KEVOS® MAKEOS · Maintenance
Rim and Face Shaft Alignment Corrections
How many shims should go under each foot of the movable machine to correct this misalignment?
Vertical (or horizontal) offset and angularity from rim and face dial indicator readings, and the correction at the front and back feet of the movable machine.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Rim reading at 6 o’clock (zeroed at 12) | mm | Total indicator reading on the movable coupling rim at the bottom, with the indicator on the stationary shaft and zeroed at the top (plunger in = positive). |
| Face reading at 6 o’clock (zeroed at 12) | mm | Total indicator reading on the movable coupling face at the bottom, zeroed at the top (positive = gap closed at the bottom). |
| Diameter of the face reading circle | mm | Diameter of the circle the face indicator tip traces. |
| Coupling to front foot of movable machine | mm | Axial distance from the coupling face (indicator plane) to the movable machine’s front feet. |
| Coupling to back foot of movable machine | mm | Axial distance from the coupling face to the back feet. |
Method and formulas
- Offset = rim ÷ 2 (positive: movable shaft low at the coupling).
- Slope = face ÷ face diameter (positive: movable shaft slopes down away from the coupling).
- Correction at a foot = offset + slope × distance to that foot; positive = add shims (raise), negative = remove.
- Example: rim 0.3 and face 0.1 mm: add 0.35833 mm at the front feet and 0.69167 mm at the back feet.
Limitations
- Sign convention as stated (indicator on stationary shaft, readings on the movable coupling); check yours before moving the machine.
- Indicator bracket sag, soft foot and thermal growth are not included.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Calculate shim changes after taking rim and face readings
- Calculate horizontal moves from side readings
- Check alignment before and after correction
Who it is for
- Maintenance engineers
- Reliability engineers
- Maintenance technicians
What you get
- Offset at the coupling
- Angularity (slope)
- Shim change at the front and back feet
Interpreting the result
- Correct soft foot first, then vertical, then horizontal; re-read after each move.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 2645–2650. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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Open the Rim and Face Shaft Alignment Corrections calculator
