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Cover Series: Installation Best Practices

Dont Get Soft

PERHAPS THE SINGLE LARGEST INCREASE IN MACHINE LIFE COMES FROM ELIMINATING A SOFT FOOT CONDITION, WHICH CAUSES MANY OF THE FAILED BEARINGS, BROKEN SHAFTS, AND HIGH VIBRATION READINGS ASSOCIATED WITH MISALIGNMENT.
Pedro Casanova, Ludeca, Inc.

housands of variables impact a pump installation. One primary issue related to shaft misalignment that directly affects the running condition of the equipment after it is installed and running is whether the pump out of alignment due to soft feet. To identify and correct a soft foot condition, there must first be an understanding of the basic principles of shaft alignment. Shaft Alignment
Shaft alignment is the positioning of two or more machines so their rotational centerlines are colinear at the coupling point under operating conditions. Shaft alignment also implies that the bearings and shafts are free from preloads. This definition considers two centerlines of rotation at a given plane. For example, the measuring bracket is mounted using the same dial indicators or laser alignment tool being used to rotate both shafts, because failure to rotate the shafts does not align the centerlines of rotation. Both machines must rotate.
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When rotating a machine with two bearings, there is one and only one centerline of rotation tracked through that machine. The alignment tool determines what occurs between those two rotational centerlines where the brackets or the indicators are positioned. This logic assumes a straight line from that point forward and from that point backward, such that rotating those two lines will pick up the relative misalignment between the two machines at the power transmission point, the flex planes, the coupling center, etc. and evaluates the misalignment right there. There is no clue of what happens behind the bracket. Behind the bracket is the machine itself, so mounting a couple of brackets on a pump or a motor means the rotation of those two brackets will pick up a rotational centerline and align those two centerlines never knowing that the centerline is straight. What are we saying here? Consider a perfectly ideal system with two machines, a pump and a 5-hp motor, all perfectly aligned. A 265-lb man sits
Perhaps the single largest increase in machine life is associated eliminating soft foot and improving the alignment of the machine bearings with each other. Many failed bearings, broken shafts, and high vibrations associated with misalignment are actually caused by misalignment between the internal bearings of a single machine due to soft foot. Shaft alignment involves two centerlines of rotation at a given plane. The measuring bracket is mounted using the same dial indicators or laser alignment tool being used to rotate both shafts, because failure to rotate the shafts does not align the centerlines of rotation. Both machines must rotate.

on the motor frame and deflects that line not bending it but deflects it by applying a force to it. When the alignment is rechecked, it is misaligned. Why? Because the rotational centerline no longer tracks through the

bearing due to deflection in the shaft.

Soft Foot Condition

Now consider setting a pump down and one of its feet is .125-in shorter than the others.

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After positioning and locating the pump, its holddown bolts are tightened down and the shaft is internally deflected. When brackets are mounted on the machine, the pump and the motor, and both machines are rotated, an incorrect centerline of rotation for that pump is picked up to align the motor. Perfectly aligning the motor at the coupling to an incorrect rotation of centerline causes vibration that destroys the seal, the bearing and other components in that pump. A pump that is stronger than the motor will try to fit that misalignment to the motor, so it becomes crucial for the pump structure to be free from additional loads it was designed to handle. This internal misalignment is known as a
The four types of soft foot are Parallel Air Gap (Rocking Soft Foot), Bent Foot (Angle Soft Foot), Squishy Soft Foot, and Induced Soft Foot.

soft foot condition, where machine frame distortion changes the alignment between the internal bearings.

Circle 114 on Reader Service Card

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A soft foot condition is caused by bad bases; uneven and/or bent motor feet; bent, dirty, or too many shims; dirt and/or rust under the motor feet; and pipe strain. How is soft foot detected? When the pump system is not running, shaft or foot movement is detected by loosening a hold-down bolt. Under operatFigure 1. Soft foot remedies.

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Circle 113 on Reader Service Card

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ing

conditions,

changes in vibration can be observed when loosening a hold-down bolt.

Figure 2. Step shimming.

A soft foot condition can be detected by using feeler gauges under the machine feet loosen one foot at a time, measure the gap under each corner of that foot, tighten that foot again and repeat these steps for the remaining three feet. Dial indicators do the same thing set up a dial indicator on one foot, loosen that foot and record the dial indicator reading, tighten that foot again and repeat these steps for the remaining three feet. A soft foot condition can also be detected by using dial indicators on the machine shafts or couplings, or laser alignment tools on the machine shafts or couplings.When measuring with laser alignment on all types of soft foot, a foot indicates a soft
Circle 110 on Reader Service Card

foot condition when the values shown are greater than 2.0. If soft foot is detected, use feeler gauges to determine which foot to correct by taking readings at each foot, with only that foot

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loosened. The remaining three feet must remain tight. How do you fix this condition? A recommended source of solutions is found in Machinery Component Maintenance and Repair, Volume 3 by Heinz Block, which includes detailed checklists for rotating equipment baseplates. Figure 1 lists the basic remedy for each type of soft foot condition. To correct a parallel (rocking) soft foot condition, shim one or two feet according to their feeler gauge values. A bent (angled) soft foot condition is corrected by remachining the machine base, feet or both, and step shimming any bent foot (see Figure 2). A squishy soft foot condition is removed by cleaning the feet and base, using good shims, etc. Finally, eliminating the source of undue strain on the machine frame corrects an induced soft foot Correcting the machine frame distortion caused by a soft foot condition directly addresses the internal misalignment between the bearings of

the machine that leads to failed bearings, broken shafts, high vibration readings and the loss of competitive advantage in your pump operation. P&S

Pedro Casanova is the chief engineer at Ludeca, Inc., 1425 N.W. 88th Avenue, Miami, FL 33172, 305-591-8935, Fax: 305-591-1537, www.ludeca.com, pedro@ludeca.com.

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Circle 152 on Reader Service Card

condition.