A common misunderstanding is that sheave/pulleys are not significantly affected by misalignments. This assumption means that the industry has unnecessarily high electricity bills. Several studies have shown that proper alignment can lead to savings of up to 10% in energy costs alone!
Extending service life thanks to correct alignment is easy. And whichever of our tools you choose for belt transmission alignment it usually pays for itself within a few months.
Transmissions with several belts in width are especially sensitive to misalignment. It is easy to understand that the difference in belt tension between the inner and outer belts can differ greatly when aligned incorrectly. This reduces efficiency as not all belts are driven optimally. If one belt is worn then all belts must be replaced with new ones at the same time, which adds expense to the entire operation. Also, wide belts are affected more as the tension is uneven over the entire width.
Using lasers makes work faster and easier than with traditional methods such as rulers and cords. These methods usually require two people to carry out the work, one to hold the ruler and one to adjust the machine. Spotting small differences with the naked eye using these methods is both arbitrary and dependent on who is performing the alignment. Laser measurement systems are considerably easier to read. In addition, they are much more accurate. From the belt manufacturer’s side it is sometimes recommended that there is a maximum angular error between the pulleys of 0.5 to 0.25 degrees for optimal service life and efficiency. Such small angles cannot be seen with the naked eye without the assistance of a laser.
The Easy-Laser® belt alignment systems uses the pulley’s side surface as reference during alignment. This gives greater accuracy, as the contact surface for the tool is larger than if the tool was mounted against the radial surface. Also, any faults and damage on the pulley affect the result less on the side. The risk of wear and damage on the pulley is obviously greater in and by the groove where belts run.
A further advantage is that without extra accessories, all types of pulleys can be aligned, regardless of belt type. It is even easy to compensate for pulleys of varying widths. Magnetic mountings on lasers, detectors or targets make it easy to install the equipment. Even non-magnetic pulleys can be aligned as the units are extremely light and can be mounted against the side, secured by double-sided tape.
To find the system that best suits your needs, visit the belt alignment systems page.
