We not only sell, but also develop, manufacture and implement balancing machines in a variety of industries and industries. Based on many years of experience, we can confidently say that 20% of customers choose a balancing machine that is not suitable for them, and about 50% choose a machine that is not the best option.
1. CONTACT AN EXPERT
If you don’t know how to choose a balancing machine for your service, then contact the experts – those who do this professionally, tell them about your need, and they will help. The manufacturer definitely has more experience, a broad outlook on solving such problems and has often done such projects before. Don’t “self-medicate” – it’s a long, expensive and often fruitless process. The necessary balancing machine can be bought quickly enough and successfully, if you know on what to focus.
2. WHICH PARTS AND HOW MANY OF THEM
Determine the type and quantity of parts per shift, per month, per year… If you need to balance something in large quantities, e.g. 10,000 pieces per month, you will probably need a special machine (or a universal machine with a special setup).
3. USE OFF-THE-SHELF SOLUTIONS
If you know the type of part, you can try to figure out if a universal machine is right for it or not.
From the other side, if we are talking about a cardan shaft or rotor of an auto turbocharger or dual mass flywheel, then everything is easier – there are models that are specially sharpened for these products and it will be easy to make a choice.
Lastly, if your part is: electric motor rotor, alternator, crankshaft, fan, pump – most likely you can choose from universal machines.
4. MACHINE TYPE
When you choose a universal balancing machine, the first thing to choose is a preresonant machine or a resonant machine with self-aligning rollers.
The pre-resonant machine is preferred in repair services because it has narrower supports and is more versatile. Such a machine is cheap to buy and operate. But the rollers are narrow, have a spherical shape and leave marks on the support (bearing) journals. If we are talking about the rotor journals, on which the rolling bearings will then be put on, it does not matter. But if the rotor rotates in plain bearings, then a resonant machine with self-aligning rollers is preferable.
A resonance machine with self-aligning rollers is best used for heavy parts weighing more than 3 tons and for parts that rotate in plain bearings, because self-aligning rollers damage the journals less. Because of the complexity of design, these machines are more expensive.
It should be noted here that most problems in engineering can be solved by both types of machines and if you go to a company that only manufactures one of these types, the solution they will offer may not be optimal. Because they will offer what they have.
5. WEIGHT RANGE
Note the weight range of the rotors balanced on this machine and how it relates to the weight range of your parts.
If your parts weigh 20-80kg, you can balance them on machines with a mass range of 1-100kg, 3-300kg, 5-500kg and 15-1500kg. It is quite obvious that a 1-100kg machine is best.
But in balancing machinery, there may be exceptions. For example, if it is a rotor of centrifugal fan with diameter 1000mm and weight 80kg, then machine 3 – 300 or 5 – 500 will be preferable. Such a fan can have an imbalance that is tens of times greater than allowed. In addition, it has aerodynamic resistance, which must be taken into account when selecting the drive power. It should be noted that the fan wheel is usually balanced on a process mandrel, the weight of which will be added to the weight of the product.
6. PART DIMENSIONS
All parts must stand on the machine, so consider their maximum diameter and the length between the bearing journals.
7.CHOOSE THE TYPE OF DRIVE
They come in axial, belt and combination types.
The belt type is versatile, but requires cylindrical drive surfaces and is therefore preferred for motor armature type parts.
Axial is less versatile, but better suited for parts with design features that do not allow the use of a belt (wheel sets), with moving parts such as threshers, and axial fans, turbines.
8.POWER
All modern machines have a frequency-controlled asynchronous drive and a frequency converter (but there are exceptions). We recommend to choose the balancing machine with a more powerful motor, because the acceleration and deceleration time will be proportionally shorter, which increases productivity. At the same time the part will rotate on the rollers less and therefore the rotor journals will be less damaged.
9.BALANCING SYSTEM
There are two kinds: PC-based and microprocessor-based.
The pursuit of modern PC-based systems is usually not justified. Before you buy a PC-based system, decide who is going to use it. If this person does not operate a computer at home, then there may be problems with the implementation of such a machine. However, such systems have additional programming functions necessary for balancing certain rotors. Think about whether you need them, and whether they are worth the extra cost.
Our experience shows that microprocessor-based systems are more reliable, easier to learn, less expensive and generally preferable for most applications. Our microprocessor systems, manufactured 18 years ago, still work. Computer balancing systems produced 7-8 years ago have a better repair rate than microprocessor systems produced 15 years ago.
Pay attention to what systems the manufacturer is installing and their range of products. He will give you a balancing system that is, and such a system may not be optimal for you. Also pay attention to whether he manufactures them himself. Because otherwise there may be issues with the subsequent warranty and service.
-
Industrial Computer BasedBALANCING COMPLEX PAK-1
The machine is intended for balancing of rotors of turbochargers (a shaft in 2 planes, and then wheels in 2 planes) internal combustion engines for passenger vehicles, trucks, agricultural and other machinery.
-
Microprocessor BasedPB-02M WITH GRAPHIC INTERFACE
The machine is intended for balancing of rotors of turbochargers (a shaft in 2 planes, and then wheels in 2 planes) internal combustion engines for passenger vehicles, trucks, agricultural and other machinery.
10.PRECISION OF THE MACHINE
These days, it’s fashionable to look at numbers and manufacturers often specify accuracies of 0.1 gmm/kg or even 0.05 gmm/kg. However, most parts in machinery are balanced at 1 – 10gmm/kg or 10 – 30gmm/kg. Decide if you need excessive accuracy. If you are making gyroscopes or electric spindles, yes. In all other cases, a machine accuracy of 0.4gmm/kg is sufficient. And the figures 0.1 and 0.05 are just a marketing trick. So you don’t need to choose the most high-precision balancing machine.
No manufacturer mentions the maximum unbalance that their machines can measure. In our conditions, this parameter is often more important, because often crooked or damaged parts with enormous initial imbalances come in for balancing.
11.CONSULTATION
Even if you know everything, and chose a balancing machine all by yourself, still ask the experts with the question, and whether I chose correctly. They will save you time and money. And almost all manufacturers give advice for free when you buy a machine. The main thing is that the manufacturer has something to offer you.