When dealing with thermal growth, how should machinery be aligned?

When aligning machinery in the context of thermal growth, it’s essential to account for potential thermal expansion because machinery components expand and contract with temperature changes. This means that a machine aligned at room temperature may not remain aligned during operation when it heats up. By considering the predicted thermal expansion, you can ensure that the machine remains properly aligned when it reaches its operating temperature.

This process typically involves understanding the materials used and the operational environment, allowing for compensatory alignment adjustments to be made beforehand. Such foresight can prevent misalignment issues, reduce wear and tear, and avoid premature failure of components due to stress caused by thermal misalignments.

In contrast, aligning at room temperature without considering thermal effects can lead to complications as the machinery heats up, which can cause strains and misalignments. Ignoring temperature effects altogether can result in significant operational inefficiencies and maintenance issues. Likewise, aligning only after the machinery has cooled does not optimize the alignment process, as it does not account for how the machinery will perform in its operational state when it is most affected by thermal growth.