To All,

As our PdM program has progressed since it's inception 3 years ago, we have seen the value of every tool we have bought for predictive and proactive maintenance activities.

We are now looking at doing our own balancing in house to maintain an even higher level of machinery health quality.

I am sure I have left out some very good makers of this specialized equipment and I apologize in advance for any oversight.

Question:
Based on:
Service Support
Ease of use
Speed (accuracy)
Safety
Options
Computer System
and Cost,
Dollar for dollar, who in your opinion has the best 500 to 1000 lb soft-bearing balancing machine for both overhung and center hung jobs?

Choices:
IRD
Schenck
BalanceMaster
Precibalance
Hines
Hofmann

 

This message has been edited. Last edited by: noisemakr,

Forgot to add the word Balancing Machines "poll" in the subject line....

Schenck, BalanceMaster, Hines and Hofmann really do not make a soft bearing machine in this weight range. You might want to include Dynamics Research along with IRD in the soft bearing category, as these are probably the market leaders in soft suspensions.

Thanks for the info Earl. Unfortunently I can not edit the choices without resetting the count. I will look at the machine you referenced. Keep the votes comming!
Regards,

Earl,
What are the advantages of a softbearing balancing machine over hatfbrating machine.
Ib fact I would like to know the advatages and disadvatages of both systems.Can you please post some information about this?

Simon - keep in mind that the following is my opinion and not necessarily going to be viewed as "Gospel" by everyone. For smaller machines, say, up to 25,000 lb capacity, I prefer hard bearing suspensions due to simplicity of operation. Hard suspensions require crowned rollers, however, and this becomes a big problem on larger machines, whereas the flat rollers on a soft suspension do not cause any grief as far as journal damage. There will not be a noticeable difference in the sensitivity of either suspension, unless the hard machine is not suited for the proper weight range of parts. In other words, you could probably balance a 10 lb part to API standards in a 5,000 lb soft machine, but it would be difficult in a hard machine of the same capacity. Soft suspension machines will have a great deal of difficulty with gross initial unbalance, since they operate above the suspension critical and it is sometimes very difficult to get through the critical to proper balancing speeds. Economically, the soft machines offer generally lower sales prices than hard, due to lower cost construction. And, of course, there is the long term argument about being able to get a "first run readout" from a hard suspension vs. trial mass runs required of a soft suspension. The argument has some merit in some cases. Hope this helps.

We use a CEMB machine from Italy. We have several Schenck and IRD machines but CEMB the best. The CEMB uses force sensors and the computer unit is a standard pc using force calculations so the unit has good linear sensitivity. You get a 3D dual plane and static display for all rotor configurations.CEMB is much more cost effect than Schenck or IRD.It is fast, easy to operate very sensitive and low cost.

quote:

Originally posted by Bruce Shepherd:
We use a CEMB machine from Italy. We have several Schenck and IRD machines but CEMB the best. The CEMB uses force sensors and the computer unit is a standard pc using force calculations so the unit has good linear sensitivity. You get a 3D dual plane and static display for all rotor configurations.CEMB is much more cost effect than Schenck or IRD.It is fast, easy to operate very sensitive and low cost.

"Dollar for dollar, who in your opinion has the best 500 to 1000 lb Soft-Bearing balancing machine for both overhung and center hung jobs?"

I think CEMB uses hard bearing machines only. I agree they are pretty good machines.

Dave