Shaft Alignment

and

Powertrain Vibration
Chris Leontopoulos

C1
Shaft Alignment

Definition

“Most shipboard configurations of shafts
and bearings are likely to be aligned when
some or all of the centrelines of the bearings
are offset from the theoretical straight line
condition, so as to achieve an acceptable
bearing load distribution and shaft slope.”
Design Process

“The classic alignment technique would
involve the calculation of the bearing
reactions following a quasi-static analysis
and varying of the bearing offsets until an
acceptable set of bearing reaction loads and
shaft slope is achieved.”

C2
Influence Parameters on Shaft Alignment

1. Bearing offsets
2. Thermal Effects
3. Loads (propeller, gear)
4. Crankshaft model
5. Hull Flexibility

C3
Case Studies

C4
 Design Trends

1. Increased engine power and reduced rpm

2. Increased propeller weight and efficiency
3. Shorter shafts (except container vessels)

 Hence, increased bending moments and stiffness and sensitivity on

bearing influence coefficients

1. Changes in propeller design

2. Changes in hull design
3. Increased propeller weights

 Hence, increased propeller loads, which affect shaft slope and hence
slope boring

C5
Alignment Related Failure Statistics

45
40
35
30
25
20
z
15
10
5

0
Bulk Carrier Chemical Container General High Speed Of f shore Oil Carrier Passenger Special Tug Yacht
Carrier Carrier Cargo Craf t Supply Vessel Purpose
Carrier Vessel Vessel

C6
Stern Tube Bearing

Stern tube
bearing
damage

White Metal Bearing Damage

C7
Stern Tube Bearing

Teflon Bearing Damage

C8
Alignment Related Failures

C9
Shaft Alignment

“The alignment process is critical as it involves high

risk consequences, which usually immobilise the
vessel.”

“ABS possesses extensive practical and design

experience on shaft alignment.”

C10
Shaft Alignment – Fundamental Principles

 The “simply supported beam”

C11
Shaft Alignment – Fundamental Principles

 The “simply supported beam”

C12
Introduction

 Demonstrate AVI

C13
Dry Dock

In Service -Waterborne

C14
Positioning the Bearings to Actual Design Values

C15
Alignment Procedure

 Optical/Laser/Telescope

C16
Alignment Procedure

C17
Critical Areas

C18
 Stern Tube Bearing Alignment

Desired: Even load distribution

throughout the bearing
length.

Ideal contact
between the
shaft and the
bearing

Edge contact.

C19
C20
Shaft Alignment Analysis

 Modelling of the bearing

reaction

C21
Propeller Loads Propeller operation in wake

field behind the ship

C22
Alignment Acceptance Criteria

1. Bearing loads (force, pressure)

a) 8 bar white metal
b) 6 bar synthetic material
c) 5.5 for water lubricated

2. Relative shaft slope inside stb bearing:

a) <0.3 mrad then slope boring is not required
b) >0.3 mrad then slope boring is required

3. Engine Flange bending moments in accordance with

manufacturers’ limits

C23
Alignment Analysis – ABS Capabilities
ABS Capabilities Shipyard Capabilities
Shaft Alignment Analysis Shaft Alignment Analysis

Hull Deflection – Shaft Alignment Expertise in Installation and Build

Interaction Process

Optimization for Shaft Alignment Shaft Alignment Procedure

Alignment Investigation

C24
Alignment Procedure

 Sterntube Frame Boring

• Vertical / Horizontal boring of
Stern tube frame

C25
Alignment Procedure
 Reactions Measurements
• Bearing reactions are
measured directly or
indirectly or both. The
most commonly applied
methods that measure the
alignment condition are:
– Gap and Sag
– Jack-up
– Strain gauge method
• The Sag and Gap
and the strain
gauge procedures
are indirect methods
to measure the
deflections and
correlate shaft
strain to the
bearing reactions,
in a “reverse
engineering” way. C26
Alignment Procedure

 Jack up method

Lowering curve

Hysterisis: difference in
jack load between lifting
and lowering Lifting curve

Resultant line - average

between lifting and
lowering curve.
Bearing reaction is then:

mm

C27
Shaft Alignment – Correlation

“Correlation between measurements and

design calculation is top priority”

C28
Alignment Procedure

 Strain Gauges

C29
Alignment Procedure

 Strain Gauge Installation Procedure

C30
Alignment Procedure

 Strain Gauge Installation Procedure

C31
Alignment Procedure

 Strain Gauge Installation Procedure

C32
 Shafting Alignment Measurements

Problems with alignment verification are often related to

our ability to have control over the following:

accuracy and reliability of the applied alignment procedure

reliability of the alignment calculation (modeling, loads,..)

ability to control factors which may affect/change the preset
alignment parameters (stern tube bearing slope angle,
bearing offset, etc.)

accuracy of the applied alignment verification method
alignment condition monitoring

skills of the engineers conducting alignment procedure and
measurement

ability to validate measurement method and obtained results

C33
Indirect Indications of Misalignment

 Crankshaft deflection measurements

C34
Indirect Indications of Misalignment
Axial
 Shaft
Eccentricity
diagnosed
through
vibration Radial
monitoring

Tangential

C35
Dynamic Measurements

C36
Dynamic Measurements

C37
Dynamic Measurements

C38
Dynamic Measurements

C39
Dynamic Measurements

C40
Hull Deflection

ABS have established correlation among hull

deflections and use the same data to predict
the hull deflections of the newly designed
vessel of the same type.

Collected data is to be applied in the ABS
Shaft Alignment Optimization software to
provide a basis for more robust shaft
alignment design, which will be less
susceptible to the alignment condition change
during the operation of the vessel.

C41
Hull Deflection

C42
Shaft Alignment Analysis

Refined FE model of the stern structures

C43
Shaft Alignment Analysis

 Alignment optimisation

Optimised shaft line

C44
Shaft Alignment Analysis

 Alignment optimisation

C45
Shaft Alignment Analysis

 Alignment optimisation

C46
Powertrain Vibration

“ABS possesses extensive practical

and design experience on vibration
of marine powertrains.”

C47
Vibration Acceptance Criteria

1. Torsional Stress limits (IACS)

2. Lateral and Axial Vibration

3. Torsio-axial Vibration (direct drives)

C48
Introduction

 Demonstrate AVI

C49
 Torsional Vibration

C50
Torsional Vibration – Barred Speed Range

C51
Torsional Vibration

Powertrain components
affected by torsional
vibration

C52
Torsional Vibration

 VIBRATION FAILURE

C53
Lateral Vibration

 VIBRATION FAILURE

C54
Lateral Vibration

C55
Coupling bolts

C56
Vibration Training using the Rotor-kit

C57
Practical Vibration Problems
Within the Classification Rules and beyond we have
tackled a variety of powertrain vibration problems
and issues, such as:

propeller induced vibration,

engine misfire,

barred speed range,

gear hammer,

coupling bolts failure,

crankshaft failure,

bearing failure,

tailshaft torsional fracture

vibration due to misalignment

propeller cavitation

shaft whirling
…………and many more

C58
Shaft Alignment and Powertrain Vibration

&

ANSWERS
C59
Thank you for your attention

C60