Vibralign Blog

bearing health| bearings| maintenance

By VibrAlign Author on August 29, 2019

Bearings are essential to all rotating machinery. They are small but mighty–if bearings aren’t healthy, a machine will not function at optimum levels. In this post we provide you with some information and best practices for bearing installation and maintenance. Let’s start with the very basics–what are bearings? A bearing is a machine component that: […]

RPM| spectrum| VFD

By VibrAlign Author on August 27, 2019

How do you calculate the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) of a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD)? This is what we will go over in this post. A Variable Frequency Drive, which is most often abbreviated as VFD, is a type of mechanical drive system used to control AC motor speed and torque by varying motor input […]

bearings| grease| lubrication| oil

By VibrAlign Author on August 20, 2019

  Proper lubrication of bearings is essential if you want to maintain your machines at optimum levels.  Did you know it is estimated that 40-50 percent of bearing failures are the result of improper greasing/lubrication? That’s a significantly high percentage! So what can you do to ensure you are properly lubricating your bearings? Two things […]

bearings| F-MAX| frequencies| RPM

By VibrAlign Author on August 14, 2019

Do you know how to calculate F-MAX or even what F-MAX is? Knowing how to calculate F-MAX is an important part of vibration analysis because many different types of faults can be shown at multiples of the running speed, which is otherwise known as 1x.  But first, what is F-MAX? F-MAX means “Frequency Max.” This […]

Falcon| reports| SMC

By Chris Troutt on August 12, 2019

  One of the features of our SMC (Smart Machine Checker) and also of the Falcon is their ability to generate a report of the diagnosis directly from the unit with no PC needed. This can be accomplished by pressing the Diagnosis button on the right side of the screen after collecting all pertinent vibration […]

Laser Shaft Alignment| Leveling| Long Span Shaft Alignment| roughing in

By Steve Matthews on August 7, 2019

Recently, VibrAlign was called to consult with a customer to recommend a procedure and alignment tools for a very long-distance vertical pump alignment.  First, we will describe the machine and then how we aligned it.  This large raw sewage pump machine train begins at the driver level.  In this plant, floor levels are described by […]

cnc machines| history| machining

By VibrAlign Author on August 6, 2019

Machine tools and the machining industry have come a long way. Today, we see the industry beginning to utilize new technologies such as 3D Printing and IoT. Did you know, though, that the first CNC machines were developed back in the 1940s and ‘50s?  The technology utilized by these original CNC machines was known as […]

cnc machines| cutting tools| machine shops

By VibrAlign Author on August 6, 2019

Do you work in the machine tool industry? What kind of tools do you use on a daily basis? There are a lot of industry-specific terms and tools that it can seem daunting to be familiar with all the necessary tools and their functions. That’s why in this blog we wanted to lay out for […]

CNC| cost per part| machine tools| measurements

By VibrAlign Author on August 6, 2019

  The machine tool world can be overwhelming if you are new to it. You may hear terms like tolerances, CNC, CPK, surface finish, uptime, and cost per part thrown around, and it may seem like a foreign language if you are just starting out in this industry. We know that many people are just […]

cnc machines| coaxiality| machine tools| measurement| runout

By VibrAlign Author on August 5, 2019

If you’ve worked with machine tools before, you’ve likely heard the terms coaxiality, runout, cylindricity, roundness, and total runout, but do you know what each means? In this post we will lay out each of these terms so that you know what each means and so you are able to grasp the difference between them, […]

alignment| CNC| machine tools| measurement| MEAX

By VibrAlign Author on August 2, 2019

Are you having trouble holding tolerances on your precision machined customer parts? There can be many causes for this, but one reason could be that your machine may not be in alignment. How often do you verify that you turning center or multi-axis milling machine is within factory standards? A number of variables can cause […]

CNC| industry| machine tools

By VibrAlign Author on August 1, 2019

Machine tools are instrumental in creating a broad spectrum of objects–everything from large automotive and aerospace parts to cell phone cases to diminutive screws and board game pieces. Machine tools, and more specifically, CNC machines, are used to manufacture objects that require a high level of precision. These objects can be made out of various […]

CNC| level| machine tools| measurements

By VibrAlign Author on July 31, 2019

Leveling your CNC machine is a very important function that you can perform on it. A level machine is critical to optimizing its capability and essential to producing the highest quality of machined parts for a myriad of applications. If you work with CNC machines, you undoubtedly know the importance of keeping your machine level–it […]

data centers| HVAC| maintenance

By VibrAlign Author on July 30, 2019

Knowledge of HVAC systems is essential for data center workers since heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are so integral to the data center. A good HVAC technician will be familiar with a wide range of HVAC systems, controls, and installation methods. The skills needed for a thorough knowledge of HVAC include: Knowledge of refrigeration Knowledge […]

Balancing| trial weight

By Stan Riddle on July 26, 2019

In our last Balancing How-To, I stated that an initial trial weight is sometimes a guess.  Sometimes based on experience, and sometimes on common sense.  But if you prefer to be a little more scientific about it, there are ways to calculate a good trial weight. There are a few requirements to calculate a trial […]