A Unified Alignment Model for Rotating Machinery

The paper describes a unified approach to the alignment of rotating machinery, such as turbines, shafts, rollers, and kilns. It was developed in the context of the Industrial Alignment Project at the University of Calgary which is a cooperative venture between a number of researchers at the university and thirteen companies. The main idea behind this modelling effort was the creation of a common framework in which the observables coming from different sensors could be compared in a consistent manner. The following discussion includes measurements from dial indicators, laser alignment systems, coordinate recording theodolites, CCD cameras and inertial sensors. An example of a dynamic alignment is given to illustrate the usefulness of such an approach to real-life alignment problems.