Computational Systems, Inc.

Industrial Consulting Automation Research Engineering (i-care)

Willie T King

Kenneth Ralph Piety

Daniel L Nower

Raymond E Garvey

Rexford A Battenberg

Brian D Heise

Axel Christian Pattyn

Tristan Frederic J Lamesch

A system for managing the alignment of a plurality of machine sets includes a portable alignment analyzer for calculating machine moves tending to bring the shafts of a machine set into alignment, and a base computer. A database of alignment documentation for the machine set is maintained in the base computer, the database including alignment fixture setup data, machine dimensions and tolerances, by way of example. A data link at least periodically enables communication between the base computer and the portable alignment analyzer. When the data link is active, alignment documentation for the machine set may be selectively Loaded into the portable alignment analyzer, and measured misalignment data may be selectively Dumped to the base computer for storage in the database. The system allows previously entered and stored machine-specific setup information to be used for a current alignment job, requiring only minor changes in the field.

Centralized alignment management system

An alignment analyzer for facilitating the alignment of a machine set including co-rotatable in-line shafts includes a display device on which separate offset misalignment and angle misalignment components are displayed as a single point in an x-y coordinate system. The coordinates of the point are the individual misalignment components. Also displayed on the display device are curves representing 'acceptable' and 'excellent' tolerance ranges. The displayed point and the curves together indicate whether the combined offset and angular misalignment is within or without the 'acceptable' tolerance range, and whether the combined offset and misalignment is within or without the 'excellent' tolerance range. Also disclosed is a method whereby the amounts of offset and angular misalignment in a given plane are computationally combined to determine a combined misalignment amount for that plane, and then compared either to a value representing a tolerance limit for 'acceptable' alignment, to a value representing a tolerance limit for 'excellent' alignment, or to both values.

Alignment analyzer with graphical alignment tolerance display

A system including a mobile infrared thermography unit and a base station for automating the collection of thermographic data and for facilitating the efficient generation of reports. The mobile infrared thermography unit includes an infrared camera, a storage device such as a videotape recorder for at least recording thermographic images captured by the infrared camera, and a mobile unit computer. The mobile unit computer includes a touch screen display for presenting information to a thermographer and for receiving data and command inputs from the thermographer. The mobile unit computer is interfaced to the infrared camera or the videotape recorder for maintaining a record, either by tape position or date/time stamp, where thermographic images of particular equipment are recorded. The mobile unit computer includes a display operable to prompt the thermographer with route information regarding particular equipment to be thermographically inspected, as well as to suggest to the thermographer particular problems possibly indicated by a particular thermographically-observed condition. The base station includes a base station computer which transfers information to the mobile unit computer prior to undertaking an inspection route, and receives information from the mobile unit computer when the route is completed. The base station computer is capable of directly accessing and downloading particular infrared images recorded by the videotape recorder, employing the tape position or date/time stamp information.

Infrared thermography system including mobile unit

Growing community of inventors

Powell, TN, United States of America

Willie T King