Coupling Adjustment Service

Coupling is an equipment that needs to be adjusted very precisely due to its duty. It is a power transmission organ produced in various shapes and features, which is used to transfer the high speed and torque it has received to the other shaft.

Coupling adjustment (shaft alignment) is one of the most important factors in the proper operation of the system/process. “What’s wrong with coupling adjustment!” On the contrary, if it is desired to have knocks/vibrations, temperatures and amperage in the system at desired levels, the coupling adjustment must be done very accurately and properly. In the coupling adjustment, the axis direction adjustment of the two shafts is very important. The better the alignment, the more efficient the operation of the system will be, the vibration will be within tolerance, the temperature will not increase, the amperage value of the motor will be at reasonable levels, and the damage to the motor or other rolling bearings will be prevented. If it is desired to minimize the downtime of the machines, it is important to make the adjustment as it should be in the coupling systems. Most of the malfunctions in the machines are caused by the coupling misalignment, and if it is desired to reduce maintenance costs and operating costs, a correctly aligned and controlled coupling adjustment is needed.

Keeping the machine in working condition is one of the most important criteria, but during maintenance from time to time, stops at the appropriate time should be ignored and larger problems that may occur should be prevented by maintenance. The axes of rotation of the shafts must be axial with respect to each other.

In hydraulic couplings; The mechanical energy provided by the drive motor is converted into the kinetic energy of the motor. It contains a fixed amount of operating fluid. In the turbine wheel, this kinetic energy is converted into mechanical energy. There are models with safety plugs that act as insurance against damage to the turbo coupling (when the inside of the coupling gets hot, the fusible part in the safety plug explodes and melts, discharging the oil, and even if the engine rotates, there is no movement transmission to the opposite side)

Considerations in Coupling Selection and Installation

• Coupling is selected according to the work to be done.
• Coupling is selected according to the appropriate torque value.
• Manufacturer’s operating temperature is taken into account
• The core is processed according to the values of the manufacturer.
• When assembling partial couplings, the spacing of the two coupling parts is adjusted according to the company values.
• Coupling bolts are tightened according to the torque values given by the manufacturer.
• Coupling housing snaps into place

How to Maintain Coupling?

• Coupling is visually inspected after the machine is stopped.
• Vibration is checked while the machine is running
• Coupling tires are checked and replaced if it’s time to change (Tires are selected according to Shore/Hardness values of the manufacturer) Tires can be colored for different torque values and their shores can be adjusted accordingly.
• In general, deformations in coupling parts are controlled
• Coupling gaps are checked
• Oil changes are made according to the oil change intervals in hydraulic/turbo couplings.
• Some coupling types are properly lubricated.

Coupling adjustment is made by several methods. Some of these are those:

1) It is an adjustment method made on the coupling surface by using ruler, feeler gauge, bristle miter, smooth surface gauges and similar tools, depending on the experience and skill of the person who will adjust the coupling.

2) It is an adjustment method that is more sensitive and requires patience than the previous manual adjustment made with the help of a comparator.

3) The other method is the very precise adjustment method made with the Laser Coupling adjustment device.

Couplings misalignment occur in several ways:

1) Parallel misalignment/level differences in axes (non-linear axes)

2) Angular misalignment in axes

3) Horizontal misalignment in axes

During the coupling adjustment, the motor, pump, reducer, bearing, etc. may need to be thrown from stainless shims under them. In this case, for example, the motor should touch the place where it is connected from four points. The issue that should not be forgotten is that the feet should not only touch a few points, but also that the feet should be shimmed to every point that does not touch the plate, that is, the “lame foot” (limp foot) correction must be made (not every foot of the machine touches the ground). Fans, pumps, etc., sent from companies to the enterprise as a unit/package. Even if it is reported that the coupling adjustment of the equipment has been made beforehand, the coupling adjustment devices and the settings should be checked again. It is important for the efficiency of the system to check again, as these settings may be disturbed during cargo and stacking.

When a new coupling is to be installed or when a coupling adjustment is desired when changing a motor, pump, bearing or reducer, the previously drawn/marked places should not be trusted. Same brand of motor, pump etc. Even if it is wanted to be changed, it is inevitable that the deviation will occur. Since there may be differences in the castings of the machine equipment blocks, it cannot be expected that the marked places will give the correct result.

The temperature status of the system is important when adjusting the coupling. The occurrence of temperature differences during coupling replacement or adjustment will affect the coupling adjustment to be made. For this, the adjustment should be made taking into account the expansions, contractions or elongations, taking into account the operating temperature. Coupling should be adjusted at operating temperature, straightness, flatness and parallelism should be adjusted well.

Coupling misalignment may cause cracking, fragmentation of the coupling, damage to the coupling itself as well as damage to the bearings in the bearing areas, deformation of the seals due to high temperature and misalignment, and oil leakage (seals cannot function). Leakage problems may occur in packing groups due to misalignment, energy costs will increase due to amperage increases, and motor failures will increase.

With good coupling alignment/shaft alignment;

• Reduced energy consumption, reducing electricity costs
• Engine failures are reduced
• Consumption of sealing elements is reduced
• No coupling burst and no security weakness
• Vibration is reduced
• Provides longer machine life
• Temperatures higher than the operating temperature are prevented.
• Oil leaks are reduced
• Bearing failures are reduced
• Shaft failures are reduced
• No noisy operation
• Bolt cuts and dislodgement are prevented
• Production capacity increases
• Wear of mechanical parts is prevented
• Gear, pulley, etc. connected to the same axis. prevents the bands from eroding
• Decreased man-hours sent for breakdown
• Spare material consumption is reduced
• Spare material stocking can be reduced
• Maximum performance is ensured
• Fault frequency is reduced

Some of the benefits provided by laser coupling adjustment devices are documentation and archiving. With laser coupling adjustment devices, there will be no change in production capacity by performing predictive and preventive maintenance at a time when machine downtimes will not affect production (when maintenance times are subtracted). With the previous measurements and analyzes, the stock costs that can be backed up will be reduced, the production will be prevented from stopping, major breakdowns will be prevented and a more efficient working system will be created. With the fine-tuning, malfunctions will be minimized and large breakdown losses will be eliminated. As a result, every material has a lifespan and the important thing is to ensure that this life is completed at the highest time it should be. With laser geometric measuring devices, it can be seen where and how much shim should be applied or reduced, and in which direction the directions should change. These devices with graphics show what needs to be done step by step. These devices are protected against dust, oil and water with IP protection classifications.

Maintenance is an economy, that is, the higher the quality, the better the maintenance, the less malfunctions and the correct and smooth operation of the system. This enables the system to operate efficiently only by making more precise adjustments using technology.

Coupling adjustment is directly proportional to the rotation speed, and as the rotation speed increases, the coupling adjustment becomes more sensitive. In other words, using laser devices as a measuring instrument at high speeds will prevent the above-mentioned malfunctions and losses and provide a more economical operation.

Couplings are used in cooling towers circulation pumps, fans, traveling wheel shafts, conveyors and many other sectors and mechanisms. According to the researches, 50% of the machine failures are caused by the coupling misalignment, and it has been determined that the majority of the couplings in the machines are out of adjustment. It should be determined which coupling is more suitable for which place, and coupling selection should be made by taking into account the conditions arising from the working conditions.