Hi guys,

Can anybody suggest a method or an instrument for aligning pipes? It should align the pipes and should check the straightnes also.. Can i do it with SKF Fixture Laser?

Thanks in advance!!

Have a nice day!!

Ensure pipe supports are correct. If it's a spring hanger it should have been engineered for the pipe with the weight of the product in it plus insulation if applicable. Those hangers have alignment holes, so ensure they align.

Next; assuming you're bringing the pipe to the pump, compressor to hook-up ---- different gaskets require different spacing but the flangers should be parallel (hopefully within 5 mils) with no more than 10 mils for a 6" IPS pipe. With the flanges parallel you should be able to wiggle a bolt freely in every hole with no binding and hook-up the pipe while monitoring with dial indictors to ensure no more than 1 mil deflection. Basically; there you have it.

Always enure that thermals are growing away from the pump, compressor, etc... and not into it.

Hi Jenish.

I assume this question is related to machinery. For the pipes and their flanges that are bolted to rotating equipment, the stress/strain is used as an indication of a good alignment. Two dial indicators are installed to the machine's coupling hub (in the horizontal and vertical directions). Our criteria says that a maximum reading of 0.002 in is acceptable.

There is also another standard for the flange to flange alignment. If I'm not mistaken, a maximum of 1/16 in is considered acceptable in any direction. Free bolting (without a major alignment force) is expected.

Hope this may help a little.

I remember on a job a long time ago where we documented pipe/nozzle misalignment using a hand held strain gauge. We pulled the pipe using the strain gauge attached to the piping flange bolt holes and documented the amount of force required to get the desired alignment. This info was given to the stress analysis guys but I never found out what they did with the data. It was a construction/startup job so I didn't stick around to deal with the vibration effects. You can find similar equipment at most tool supply houses and I'm sure there's a digital thing out there now a days.

Please do NOT use 1/16" or 60 mils when 10 mils is maxium. If parallel is 60 mils you will have problems.

Hi guys,

All the information i got are valuable and thank you for that!!

By the way, the problem i have is something a little different. This is regarding aligning Thermix pipes to the guide ways in a rolling mill.. There will not be any physical contact between the two. The roll stock should pass through the guide way into the thermix where it is quenched by cold water.So what i need is a method to align the thermix bore and the guide way so that the rebar would pass smoothly!!

I will try to post a picture later!!
Have a nice day!!

I would suggest you may be in violation of company policy. I would run this through engineering first and ensure you are not letting out process secrets that may get you fired.

I am familar with this area.

Hi Sam,

Thatz a good advice.. I don't want to be fired now.. May be later.. SO NO PICTURES!!

But is there any way to align this precisely?Did anybody experienced the same problem in your plant?

By the way Sam, nobody know where i'm!!

Have a nice day!!

Saudi Arabia (unless you're not telling the truth). Al-Jubail industrial complex in a rolling mill unless you're now starting at the new complex closer to the camel trading region basically where they have the camel races or am I missing something?

I'm not sure but it sounds like you could use a optical alignment system.

Jenish,

For sure we know where you are and actually where you were before but i dont know where you will be if you were fired!

There is a laser system used for bearings bore alignment for long machines, this may probably help. Not sure what exact brand name but i guess it is Borealign.

Hi guys,

Locating someone is very easy in this time.. So itz not a surprise if someone like Ali locate me. We have technologies even to locate a small "Safety Pin" in Eastern US near Sam's office!! Ha ha ha..

By the way, i don't think i revealed any secret here..This plant is commissioned by someone outside the country or even outside the continent and they know every piece of equipment here!! We didn't kill them after commissioning like what "Yamashita" did!! So there is no secrets..Ha ha ha!!

Thanks for the information Shurafa.. I googled for it and found 3 results..There is one more confusion with this case!! The bore shape of one piece is rectangular and the other is circular!!I think our "Torch Alignment" is the best technique for this!!

I like to hear the technique you were using to align the Thermix from anyone working in rolling mills!!

Have a nice day!!