KEVOS® MAKEOS · Mechanics
Machine Levelling Wedge Check (Drive Force, Self-Locking, Travel)
Can these levelling wedges lift my machine with the force I can apply, will they stay put under load, and is there enough wedge travel for the height adjustment?
Check of wedge-type levelling elements under a machine: load on the most heavily loaded wedge from the machine mass and its share, the force to drive the wedge under the load and the force to withdraw it, with friction on both faces (as the wedge force tool), whether the wedge is self-locking, the wedge travel needed for the height adjustment and the lift per millimetre of travel, against the drive force and travel you have.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Machine mass | kg | Mass of the machine. |
| Number of wedges | Number of levelling wedges under it. | |
| Share of the weight on the worst wedge | % | Share of the total weight on the most heavily loaded wedge (uneven mass distribution). |
| Wedge angle | ° | Angle of the wedge slope. |
| Coefficient of friction (both faces) | Friction coefficient on both sliding faces. | |
| Height adjustment needed | mm | Total height adjustment needed at the wedge. |
| Wedge travel available | mm | Travel the wedge design allows. |
| Drive force available (screw or tool) | N | Force the adjusting screw or tool can apply to the wedge. |
Method and formulas
- Load on the worst wedge W = mass × g × share.
- Drive force = W tan(α + 2φ); withdraw force = W tan(2φ − α); self-locking if 2φ > α, with φ = tan⁻¹ μ (as the wedge force tool).
- Travel = height ÷ tan α; lift per millimetre of travel = tan α.
- Example: the worst wedge carries 13.729 kN, needs 5,845.2 N to drive and 47.572 mm of travel for 5 mm.
Limitations
- Guided wedge with equal friction on both faces; the adjusting screw’s own friction is extra.
- Static levelling; vibration can loosen wedges that are only just self-locking.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Choose levelling wedges for a machine installation
- Check that wedges can be adjusted under load
- Size a wedge for a fixture or press bed
Who it is for
- Millwrights
- Machine installers
- Maintenance engineers
What you get
- Load on the worst wedge
- Drive and withdraw forces and self-locking
- Travel needed and lift per millimetre
Interpreting the result
- A smaller wedge angle needs less force and gives finer adjustment, but more travel.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 169–171. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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Open the Machine Levelling Wedge Check (Drive Force, Self-Locking, Travel) calculator
