy to accomplish. In the application below, the user needed to perform such a measurement.  This task was usually reserved for a separate crew that would bring over optics or theodolites to perform the measurements. In this case, the crew was not available and they needed an accurate measurement that day. Application and Photo courtesy of Aneesh Francis with Measurements and Automation Systems The Easy-Laser E920 system was on hand for a shaft alignment application.  This system also happened to have the compact and versatile D-22 rotating laser for flatness and level measurements.  In a quick setup, both pump housings were measured…

When a failure occurs, one of two things happen: 1. A Failure Analysis program kicks in to figure out what truly caused the failure in order to eliminate the condition that caused that specific failure. Or… 2.The easiest thing to see gets blamed. That “blame game” can be influenced by factors that have nothing to do with that specific failure, like past experiences, mechanical prejudices (preferring one brand over another), personal differences (doubting another’s workmanship), and even possibly looking to sweep the whole problem “under the rug” to distance someone from that blame. When it comes to the failure of a crankshaft, or any other component of a rotating assembly, alignment is one of the things often brought up, like a “low hanging fruit”. This is why having a proper…

The importance of having two temperature probes is to continuously monitor both the temperature of the inner and outer bearing races throughout the entire warming process of a bearing. By doing this you mitigate possible workpiece damage due to stresses caused by the temperature differential between the ID and OD. Most induction heaters only monitor the temperature of the inner race, neglecting the temperature of the outer race. The problem with this is that the two races will not expand at the same rate (see fig. 1).  If the ID heats faster than the OD, it will create large stresses on the roller elements that get sandwiched between the inner and outer races. These stresses will create cracks, fractures, and/or pitting that may not be noticed, reducing the life span…

We have an easier way! With the Shipman Bolt and Pipe Cleaner, cleaning bolts and pipes is now safe and easier then ever.  This portable system allows you to clean even the dirtiest bolts and pipes .  Simply put your bolts and pipes in the cleaning system and watch as the brush easily takes off dirt and grime.  This system cleans 3/4 inch to 3 inch  bolts, studs and pipes with custom sizes available.  No more bits of sharp metal getting on you and your clothes and you can work faster and more efficiently.  The shield housing and automatic shut off switch ensures that your hands never come in contact with this systems wire brushes and effectively traps airborne pollutants normally found during the cleaning process and collects them. This system will change the way you…

Here are my 14 rights to help you find those pesky and costly air leaks. Can you think of any others? Right safety procedures before you start your survey.Right leak management procedure to help you find-and-find leaks. Download our Infographic Find-and-Fix Procedure to help environmental sustainability with reduced energy waste. On Ludeca’s Website Right pre-survey check of compressed air system layout/drawings.Right pre-survey gauge check (PSI)Right pre-survey inspection of pipe location, valves and fittings.Right leak detection instrument Now days you can choose from an airborne ultrasound tool like our SDT ULTRAChecker all the way to an ultrasonic acoustic imaging camera like our new SDT Sonavu. Right leak location before you tag it.Right measured dBuV value in defect log.Right LOTO procedures before you start repair.Right leak location and severity report.Right leak elimination.Right re-measured dBuV value in work order.Right estimate…

The Ultimate Inspection for your plant Lets face it, the last thing you need right now is more down time, and since all machines can fail you need a device that can help. The SDT 270 ultrasound detector allows you to predict failures and improve product quality with one portable device. The first sign of change in operating conditions is usually indicated in ultrasound frequencies. With the SDT 270 you can check your operating conditions and identify problems and changes. You can check for early-stage bearing defects, check bearing lubrication, find air leaks, safely inspect electrical systems and more. The SDT 270 helps you catch problems before they start, giving you the opportunity to order parts and plan for downtime. With this hand-held device you can check a variety of…

Do you want an alignment system that provides you with a full range of measurement options and meets all your alignment needs? Meet Generation XT- A whole new level of freedom. Generation XT has a variety of alignment tools that are based on one free app allowing you to work on the display unit of your choice or the award-winning XT11 display unit. Choose from the following alignment tools: The XT190 gives you accurate performance and efficient belt alignment with digital read off. This is where the detector reads the position in relation to the laser plane and provides live digital display of both offset and angular value. With the XT440 easily perform alignment on horizontal and vertically flange mounted machines and with user friendly software it guides you step…

Do you need service or training? Machine Reliability is here to help you with all your service, training and reliability needs. Whether you need on-site training or virtual training we can accommodate you. If you are interested in a new alignment tool or need help choosing the right alignment tool we are here to help. If your not ready to purchase a new alignment tool we have a variety of rental options available. We have the XT440 from Easy-Laser which is the perfect tool for basic laser shaft alignment. There’s the XT660 which utilizes dot laser technology as well as giving you the freedom to display data on multiple hand-held devices. With the XT770 you get the 360 degree live feature which gives you more possibilities to perform advanced adjustments.…

The Award Winning XT770 gives you several measurement options and flexibility.  You’re able to perform horizontal and vertically/flange mounted machines, machine trains, twist of foundation, soft foot, bearing clearance and more.  This user friendly system allows you to use the rugged XT11 display unit or you can install the XT Alignment app on your phone.  If you choose the XT11 display unit you will get the built in IR camera, which allows you to add a thermal image of the machine before and after alignment.  With 360 degree live view you have even more possibilities to perform advanced adjustments. The Easy-Laser XT770 is your complete alignment system.