One Shot Balancing

By
Cindy McCoy
Applications Engineer
Computational Systems, Inc
Knoxville, TN

Abstract
Machinery balancing is an important proactive and corrective maintenance activity for many types
of rotating machinery. Conventional balancing methods require multiple machine startups and
shutdowns. However, there is a powerful balancing method that allows a rotating machine to be
balanced in one shot, for any number of correction planes. Using this method can reduce the
required balancing time for any suitable machine. This method, then, can lead to considerable
savings in downtime, startups, and labor costs for critical machinery.

Introduction
Balancing methods are well documented and usually well understood. The basic feature of any
balancing procedure is to measure the imbalance loads and their angular locations so that
correcting weights can be attached to the rotating part to provide a counterbalancing load.

To calculate a precise imbalance correction, most balance procedures require that synchronous
vibration amplitude and phase be measured and that one or more trial weights be attached to the
rotating part. This involves shutting the machine down to attach and detach the trial weights. The
machine must be shut down again to attach the final correction weights. For smaller, less critical
machines this is not a problem; however, for large machines, particularly those on critical duty,
this can be costly in terms of lost production time, increased machine startup stresses and
extended labor costs.

The one shot balancing method is extremely useful for machinery that cannot be started and
stopped multiple times to perform a traditional balancing job.

One Shot Balancing

For machines running below the first shaft critical speed, where the rotor can be treated as rigid,
there is a technique for balancing a machine in one shot for any number of balance planes,
hence the name one shot balancing. The method requires the use of a two-channel FFT
analyzer, an instrumented force hammer, one or more accelerometers and a phototach or other
means of generating a once-per-revolution signal.

The principal is simple. If we know the imbalance forces that are acting on the machine at each
correction plane and their orientation with respect to the rotating part, we can introduce equal and
opposite loads by placing suitable correction weights on the rotating part. Conventional balancing
accomplishes this by using several trial runs, with known trial weights at known positions, to
determine the sensitivity of the machine to imbalance loads. With this information, not only can
the machine be balanced, but also a trim balance, without having to repeat the whole procedure,
can correct any future imbalance.

In one shot balancing, the trial weight runs are replaced by controlled loading of the machine
structure, at the transducer locations, typically by impacting the machine with an instrumented
force hammer. The analyzer is able to measure and compare the input load (force) and the
output response (vibration) simultaneously using cross channel analysis functions. This gives
both magnitude and phase relationships between force and vibration over a wide range of
frequencies, including the synchronous component of the machine. This information allows an
accurate estimation of the imbalance loads to be made from vibration measurements during
operation. The impact can be carried out when the machine is halted for the correction weights to
be applied. The machine has to be stopped only once.
In the case of a single correction plane, the measurements and calculations are simple and
straightforward. If more correction planes are used, the procedure is still straightforward, but the
calculations are more complex, although not more so than for the influence coefficient method of
balancing. In this note, both the single plane and dual plane cases will be described.

Procedure
First, make sure that the problem is imbalance. If other problems exist, such as misalignment or
resonance, they must be corrected first. Determine a suitable mounting point for the
accelerometer. Remember that the machine will need to be impacted at the same location or at a
point immediately opposite the accelerometer. Attach the accelerometer to the machine in a
radial direction, preferably in line with the centerline of the shaft. A horizontally mounted machine
will probably be less stiff in the horizontal direction and a transducer mounted in this plane would
give the best results. Make sure that a suitable once-per-revolution pulse signal is available to
determine the orientation of the imbalance.

One Correction Plane

First, line up the phototach with the transducer to acquire the phase at the transducer. Acquire
the vibration spectrum, using the tach signal as an external trigger signal. Note the amplitude in
mils peak to peak, V, and the phase, θ. This phase is the lag of the vibration with respect to the
trigger. That is, the vibration high spot due to the imbalance is oriented at an angle measured
against the direction of the rotation from the trigger point.

Next, stop the machine. Set up the analyzer for an impact test, using the same parameters for
vibration as in step 1. Impact the machine at a point opposite the transducer and measure the
frequency response function (inertness transfer function) from force to vibration. Read the
magnitude, T and the phase, θ of the transfer function at the running speed of the machine. This
phase is the lag of the vibration response with respect to the load. Check the coherence; it must
greater than 90% to insure good data.

Then, calculate the imbalance load and orientation using the following formulas:
Magnitude, W = V/T
Phase, Ω=θ−Φ
This phase, Ω is now the lag of the imbalance load with respect to the trigger. It enables the
angular position of the imbalance load or heavy spot on the rotating part to be determined. This
orientation is also measured counter to the direction of rotation.

Finally, calculate the correction weight size and location. The correction weight size and location
must be chosen to produce an equal and opposite load to counteract the imbalance load.
Therefore, it is located exactly opposite the heavy spot identified previously. The size of the
correction weight depends on the imbalance load W, the radius of action R and the speed of the
machine N. The formula for the correction weight size, CW, is:

Where K is a scaling factor that depends on the system of units used. In fact, any combination of
correction weight and correction radius that satisfies the above formula will do.

Two Correction Planes

Acquire the vibration spectrum at position 1, using the once-per-revolution signal as an external
trigger signal. Use cross channel functions so that the transfer function between position 1 and
position 2 is also measured. Ensure that the coherence is high at and around the shaft frequency
and that the magnitude and the phase at the shaft frequency is consistent. Note the synchronous
amplitude, V1, and phase, θ1, at position 1 and the magnitude, T, and phase,θ of the transfer
function at the same frequency.

The phase θ1 is the lag of the vibration with respect to the trigger at position 1. That is, the
vibration high spot due to imbalance is oriented at angle θ1 measured against the direction of
rotation from the trigger point. The phase θ is the lag of the vibration at position 2 relative to
vibration at position 1.

Next, stop the machine and set up the analyzer for an impact test, using the same parameters for
vibration as in step 1. Impact the machine at points opposite the transducers at each bearing in
turn, and measure the frequency response functions (transfer functions) from force to vibration
making sure that the coherence is high at and around the shaft frequency. There are three
distinct frequency response functions: that of the vibration at position 1 due to a force at position
1, that of the vibration at position 1 from a force at position 2, and that of the vibration at position
2 due to a force at position 2. We will use the subscripts 11, 12 and 22 to distinguish these
functions. Due to reciprocity, the frequency response function at position 2 due to a force at
position 1 is identical to that at position 1 due to a force at position 2, which is why we do not
need to measure it.

Read the magnitudes, F11, F12, and F22, and phases, Φ11, Φ12, and Φ22, of the transfer functions
at the running speed of the machine. These phases are the lags of the vibration response with
respect to the loads at positions 1 and 2, respectively.

Then, calculate the imbalance loads and orientations. The imbalance will be a combination of
static and couple imbalance, corresponding to a different imbalance load at each correction
plane. Therefore, two correction weights and two orientations, one for each correction plane,
must be calculated. The results are more complicated than for the single plane case, but are no
more difficult than the usual relationships for the influence coefficient method of balancing.

The magnitude of the imbalance loads, W1 and W2:

The phase angles,α1 and α2, for the two imbalance loads are determined by:
Where:
The phases α1 and α2 are now the lags of the equivalent imbalance loads with respect to the
trigger. They determine the angular position of the heavy spots on the rotating part at each
correction plane. This orientation is also measured counter to the direction of rotation.

Finally, calculate the correction weight sizes and locations. They must be chosen to produce an
equal and opposite load to counteract the imbalance. They are located exactly opposite the
heavy spots identified above and have sizes which depend on the imbalance loads W1 and W2,
the radii of action R1 and R2 and the speed of the machine N. The formula for the correction
weight sizes CW1 and CW2 is the same for the single plane case.

Specific Unbalance Format

It is often convenient to specify the combination CW * R, called the "specific unbalance", rather
than the correction weight alone. In this case, the formula for different unit systems is as follows,
where N is the shaft speed in RPM.

CW * R Units CW * R W Units
oz-in 56.4/(N/100)2*W lb. wt.
gm-cm 912/(N/100)2*W kg. wt
gm-cm 8946/(N/100)2*W Newtons
Shaft Speed in RPM has been divided by 100 to make the numbers more manageable

Notes
It is recommended that for critical machinery, a coastdown measurement be made when shutting
the machine down. The coastdown can assist in checking for problems other than unbalance and
for confirming the lag angle of the unbalance, increasing confidence in the calculated unbalance
correction.

When making measurements on a machine with sleeve bearings, it is absolutely necessary to

have the shaft up on the oil film, to get close to the true operational bearing stiffness. The shaft
must be rotated manually or the machine operated at a slow roll before making the frequency
response function measurements. This method will not work otherwise.