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Top 4 reasons to schedule a Peak RGA service during holiday downtime

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If your facility is scheduling planned downtime during the holiday season, it might be a good time to book a Pruftechnik Peak Roll and Geometrical Alignment (RGA) service.

This total alignment solution combines ParAlign gyroscopic technology with an optical alignment laser device, making it the fastest way to align multiple rolls and surrounding structures in less than one day without compromising accuracy.

Peak RGA can increase efficiency, maximize planned downtime, free up maintenance teams, and bring a lot of value to those end-of-year budget dollars.

ParAlign

During a Peak RGA service, Pruftechnik alignment experts use a combination of tools to deliver a total alignment solution in a short amount of time. One of these tools is the ParAlign, a unique, proprietary non-optical measurement tool that uses military-grade gyroscopic technology to measure the parallelism of rolls in production installations quickly. The Pruftechnik team also uses optical alignment methods as needed or when aligning complex 3D geometries. This service is well suited to support a wide range of industries and their needs, including paper and pulp, corrugated, converting, and metal.

In many cases, the winter holiday break is the optimum time to halt production for select industries. Making the most of that downtime is crucial.

Here are the top 4 reasons to schedule a Peak RGA service this year:

1. Start 2021 more efficiently

Improve quality to meet your customers’ needs better and reduce wastes with the Peak RGA service. Prolonging the life of critical production assets is simply smart business. Misaligned rolls cause wear on bearings, roll covers, wires, felts and fabrics, and product deficiencies. A Peak RGA service proactively mitigates wear and tear and extends the life of your parts and machines.

Some other benefits include:

  • Reducing folds, creases, and web tracking
  • Ensuring uniform thickness, moisture, winding, and surface density
  •  Stretching, warping, telescoping, and web breaks

   

2. Make the most of scheduled downtime

ParAlign can measure up to 100 rolls a day, making it faster than any other roll alignment service on the market today. The setup procedure and measuring process are quick and efficient. ParAlign results are instantaneously displayed, enabling corrections to be made rapidly and adjusted rolls to be re-measured immediately.

ParAlign can even measure rolls in enclosed sections or across multiple levels because, unlike optical measurement systems, it does not require a line of sight. No baseline is needed for ParAlign measurement since the offset is defined in relation to a reference roll. However, if the baseline is needed for your project, an optical laser device can collect that data.

Plus, the ParAlign service includes on-site results and evaluation, including a full report of diagnosis, measurement, and resulting alignment fixes that provide instant validation to the service.

Example: Final ParAlign Results Report

 

3. Free-up your maintenance team

Not only does the Peak RGA service free up your maintenance team, but perhaps one of the best features is that there will be more time and resources to focus on other preventative tasks long-term. Rather than constantly fighting to keep your machine running, you can preemptively dedicate more energy to improving your machine and your product’s quality. This is especially helpful if your team is a skeleton crew or you’re scheduling downtime at multiple facilities.

4. Spend your budget by the end of the year

If you’re lucky enough to have maintenance dollars that need allocation before the end of the year, the ParAlign service benefits make fiscal sense. If you’re looking to extend your machines’ overall life, measure and fix quality issues, or are interested in a full report that validates the maintenance expense, then consider scheduling a Peak RGA service today.

Service worker using ParAlign to transfer data to a PC

Last but not least – Safety is a priority

Our updated 2020 ParAlign service protocols include following local governmental guidelines, such as wearing proper PPE, sanitization, and practicing social distancing. We also require employees and customers to fill out health screening questionnaires.

Learn more: https://www.paralign.com/lp/paralign/page.en.html

 

Related article:

Corrugator machine alignment using ParAlign and a Faro laser tracker

Corrugator machine alignment using ParAlign and a Faro laser tracker

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By Chelsea Fiegel

Fluke Reliability’s alignment team traveled to a client’s corrugated board production plant to perform an alignment service on a corrugator machine. Implementing a new methodology that required using the Pruftechnik ParAlign Roll Alignment system in combination with a Faro Laser Tracker, the team measured the entire wet-end, encompassing 126 rolls, and all 15 hot plates in a single weekend. Adding the Faro Tracker applications to the ParAlign procedure gave the Fluke Reliability Service team the resources to provide a comprehensive alignment, as opposed to more limited conventional alignment methods.

Figure 1. Corrugated board production. Illustration by Fefco.org
Figure 1. Corrugated board production. Illustration by Fefco.org

 

About the ParAlign technique

The ParAlign device encompasses three ring-laser gyroscopes positioned in the x, y, and z directions, respectively. The gyroscopes, a product of Honeywell, are often used in military aerospace/aircraft applications. The gyroscopes measure the roll, pitch, and yaw of the ParAlign device as it is swept across the circumference of the roll. A minimum of 20 degrees of sweep is needed to measure the center axis of the roll.

As points are collected along the arc, the corresponding software will equate an angle through geometrical equations and utilize the length from bearing to bearing of each roll to determine the horizontal and vertical offsets. The graphical, easy-to-interpret reporting format allows mechanics to easily understand what adjustments need to be made and to then properly make the corrections with precision shims and dial indicators. Each roll measurement takes roughly 30 seconds, which allows entire machines to be measured in less than six hours.

Figure 2. The Pruftechnik ParAlign Roll Alignment system
Figure 2. The Pruftechnik ParAlign Roll Alignment system

The reporting is a two-dimensional representation of the parallelism of rolls relative to the reference rolls. For the corrugator industry, the reference is typically referred to as the bottom preheat of the triple stack. As an example, Figure 3 displays three measured rolls with their respective vertical and horizontal offsets. The blue roll indicates the reference roll. The green circle represents the operator side of the machine and the red circle represents the drive side. Interpreting the results, the roll on the right is positioned 0.069″ high and 0.001″ left of the reference roll on the operator side. To adjust this roll, one would adjust the operator side of the roll down 0.069″. Additionally, if an adjustment is only available on the drive side, a 0.069″ shim can be placed under the drive side bearing of the roll to correct the misalignment.

Figure 3. ParAlign reporting example of three rolls with vertical and horizontal offsets.
Figure 3. ParAlign reporting example of three rolls with vertical and horizontal offsets.

The software can change the reference roll at any time to show all relative offsets to the newly selected roll. In particular, this comes in handy when observing the misalignment in certain sections, such as modul facers with corresponding splicing units.

 

In-depth description of the corrugator alignment service

The wet-end of the corrugator housed a total of 126 rolls, all of which were measured within the first five hours of Day 1. The crew spent the rest of the first day making adjustments to 37 of the rolls found to be initially misaligned.

  • The rolls were adjusted by the in-house maintenance staff to the tolerance of +/- 0.030″ in the vertical and horizontal directions.
  • The ParAlign segment of the service involved measuring all rolls located within components from the double backer to the first splicing unit.
  • Of the 89 rolls measured, 45 were adjusted and re-measured to determine final position.
  • The rolls were adjusted to achieve a tolerance of +/- 0.030″.
  • The rolls that were not able to meet the tolerance were either constricted due to a pre-existing framework layout or bolt-bound conditions.

Major adjustments included lifting the operator side of the tail pulley framework roughly 0.150″ to align the beginning of the double backer to the bottom preheater of the triple stack. Once this adjustment was completed, the team used the Faro Laser Tracker to measure the leading edge of the first hot plate and the trailing edge of the last hot plate to cultivate an ideal plane to use as a reference for the hot plate alignment.

Figure 4. The Faro Laser Tracker.
Figure 4. The Faro Laser Tracker.

The objective was to align the leading edge of each hot plate so that it lay no more than 0.010″ below the previous plate. Initial measurements of the plates indicated that the plates did not gradually incline as they should, but rather, they drooped in the middle to form an arc. This data was collected by measuring each corner of each hot plate and relating its position to the generated ideal plane. Correcting the misalignment required some plate corners to be adjusted over 0.100″. The alignment of the plates can be viewed in the corresponding images below.

Figure 5. Initial hot plate measurements taken with the Faro Laser Tracker
Figure 5. Initial hot plate measurements taken with the Faro Laser Tracker
Figure 6. Final hot plate measurements (after adjustments)
Figure 6. Final hot plate measurements (after adjustments)
Figure 7: Screen capture of initial ParAlign results.
Figure 7: Screen capture of initial ParAlign results. The green circle represents the operator side of the machine and red represents the drive. All offsets are relative to the reference roll (labeled blue). In such an image, one can easily understand the amount of misalignment present as the more red that is seen, the more misalignment there is.
Figure 8. Screen shot of final ParAlign results (after adjustments).
Figure 8. Screen shot of final ParAlign results (after adjustments). After adjustments were made, each ‘moved’ roll was re-measured to show new positioning. Observing the amount of red that has been removed from the image makes it possible to determine how much misalignment was corrected.

 

Conclusion

Performing this alignment across the corrugator yielded improvements, including eliminating wrinkle problems, twist warp, and delamination or bonding issues. The client saw a noticeable difference in machine performance and product quality. In addition, the board now lay flat across the machine, using less starch with minimal adjustments needed.

 

Chelsea Fiegel is a Prüftechnik Sales and Application Engineer for Fluke Reliability.

6 reasons why PRÜFTECHNIK laser alignment systems are No. 1

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Laser shaft alignment is the fastest, most precise way to align rotating equipment.  Prüftechnik, the inventor of laser shaft alignment, leads the way for cutting-edge technology, including our exclusive, game-changing Single-laser technology. Here’s a quick overview of why we’re #1.

To download the “6 reasons why PRÜFTECHNIK laser alignment systems are No. 1,” click here.

Customer loves his ROTALIGN Touch: “This tool is not going to let me down”

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RotAlign TouchNot everyone relishes doing difficult jobs at work. But Matt Joinson, owner-operator of Jaffray Millwright and Welding located in Jaffray, British Columbia, enjoys projects that may seem daunting.

“I like them all to be a little bit challenging—something different, something interesting,” he says.

Joinson works on a range of machinery across several industries, including lumber and mining. When every job offers new challenges and settings, it’s crucial to have reliable, consistent, easy-to-use tools.

One of Joinson’s go-to tools is the RotAlign Touch laser shaft alignment system from Prüftechnik. Leveraging its Adaptive Alignment features, such as single-laser technology and Active Situational Intelligence, Joinson can work on multiple machinery types—even in rugged environments.

He appreciates that the RotAlign Touch is designed for maximum durability in even the harshest conditions. He often labors in workplaces where the system’s waterproof, dustproof, and scratch- and temperature-resistant features may be put to the test.

“It’s reliable,” Joinson says. “I just know when I go in there and turn that thing on, it’s going to work. I trust it isn’t going to break on me when I’m using it. Everything is made well. This tool is not going to let me down.”

The biggest machines that Joinson services are not always the most difficult of his jobs. Sometimes small machines come with big problems.

“The most challenging ones, I find, are the smaller 75-horsepower units. The bases are in bad condition; you’re in a tight area,” He continued. “Those are probably the most difficult—they tend to have funny little issues you wouldn’t normally run into.”

Adaptive Alignment: ‘Move Simulator saved us a ton of effort’

When working in multiple industries and at various sites, your tools need to offer consistency and repeatability. The RotAlign Touch does, says Joinson.

“It’s accurate. It has repeatability. You have to have that.”

One of the distinguishing features of the RotAlign Touch is Virtual Move Simulator, or VMS. VMS simulates horizontal and vertical movements to calculate the moves needed to precisely align shaft couplings—it can even simulate the alignment of multiple couplings at once.

To use VMS, a millwright measures the alignment of the assets, enters an estimated amount of change or shimming, and gets predicted results on the screen. If the virtual moves will precisely align the couplings, the screen displays a smiley face.

VMS helped Joinson on a recent job. “The Move Simulator helped us make decisions on the most efficient and effective moves,” he says. “Having that helped us power through a job on a big conveyor drive. We were doing a pretty unconventional thing at the customer’s request. The RotAlign Touch made it easier.”

The RotAlign Touch can address almost any alignment situation and a wide range of asset types. Adaptive Alignment, a term used by Pruftechnik to describe specific features in alignment products, helps users make as few movements as possible while increasing the accuracy of alignment—regardless of the location, team, or other unique environmental factors.

“I did a reasonably large machine earlier this year, and the measurement features were able to deal with the backlash and the rough surfaces. The good-quality sliding bracket really made my job a lot easier when I had a fixed machine to deal with. It worked seamlessly, and I had repeatable measurements. On the same job, they asked me if I could do a machine train.”

Machine trains are more complex to align, but the RotAlign Touch kept it straightforward.

“I had good luck doing a machine train, and it was kind of an unconventional process they wanted me to do. It all worked out really well,” he continued. “There were two gearboxes, around 40,000 pounds apiece. The couplings were really large in diameter. The RotAlign Touch made that job go a lot smoother—everything was straight and true. It was quite a long process, and the battery held out all day.”

RotAlign Touch is a value from every angle

Joinson values his RotAlign Touch for reasons big and small. Prüftechnik goes to lengths to ensure build quality, customer value of features, and other such details. The goal being a product that customers will rely on for decades to come.

“The touch interface is good, even wearing gloves. The slide caps over the safety lenses—the Prüftechnik ones are robust compared to other brands. It’s those little things that really bring it over the top. And it’s easy to clean at the end of a job.”

According to Joinson, “When you work in mining, a clean tool matters.”

Matt Joinson can be reached at [email protected]

Related articles:

How Live Move reduces alignment time and increases precision 

What does it mean for a laser shaft alignment system to be adaptive?

What makes SHAFTALIGN Touch adaptive?

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ShaftAlign Touch

ShaftAlign Touch offers the precision, cloud capabilities, and other benefits of advanced laser shaft alignment in a rugged, user-friendly tool. But the most unique of its many features may be just how adaptive it is.

Adaptive Alignment is a combination of technologies enabling even novice users to consistently and accurately align assets. Single-laser technology is a vital hardware component of Adaptive Alignment, while Active Situational Intelligence (ASI) is a critical element of the software side. Together, they differentiate Prüftechnik from all other laser shaft alignment systems on the market today.

Facilities that could not justify spending the time and training on laser shaft alignment can benefit from the ShaftAlign Touch features. When machines are aligned correctly, they use less energy and don’t require frequent replacement of bearings and seals.

There are three specific ways in which ShaftAlign Touch is adaptable.

ShaftAlign Touch Adapting to the Asset

Adapting to the asset

The ShaftAlign Touch can be used to identify and handle horizontal, vertical, and angular alignment challenges. The integrated RFID machine identification reader ensures that users can find the correct machine and see its alignment history. The Machine Flip feature allows technicians to align machines are obstructed. And measurements can be taken no matter how severe the misalignment.

Adapting to the situation

Single-laser technology offers quick setup and adjustment, saving time and frustration. No pre-alignment or rough alignment is needed. A large touchscreen, straightforward workflow, and guided user interface make the tool easy to use. Problem-solving with ASI software delivers corrective feedback to users.

Adapting to the team

The ShaftAlign Touch empowers every team member, regardless of experience level, to align almost any asset with precision and speed. Low-quality measurements, whether caused by the user or backlash, are exposed and can be filtered out.

This capability provides users with reliable, repeatable results—no matter who on the team is performing the measurement. Also, ARC 4.0 software sends measurements to the cloud in real time, making it possible to confer and collaborate with colleagues or consultants anywhere in the world. The ShaftAlign Touch is the only entry-level laser alignment system with cloud connectivity.

ShaftAlign Touch Cloud Schema

With the new ShaftAlign Touch, maintenance teams can affordably switch from their decades-old legacy tools to the latest premium digital system without budgeting extra time or money for training.

When even novice users can succeed at completing most alignment jobs, machines will run better and longer. Downtime and maintenance spending will show a downward trend.

4 ways to put PRÜFTECHNIK remote services and solutions to work

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online condition monitoring remote services“Remote” became a household word for many working families in 2020. For the Prüftechnik Service Center team, “remote” became the best way to continue serving businesses worldwide during the pandemic.

Fortunately for our customers, the Prüftechnik Service Center clearly understands how remote solutions can help companies be productive and effective, especially during a global pandemic. The Service Center can leverage the vast storehouse of its team members’ practical knowledge and expertise and make available through online channels. Its service technicians have years, even decades, of experience in industrial maintenance. They are globally recognized and sought-after specialists in machinery alignment, machine trains, shafts and couplings, geometric alignment, vibration analysis, and condition monitoring.

Here are four ways to apply Prüftechnik expertise and experience to your situation.

1. Online condition monitoring

Prüftechnik has extensive experience and several ISO CAT I-IV experts in condition monitoring and vibration diagnosis and analysis. After the coronavirus’s global advance, the company enhanced the capabilities of its online condition monitoring and remote vibration analysis to provide pragmatic solutions for its customers.

Using stationary sensors, condition data is permanently stored at the machine and in a data center or cloud (via MQTT protocol). In-house specialists can perform the analysis, or the Prüftechnik Service Center can conduct it by accessing the data online. The data can also be analyzed remotely via software on a home PC.

Prüftechnik Online Condition Monitoring is a proven solution for the long-term (centralized) monitoring of machines and systems, even in difficult to access or geographically diverse locations.

2. Remote communication and knowledge transfer

Typically, Prüftechnik service technicians will visit a customer’s premises to address difficult challenges. However, travel restrictions and other constraints often prevent direct contact between customers and service technicians. Still, the Prüftechnik Service Center team continues to apply its expert knowledge for developing effective, sustainable solutions.

One of the silver linings that has come out of the focus on remote communication is the successful transfer of knowledge among customers and service experts. For example, Microsoft’s communication tool, Teams, is ideal for transferring know-how to a customer’s on-site service staff. At the same time, the employees involved can receive practical training through remote instructions.

3. Augmented reality

The latest innovation from the Prüftechnik Service Center team is a significant advance in augmented reality (AR) eyewear. AR makes it possible for the service technicians to see directly what the maintenance technician on-site sees and does. The service technician’s instructions appear projected onto the inside of the lens.

In this way, work can be carried out hand in hand as a team without a physical presence on site. Prüftechnik Services professionals in Poland are taking their first successful steps in AR using a large-scale project in Iraq. Other Prüftechnik Service Centers will soon offer this technology as a service solution.

4. Online courses and webinars

Prüftechnik in 2020 experienced enormous demand for online courses. Especially popular have been the free webinars lasting about one hour. Due to this strong response, we intend to expand this segment in the future.

At the same time, paid and certified online seminars are also generating a high response. The reason is obvious: If Prüftechnik consultants can no longer come to the company, you need your own specialists on-site—and these new experts can receive knowledge remotely via webinars and training courses from Prüftechnik.

If you’d like more information on Prüftechnik training and support, visit these pages on Prüftechnik.com.