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RRJ ePump Alignment Toolkit Ownership - Order Today!

Pump and motor alignment professionals must see and try this new tool. The RRJ ePump Alignment Toolkit features the latest advances in shaft alignment technology. As a professional you know that misalignments cause premature failure of pump bearings leading to costly repairs and equipment downtime. Since precise alignment of the pump to the motor is so critical, you have windows of opportunities to offer alignment services.
 
Pump alignment fixture.There are other tools available in the market that perform similar functions. However, you will find the RRJ ePUMP Alignment Tool is the most cost effective, easiest to use, and most precise instrument available, especially for field installed systems.

The toolkit hardware shown in the photographs on this page, interfaces directly with software written by RRJ engineers. The software facilitates fast, easy, and extremely accurate alignment of pumps and motors used in the HVAC industry and other pump intensive applications.

The toolkit is designed to quickly and easily mount to the shafts of the pump and motor. Through the use of a bushing, various size shafts can be easily fitted.
 
Pump alignment fixture. For example, the photograph (above) shows an arrangement where the motor shaft diameter is 1 5/8” and the pump shaft measures 1 3/8”.

The standard toolkit will fit shaft diameters from 1” to 2”. Should you require compatibility for shaft sizes outside this range, you must specify your needs when you place your order.

Additionally, the standard kit includes extension bars of varying lengths  (shown to the left) to accommodate different size couplings and shaft lengths.
 
RRJ Toolkit PreciseAlign™ Software
The alignment is performed with the included PreciseAlign toolkit software. The intuitive and easy to use software is developed to be installed on Windows-based PCs. Installation is straightforward using Instructions found in the toolkit. You will need 100MB of disk space and Windows 2000, XP or better.
Pump alignment fixture.
The default blue PreciseAlign front panel background, shown to the right, can easily be changed to your own color preference with the click of a button.

The initial view of the PreciseAlignalignment program (click on the image to expand) displays a graphical representation the pump and motor arrangement.

In this view, the motor represents the moveable component of the alignment, and the pump is the fixed part. That said, it is the motor that is aligned vertically and horizontally. Shims are placed at the motor to align it vertically with the highest level of precision.

Alignment is accomplished horizontally by physically moving the motor horizontally by the amount calculated in the software results (thousandths of an inch). The objective is to align the pump and motor within .002” of each other.

The criteria you establish will depend on the specific circumstance and application. However, the greater the misalignment, the greater the risk of damage to the bearings. At speeds below 1000 rpm the alignment is not as critical but at higher speeds such as 3600 RMP, alignment is significantly more critical.
 
Mounting the Fixture and Performing the Alignment
Prior to mounting the ePump alignment fixture, it is recommended to perform an initial alignment using a straight edge to physically align the two shafts as closely as possible. The coupling is removed to do this preliminary alignment. Afterward the coupling is re-secured and the ePump alignment fixture is mounted into place.
 
Notice two digital dials are mounted on the shafts simultaneously. This arrangement is key to the degree of precision and ease of use of the tool. Two precision dials from Tesa, each with integrated with USB interfaces are incorporated and to the design. Therefore, two free USB ports are required on your PC. The kit instructions explain how to connect the USB cabling. If your PC only supports the RS232 interface, call to inquire about options. Note: The RRJ software only works with the dials supplied with your RRJ ePUMP Alignment Toolkit order.
 
There are two windows on the Front Panel computer display for Front and Rear motor feet shims. These values change as you rotate the shafts. The software dynamically calculates the size of shim required for vertical alignment. Positive numbers are used to add shim values as shown and negative numbers to remove shim values as shown. The program does require three measurements to be entered; distance between dials, distance from dial closest to motor and motor front feet, and distance between the front and rear feet of the motor. These are entered as shown on the graphical display.
 
To begin the alignment, you must position the dials perpendicular to the shafts. When positioned, click RESET on the front panel. This will ZERO the dials. Next, turn the dials 180 degrees. Please note that you must always turn in the same direction. Notice the size of the shims indicated on the front panel. Return the dials to original position to make sure the dials return to ZERO. If they do not, press RESET again and turn the dials 180 degrees and then back to the original position again. However, the dials must return to zero within .001”. If the dials do not return to ZERO, the stability of the system has been somehow compromised. This must be resolved before continuing. Be sure you keep constant torque on the shaft for stable readings.

For horizontal alignment, simply turn the alignment fixture to the 270 degree position towards the left or away from you. ZERO the dials and then turn the alignment fixture to the 90 degree position or towards you. Notice the display of shim values. These are dynamic in that, as you move the motor horizontally, the display will update dynamically. In this manner you can move the motor until it is within the .002" criteria. Use the HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT HELP button to determine in which direction to move the motor, dependent on whether you are getting positive or negative readings. There are also VERTICAL ALIGNMENT and PRE-ALIGNMENT HELP buttons.
 
Pump alignment fixture rotation view.During alignment, shims are inserted or removed. You may find yourself going back and forth as you get closer to the .002” criteria. It is not uncommon for the alignment to take several iterations. Ensure that constant and repeatable torque on the motor mounting bolts is being applied.

You should notice the shim values display changes. These are dynamic in that, as you move the motor horizontally, the display will update automatically. In this manner you can adjust the motor position until it is within the .002” criteria.

The entire process is simple and it is extremely accurate.

Comments and Tips
Alignment is an art, in and of itself. People who offer, or intend to offer pump alignment services must be aware of the on different causes of miss-alignment, and how to move motors and pumps, and additional circumstances that can affect accurate and proper alignment. This knowledge can be obtained by practical industry experience and research reading.

Be aware that if a motor is cocked, for example, you will never get to within .002” without resolving the issue. In fact, in our video example, the front left foot .005” higher than the front right foot. This was determined because the RRJ software kept hovering around .008” when trying to achieve alignment. There is a simple way to determine if the motor is cocked. Contact RRJ if you wish to discuss this further.

You can see that with the RRJ toolkit, alignment is made relatively simple. Using other brands of equipment it may take hours to simply check the alignment of a similar system. With the RRJ toolkit, you can check the alignment in minutes with exacting precision. In reality, the time required to install the fixture and connect the PC, is typically longer than performing the actual alignment. These features make make the RRJ toolkit a powerful and cost effective tool to implement as part of your maintenance programs.
 
Even factory pre-aligned pump systems must be checked for alignment after on-site installation due to possible transportation mishandling. Additionally, systems must be checked periodically due to thermal growth. The  RRJ ePump Alignment Toolkit is an easy to use, inexpensive tool for these purposes as well..
 
Optional Vibration Analyzer Plug-In for PreciseAlign Software
The Vibration Analyzer option is used after successfully aligning with pump and motor using ePUMP alignment toolkit.

The motor is powered-on and allowed to run for 5 minutes. When the vibration sensor is pressed against the motor, you select VIBRATION ANALYSIS on the PreciseAlign front panel display. The display will plot the Frequencies from 100 Hz to 100 kHz being generated by the running motor. If the motor is running at 3600 RPM for example, a peak frequency of 3.6khz will be displayed. Any other peaks will indicate possible miss-alignment. RRJ engineers recommend that you do the vibration analysis before and after alignment, and compare the two results. You will find that the peak values of the other unwanted frequencies will decrease.
 
Alignment Logging and E-Mail Plug-Ins for PreciseAlign Software
The RRJ ePA Maintenance Logger is an included plug-in for the ePump Alignment software. When you choose to activate it, the ePA Maintenance Logger automatically stores a permanent record of the alignment just completed. The Vertical and Horizontal alignment record is saved to a file. An additional option can be configured to email alignment records to designated email addresses.

The System ID, the Service Tech ID, Vertical and Horizontal values, and date/time are logged. Purchase this great tool to include in your Preventative Maintenance programs.
 
Elements reported by the ePA Maintenance Logger
Contractor: Pump Alignment Service Company          
Customer: Pumps-R-Us          
Time/Date Site Name Pump Number Field Tech Position Front Shim Value Rear Shim Value
10/24/2010 17:01 North Building 1234 John Service Vertical 0.002 0.001
 
Order Today - Choose the Toolkit that Best Fits Your Needs
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Standard pump alignment toolkit.Standard Edition Toolkit
The Standard RRJ ePump Alignment Toolkit, shown left, is packaged in a rugged oil-proof carrying case. Click on the photograph to enlarge.

Premium Edition Toolkit
The Premium Edition RRJ ePump Alignment Toolkit includes a laptop computer pre-loaded with the alignment software. A complete turnkey solution packaged in a single rugged carrying case.

For pricing information and orders email or call 505-259-0244.
 
 
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