Automatic Active Ring Balancers
- In: Automatic Balancers
- Hits: 1269
/ 0
Automatic / Active Ring Balancing Systems
Automatic (Active) ring balancing systems are designed to correct unbalance in rotating machinery while they are operating. unlike traditional "off-line" balancing techniques, which require the rotating asset to be stopped and often disassembled while corrections are made, LORD balancers monitor rotating imbalance and provide real start-up and shut-down cycles. These permanently installed balancers are proven to reduce maintenance cost and improve performance.
The balancer is installed permanently onto the rotating shaft; sensors continuously monitor the vibration levels while running. When an increase in vibration is detected above a pre-determined level, the controller initiates an advisory message as to the change in state of the unbalance. It then instructs the balancer to make an automatic balance correction. Balance adjustments can be made during start-up, normal operation and shut-down.
The balancing systems provide the ability to continuously monitor the state of balance of the rotating system. Rather than "covering up/masking," a balance problem, the balancing system continuously reports the state of the system's unbalance, thus providing diagnostic information used to predict system health and optimise service outages.
These balancers have been applied to fans, pumps, turbines, generators, compressors, grinders, lathes, spindles, drive shafts and aircraft propellers.
Markets served & products available:
Process Industry Auto Balancers
- In: Automatic Balancers
- Hits: 1070
/ 0
Fan or Pump Active Ring Balancers
Our balancing systems have been installed in a number of industries including:
- Cement
- Chemical
- Foundries
- Glass
- Paper
- Steel
- Utilities
- Waste Water
The use of our balancing systems has helped to improve our customer's reliability, production capability and quality, while reducing maintenance and manufacturing costs.
Features & Benefits
- Improved Production Uptime
- Reduces unplanned downtime/emergencies due to balance related vibration problems
- Extends planned maintenance intervals
- Reduces start-up time
- Optimisation of Equipment Life
- Compensates for variable balance conditions: RPM, thermal changes, and material build-up
- Eliminates multiple starts by easing equipment through criticals during start-up and shutdown
- Reduces wear-and-tear on equipment
- Maximise Asset Availability
- Continuous monitoring/diagnostics
- Proactive analysis of potential balance problems
- Remote analysis capabilities
Fan Product Information
Balancers for Centrifugal Induced Draft/Forced Draft and Axial-Van Fans
Balancing systems are comprised of sensors, a controller and one or more balancers that make trim balance corrections to reduce fan vibration while the fan is running, at any operating speed or load. The system is able to compensate for variable balance conditions due to material build-up, temperature variations and changing process conditions. Balance corrections are made automatically or manually, minimising vibration caused by unbalance in seconds.
Features & Benefits
Cost Effective – reduces downtime and increases productivity. Trim balances equipment while operating, without a forced shutdown. Eliminates multiple starts and stops necessary for manual balance correction. Provides rapid payback on balancing system and installation cost.
Efficient – optimizes equipment life (bearings, motors, seals, etc.).
Adaptable – fits with existing condition monitoring systems. Operates in either automatic or manual modes.
Versatile – maximizes asset availability.
Reliable – performs continuous monitoring and diagnostics, on-site or remote. Eliminates unscheduled maintenance.
Fail-Safe – maintains last correction, even if power is lost.
How the Balancing System Works
One or more balancers are permanently fixed on the rotating shaft, and each balancer is surrounded by a stationary coil used to transmit power into the balancer(s). Sensors monitor vibration levels and transmit information to the controller. When vibration levels exceed a preset high-limit, the controller signals the coil(s) to pulse power to the balancer(s) to make a balance correction. The correction is made by the repositioning of two counterweighted rotors relative to each other, located inside the rotating balancer(s). Vibration levels are reduced as the rotors are moved, until the controller senses that vibration levels have dropped below a preset low-limit. The rotors are repositioned in seconds to complete the trim balance correction, while the fan continues operating without a forced shutdown.
RING Balancers for Turbo-Machinery
Our high-speed, turbo-machinery balancers are elegantly simple in operation. Counterweighted rotor assemblies mount permanently at balance planes on the shaft. A smart controller senses vibration and determines the best counterweight position. Rotor assemblies move electro-magnetically to their appointed places, minimizing vibration in seconds.
Features & Benefits
-
Balances-corrects multiple planes in seconds while your equipment is running
-
Dramatically reduces equipment startup time
-
Balances automatically or manually
-
Reduces equipment wear and tear, downtime and maintenance costs
-
Diagnoses equipment vibration response
-
Makes different corrections above and below critical speeds
-
Retrofits in coupling planes where field trim balancing often takes place
-
Accesses vibration inputs from existing monitoring equipment, e.g. Bently Nevada
-
Records all corrections automatically
-
Protects bearings, seals and other components during ramp-up
The Controller
The EM-2000 controller automatically controls and tracks all balancer operation. It senses vibration, determines the optimum balance corrections, and sends signals to the balancer. The controller can also interface to the machine control using either PLC I/O or an RS232 serial port.
The Balancing Ring
The operation is elegantly simple. The patented counterweight rotor assemblies mount permanently to the spindle shaft or rear of the chuck. A coil assembly mounts to the spindle housing. When a balance correction is required, power pulses sent to the coils electromagnetically step the rotors to the desired position in just a few seconds.
Non-Contact Power Transfer
Since the coils induce a magnetic field across an air gap, contact is not needed between the rotating and stationary parts. Therefore, there are no traditional motors, gears, slip rings or other wear parts — it is virtually maintenance-free!
The Software
With our Control Interface for Windows™ software, you'll have simple point-and-click control of the balancing system and manual control of the counterweight positions. This easy-to-use software provides detailed data and graphical displays that give you real-time information about your equipment and its vibration characteristics. You'll have spindle speed, synchronous vibration magnitude, phase angle, counterweight positions, alarm and fault signals right on your desktop.
Machine Tool Auto Balancers
- In: Automatic Balancers
- Hits: 1252
/ 1
Machine Tool Balancers
Balancers for Grinding Equipment
We have a full range of automatic balancers for grinding equipment.
The balancers have been designed to address the following:
- Grinding wheel wear
- Chatter caused by vibration
- High-speed spindles
- Precision Two – Plane balancing
- Machine Tool PLC interface
- Reduced cycle times
- Improved surface finish and dimensional accuracy
- Extended wheel, and spindle bearing life
- Grinder Balancing Products:
- Balancers for Low-Speed Grinders
Our balancing system for low-speed, high-precision grinders is comprised of five parts: balancer, actuator coil, sensor, controller and software. The balancer is mounted permanently onto the wheel hub and sensors continuously monitor vibration levels while running. When an increase in vibration is detected above a pre-determined level, the controller sends an advisory message to the operator and the machines PLC, either of which can instruct the balancer to make an automatic balance correction.
The balancers have been designed to address the following:
- Grinding wheel wear
- Chatter caused by vibration
- Machine Tool PLC interface
The Balancer
Consisting of no moving parts, the fluid balancer houses four connecting chambers each containing a high-density fluid and heating element. When an imbalance is detected, the controller when initiated activates the on-board microprocessor to direct power to the insert heaters of the heavy chamber. This power vaporizes the high-density fluid, forcing it to the opposite cooler chamber where it condenses into liquid, correcting the unbalance.
Balancing System Features
- Closed loop system, impervious to contamination
- Ability to balance at levels as low as the background noise of the grinder
- No moving parts reduces maintenance
- Rugged construction withstands the harshest environments
The Actuator Coil
The actuator coil has no moving parts. It consists of a stationary primary coil and a rotating secondary coil, which allows power and data to transfer across an air gap between the two coils. The actuator coil also works on oscillating or reciprocating spindles, and will operate at speeds up to 5,000 RPM.
The Controller
The controller continuously monitors vibration levels. When a change occurs which exceed a preset level, the controller determines the optimum balance correction required. Depending upon the mode of operation selected the controller will send an advisory message to the operator and the machines PLC (via either PLC I/O or an RS232 serial port) either of which can instruct the balancer to make an automatic balance correction.
Controller Features
- Data storage (vibration and balance coefficients)
- EEPROM storage of setup parameters
- Automatic self-calibration
- Reduces cycle time
- Improves surface finish and dimensional accuracy
- Extends wheel and spindle bearing life
The Software
The full-featured graphical user interface software provides the ability to view real-time amplitude and phase information in both numerical and graphical formats. Additionally the software provides the ability to view the fluid transfer operation, keeping you informed as to what is happening within the balancer.
The data history files store information regarding the machine's process and performance including: maximum/minimum vibration levels, balance frequency, wheel changes and machine sensitivity at various spindle speeds.
The software captures machine signature ad spectrum readings, providing valuable frequency response information through the entire spindle operating speed range. This information assists in identifying problems associated with structural components, machine resonance and foundations.
Balancers for High-Speed Grinders
LORD designs balancing systems for high-speed, high-precision grinders. The response of the system enables balancing corrections to be performed in seconds, and can be used on machines with automatic wheel changes.
The balancing system is comprised of five parts: balancer, actuator coil, sensors, controller and software. The balancer is mounted permanently onto the spindle of wheel hub; sensors continuously monitor the vibration levels while running. When an increase in vibration is detected above a pre-determined level, the controller sends an advisory message to the operator and the machine PLC, either of which can instruct the balancer to make an automatic balance correction.
The Balancers have been designed to address the following:
- Grinding wheel wear
- Chatter caused by vibration
- High-speed spindles
- Precision two – plane balancing
- Machine Tool PLC interface
- Reduced cycle times
- Improved surface finish and dimensional accuracy
- Extended wheel and spindle bearing life
The Balancer
The electro-mechanical balancer contains a balance ring, which mounts directly onto the spindle shaft or wheel hub. Inside the balance ring are two symmetrical counterweighted rotor assemblies which, when directed, move to create a net correction vector that will offset the measured unbalance. The counterweighted rotors are held in place using permanent magnets that are fixed to the rotors. These magnets create a holding torque, which prevents the rotors from slipping during normal operation, ramp-up or coast down. When a balance correction is required, actuator coil power pulses are sent to magnetically step the rotors to the desired position in a few seconds.
Balancing System Features
- Balances at spindle speeds up to 40,000 RPM
- Balances to levels below G-1.0 at speed prior to grinding or truing
- Balances the entire spindle assembly in seconds after each wheel change
- Protects spindles by monitoring vibration continuously and shutting down automatically if vibration is excessive
- Rugged construction withstands the harshest environment
The Actuator Coil
The actuator coil typically mounts to the wheel guard door. With no moving parts, the actuator coil pulses power to the balancer assembly. The counterweighted rotors are thus moved to the desired counter-balance position. The actuator coils contains sensors for monitoring spindle RPM as well as the angular location of each counterweighted rotor.
The Controller
The controller continuously monitors vibration levels. When a change occurs which exceed a preset level, the controller determines the optimum balance correction required. Depending upon the mode of operation selected the controller will send an advisory message to the operator and the machines PLC (via either PLC I/O or an RS232 serial port) either of which can instruct the balancer to make an automatic balance correction.
The Software
The full-featured graphical user interface software provides the ability to view real-time amplitude and phase information in both numerical and graphical format. Additionally the software provides the ability to view the balancer correction vector, which provides valuable information regarding the available correction capacity.
The ability to remotely access the software via Ethernet and configure the balancer while initiating the balance correction is a popular feature of the software package.
