What is the difference between these two terms?

I consider the soleplate to be the plate that is attached to the concrete, that is grouted in place. Sometimes the machine bolts directly to the soleplate, but quite often not. I consider the baseplate to be whatever the 'base' of the machine (motor, pump, fan, etc) bolts to. This is just how I perceive it. There may be a more technical difference.

Electricpete,

Essentially they are one and the same, it's just a terminology difference.

quote:

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Bedpiece \Bed"piece`\, Bedplate \Bed"plate`\, n. (Mach.)
The foundation framing or piece, by which the other parts are supported and held in place; the bed; -- called also baseplate and soleplate.

quote:

Cheers...Rajan

API 617 on compressors has a good deal on this topic. Look at section 3.3 in chapter 1.

Also, API 686 on installation, plus other API documents.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: William_C._Foiles,

Rusty,
I work in a papermill and you're definition or soleplate and baseplate is the same as ours. the soleplate for us is the plate mounted to the concrete that the papermachine is bolted to. A baseplate could have a motor or fan mounted to it and be attatched to metal framework in the air or on the wall.

This may not be correct, but when I have a machine on a I-beam skid I refer to the plate the machine is mouted to as the base plate. When it is a piece of steel gouted onto a chuck of concrete I'd call that a sole plate...

As stated by others, I agree that the mounting plate that the machine is built on is the "Baseplate". The foundaiton that the machine is installed on consists of a permanent structure that includes a "Sole Plate" that the machine is fastened to.

Machine base plates come and go, but the sole plates linger on........