LASER SHAFT ALIGNMENT TRAINING

Modern laser alignment tools check for three types of misalignment: parallel (offset), angular and a combination of the two. Both of the two main types (parallel and angular) can occur in vertical and horizontal planes.

Parallel (offset) misalignment occurs when the centerlines of the two shafts are parallel but not in the same line. Shafts may be offset horizontally, meaning they're offset to the left or right; or offset vertically, meaning they're positioned at different heights.

Angular misalignment occurs when the motor is offset at an angle in relation to the driven equipment. For example, if you were to draw an imaginary line from the centerline of the motor shaft and the centerline of the driven equipment shaft, the two lines would eventually cross rather than run along a common centerline. Angular misalignment can be horizontally or vertically misaligned. This type of misalignment can cause measurable damage to both the motor and driven equipment shafts over time.

Combination misalignment is a combination of misalignment types that occurs when the motor shaft incurs both angular and parallel misalignment.