Rotor Axial Movement Identification

Electric Motor Testing (EMT)

The Snell Group
The rotor and stator form a constantly changing rotating magnetic
field.  The magnetic field generated by current flow in the magnet
wire coils in the stator is enhanced by the stator core.  This
rotating three-phase magnetic field cuts through the rotor bars and
induces a voltage which causes current flow in the rotor and the
creation of a magnetic field.  The magnetic field in the rotor tries
to lock in with the polarity, at any instant in time, with the stator
field.  It is for this reason, the rotor and stator magnetic fields
interaction is extremely sensitive to rotor position, axially, radially
or a combination of both.  The rotor is constantly trying to center
within the magnetic field.  Any unbalance or misalignment results
in distortions in the magnetic coupling between the rotor and
stator. 

Of particular concern are motors with sleeve bearings.  There is

generally more axial play in motors with sleeve bearing than
motors with rolling element bearings.  Prior to coupling sleeve
bearing motors it is a good practice to run the motor and mark the
rotor position when it is in magnetic center.  Then couple the
motor keeping the rotor in that magnetic center position.   Rolling
element bearing rotors can also be out of magnetic center, but – it
not as common an occurrence.
Figure 1: Possible Rotor Axial Movement
Current signature is an excellent method for identifying axial
movement of the rotor.  The current distortion caused by the axial
movement causes a noticeable distortion at the fifth harmonic of
the fundamental for 60 HZ that would be 300 HZ.  The distortion
causes a split peak at the fifth harmonic.

Confirmation of the axial movement is also a simple task.  When

the motor is de-energized, place a mark on the rotor shaft near the
bearing housing.   Start the motor.  When the motor is running
observe the mark that was placed on the shaft by monitoring with
a strobe tachometer.  The mark will be moving in and out if axial
movement is occurring.  If axial movement is present, the motor
should be shutdown, uncoupled, magnetic center identified,
followed by re-coupling and alignment based upon the correct
location of magnetic center.  A very slight movement, just a few
millimeters is all that is necessary to cause this indication.
 Motor's or Generator Magnetic Center
Motor's or Generator Magnetic Center
Q: What is a motor's "magnetic center"?
A: Sometimes called "electrical center," it's the axial position that the shaft/rotor assembly will
attempt to maintain during steady-state running at rated voltage and frequency, without the
influence of any coupled load.
In the usual ball- or roller-bearing machine, the shaft position is fixed by the bearing mounting.
But in sleeve bearing motors, the bearing construction inherently permits mechanical
movement or "float" (typically 1A" or 2", depending upon motor size). Low sliding friction
allows the shaft to drift readily back and forth to seek whatever position is dictated by the axial
forces acting on the rotor.
Q: What creates those forces?
A: Like an elastic band, the magnetic field linking rotor and stator across the air gap will be
stretched if the rotor is pulled axially out of alignment with the stator. A restoring force will
tend to pull it back. Movement in the opposite direction will be similarly resisted. That location
for which such forces are balanced is called "magnetic" center because those forces are
magnetic in nature (although, as we will see, other forces may be present as well).
Q: Why isn't magnetic center necessarily the same as mechanical center?
A: In a perfect machine, the rotor/shaft would find its rest position exactly midway between the
limits of mechanical movement allowed by the bearing and journal relationship. Here are the
main reasons why that may not happen:
Differences between the magnetic structures of stator and rotor-in overall length, in flatness
and squareness of the core ends, and in the relative positions of radial air vents in the two
structures. These result from necessary tolerances in the manufacturing process. For example,
core stack length in a large machine is allowed to vary as much as a quarter inch. The result is
axial variation in the magnetic field "stretch," causing the rotor to move until the forces in one
direction are balanced by those in the other.
Non-electromagnetic forces that are not balanced endfor-end, because of differences in rotor
fan action. Winding connections typically cause air flow paths-and therefore fan pressure/flow
characteristics-to differ between the two ends of the machine. This effect is most often
observed in 3600 rpm motors.
Q: What difference does it make?
A: As long as the rotor does not seek a magnetic center that forces a shaft journal into
continuous running contact with a bearing thrust face, no harm will result from a difference
between magnetic and mechanical centers. Running uncoupled in a properly built motor, the
rotor will never move far enough to "close up" all the mechanical end play provided.
At the factory, if the magnetic center lies outside (or even dangerously close to) the boundaries
set by the mechanical end play, three corrective measures may be employed depending upon
how the machine is constructed. The most common is to shift the bearings axially in their
housingsmoving the mechanical center closer to the magnetic center. Some sleeve bearings are
fitted with adjustment screws for that purpose.
A second fix is to move the stator in its housing. Some designs permit that; most do not.
Similarly, the rotor core might be moved on the shaft-but large, high-speed machines seldom
permit that. Reworking or replacing the shaft itself, to change the journal positions, is likely to
be required.
Q: How much endwise force is involved when a motor is restrained against finding its
magnetic center?
A: The value is typically quite small Measurement is difficult because holding a spring scale
against the end of the rotating shaft introduces its own axial force. But motor bearings aren't
designed to withstand even these low values. Bearings with thrust capability could be providedat
a price.
Q: Is thrust the only issue?
A: No. Figure 2 shows another effect, largely resulting from the greatly increased magnetizing
current associated with the distorted magnetic field. But it is of little importance, because no
properly constructed sleeve bearing motor could allow such extreme displacements; they result
only from gross manufacturing errors.
Q: What about shaft movement during starting?
A: The rotor of an accelerating motor will usually "hunt" or "bump" back and forth between its
mechanical limits. That does no harm because it doesn't last long enough. At full speed, most
rotors will settle into one safe position. Others, particularly some 3600 rpm designs, may
continue to drift slowly back and forth, which some users find unsettling. However, proper use
of a limited-end float coupling (in accordance with NEMA standards) will constrain the shaft to
run in a safe position while the load is being driven.
Q: Doesn't that constraint involve some endwise thrust against a bearing in the driven machine?
A: Yes. But the magnitude is too low to constitute any threat to bearings normally provided in
such machinery.
In conclusion: We emphasize again that motor magnetic center often is not, and need not be,
coincident with mechanical center. The only requirement for safe operation is that the magnetic
center fall somewhere within the limits of the mechanical end play. To show that, users
sometimes request a "magnetic center indicator" as a motor accessory. This metal pointer,
bolted to the bearing chamber, shows at a glance whether or not the rotating shaft is "floating"
within the end play limits (shown by scribed lines on the shaft; the motor manufacturer may
also provide a third scribed line indicating the magnetic center as well, either in place of or in
addition to the pointer).
Thermal Growth
As engine and driven equipment reach operating temperatures, expansion or thermal growth
will occur. This growth occurs in all directions. Vertical growth occurs between the component
mounting feet and their respective centerlines of rotation. This thermal growth depends on the
type of metals used, the temperature rise that occurs, and the vertical distance from the center
of rotation to the mounting feet. Crankshaft horizontal growth occurs at the opposite end of the
engine from the thrust bearing. This growth has to be planned for when driven equipment is
connected to that end of the engine. The growth is slight if the driven equipment is bolted to the
engine block, since the block and crankshaft grow at approximately the same rate.
Horizontal compensation consists of using a coupling allowing sufficient relative movement
between driving and driven members. The equipment must be positioned so the horizontal
growth moves into the coupling operating zone, not away from it. One method is to position the
engine crankshaft all the way forward (towards the front of base). Position the generator shaft
back (towards the rear of the base) against thrust bearing. For generators without thrust
bearings, the generator must be positioned in the magnetic center. Adjust generator to half
(50%) of the total end-play of the generator and engine. Failure to do so results in excessive
crankshaft thrust bearing loading and/or coupling failure. Sufficient clearance has been allowed
if it is determined that the crankshaft still has end clearance.

CATEGORIES: SHAFT ALIGNMENT

Uncoupled Shaft Alignment – It Doesn’t Need To Be Difficult.
"shaft alignment"| "alignment targets"| "precision
alignment"| Verti-Zontal| "Fixturlaser GO Pro"| Alignment
tolerances
By  Brad Case  on October 13, 2014

The night before the OJT portion of a recent Fixturlaser GO Pro

Training class, at a Combined Cycle Power Plant, the shim
packs of the disc type coupling between a 3300 HP electric
motor and fluid drive began to fail. The machine was shut down
before any damage could occur and was waiting for our class
the next morning. Talk about good timing for a shaft alignment
training class! (Note: The other end of the fluid drive was
coupled to a boiler feed pump).
 
As the coupling was disassembled the shim packs fell apart.

 
Disc type couplings are fairly “rigid” flexible couplings that can
influence the rotational centerlines of each machine so the
class performed the shaft alignment uncoupled.
See:  http://thealignmentblog.com/blog/2013/01/10/flexible-
couplins-flexible-shafts/
The motor operates at 3525 RPM and needed to be set 12 mils
higher than the fluid drive to compensate for vertical growth in
the drive. 3600 RPM was selected in the GO Pro tolerance table
and +12 mils entered as the vertical target for the motor shaft
centerline.
The initial set of results showed why the coupling failed
prematurely. The vertical offset was more than 26 times the
allowable offset tolerance of +/- 2.0 mils. You can see how the
excessive vertical offset misalignment bent the shim packs,
when viewed from on end, causing failure at these areas after
thousands of cycles of excessive flexing.
The uncoupled alignment went pretty much to plan and was
completed in a couple of Verti-Zontal Compound Moves.

When performing an uncoupled precision shaft alignment with

any of the fully digital Fixturlaser Laser Shaft Alignment
Systems there are no special programs or settings that are
needed, just a few simple steps to follow when taking the
alignment measurements.
First, before registering a measurement match the inclinometer
values of the M & S sensor, at the top of display unit screen,
within .2 to .3 degrees as shown in this example below.
During our alignment the motor shaft (with M Sensor) was the
more difficult to turn of the two and was rotated first to each
measuring position using a strap wrench, then the inclinometer
value for the M Sensor was noted.  The fluid drive shaft (with S
Sensor) was then easily rotated by hand to match the S Sensor
inclinometer value to that of the M Sensor and the measurement
taken. Note: The shafts don’t need to be rotated together and it
is ok to break the laser beams.

Second, if one of the uncoupled machines turns freely just the

weight of the sensor can cause the shaft to turn when the
sensors are in a horizontal plane. You can use a steady rest to
rest the sensor against or counterbalance the weight of the
sensor to keep the shaft from turning. In this case the
mechanics simply hung the strap wrench on a bolt threaded in
the coupling hub opposite the sensor.
Third, when the electric motor has sleeve bearings the
magnetic center of the electric motor shaft (rotor) needs to be
reset before reassembling the coupling when finished. As is
shown in the following photo, the exposed motor shaft had been
painted with machinist blue beforehand and scribed to indicate
the correct axial shaft position for the magnetic center. Some
motors will have an indexing pointer and groove machined on
the motor shaft to indicate magnetic center.

Of course, as with any precision shaft alignment all “Best

Alignment Practices” should be followed by taking all
measurements in the same direction of rotation, checking for
soft foot, replacing cruddy rusted shims with clean shims (new
if needed) and by keeping the total shim count under each foot
to 5 or less shims.
       

LARGE
MOTOR
INSTALLATION
AND
STARTUP
Rotor Axial Movement Identification

Electric Motor Testing (EMT)

The Snell Group
The rotor and stator form a constantly changing rotating magnetic
field.  The magnetic field generated by current flow in the magnet
wire coils in the stator is enhanced by the stator core.  This
rotating three-phase magnetic field cuts through the rotor bars and
induces a voltage which causes current flow in the rotor and the
creation of a magnetic field.  The magnetic field in the rotor tries
to lock in with the polarity, at any instant in time, with the stator
field.  It is for this reason, the rotor and stator magnetic fields
interaction is extremely sensitive to rotor position, axially, radially
or a combination of both.  The rotor is constantly trying to center
within the magnetic field.  Any unbalance or misalignment results
in distortions in the magnetic coupling between the rotor and
stator. 

Of particular concern are motors with sleeve bearings.  There is

generally more axial play in motors with sleeve bearing than
motors with rolling element bearings.  Prior to coupling sleeve
bearing motors it is a good practice to run the motor and mark the
rotor position when it is in magnetic center.  Then couple the
motor keeping the rotor in that magnetic center position.   Rolling
element bearing rotors can also be out of magnetic center, but – it
not as common an occurrence.
Figure 1: Possible Rotor Axial Movement
Current signature is an excellent method for identifying axial
movement of the rotor.  The current distortion caused by the axial
movement causes a noticeable distortion at the fifth harmonic of
the fundamental for 60 HZ that would be 300 HZ.  The distortion
causes a split peak at the fifth harmonic.

Confirmation of the axial movement is also a simple task.  When

the motor is de-energized, place a mark on the rotor shaft near the
bearing housing.   Start the motor.  When the motor is running
observe the mark that was placed on the shaft by monitoring with
a strobe tachometer.  The mark will be moving in and out if axial
movement is occurring.  If axial movement is present, the motor
should be shutdown, uncoupled, magnetic center identified,
followed by re-coupling and alignment based upon the correct
location of magnetic center.  A very slight movement, just a few
millimeters is all that is necessary to cause this indication.
Abstract:
All motor rotors have an axial position called a magnetic center, which is the
location where the motor's axial magnetic forces are balanced. The magnitude of
these axial magnetic forces that hold the rotor in this position can vary greatly
depending on the machine size, speed, electromagnetic configuration and
mechanical geometry. Very little research has focused on this phenomenon and
other issues that can cause weak magnetic centers, floating magnetic centers and
multiple magnetic centers. This paper presents comparisons of calculated and
tested data to describe the axial magnetic forces and their effects. It also suggests
methods to strengthen weak magnetic forces. This condition exists in induction
motors, but is most serious in sleeve bearing configurations where mechanical rotor
endplay can permit violent and damaging rotor motion when weak magnetic
centers or multiple centers are present