Balancing

Balancing of shafts
Author: Leicester College
Date created:
Date revised: 2009
Abstract:
The requirement to provide balance for rotating systems is a vital component in ensuring long, reliable service. This
document describes a graphical method that can be used to determine the out of balance forces of such a system and
the correct size and position of the balance weight required to do this. A worked example of the method is shown.

Leicester College 2009. This work is licensed under

a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.

Contents

Balancing of Shafts
First Step
Second Step
Third Step
Fourth Step
Fifth Step
Sixth Step

File Name

Key Words

Balancing of shafts

Beams, balancing, rotation, mass, stress, shafts

Balancing of Shafts
A shaft ABCD is 0.6m long and rotates in
bearings at A and D which allow the ends of the
shaft freedom of direction (i.e. the shaft is simply
supported).

Masses of 2kg and 2.5kg located at radii 50mm

and 60mm are attached to the shaft at B and C.

When viewed from end D, the mass at C is 120o

clockwise from the mass at B.

If AB = BC = CD = 0.2m

The shaft rotates at 210 rev/min.

Calculate the magnitude and direction of the

dynamic reactions at the bearings.

The first step, is to sketch the layout of the

shaft with relative dimensions
B
C
A

D
0.2
0.4
0.6

B 2 kg

R = 50 mm
120O

R = 60 mm
C 2.5 kg

Second step: Produce a table

Plane

m
(Kg)

r
(m)

mr
(Kgm)

x
(m)

mrx
(Kgm2)

mA

rA

mA rA

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.02

2.5

0.06

0.15

0.4

0.06

mD

rD

mD rD

0.6

0.6 mD rD

Third step: Construct the mrx diagram or

polygon, using a scale of 1mm = 0.001 Kgm2

120o
0.02 Kgm2
79o

0.06 Kgm2

0.6 mD rD

From the mrx diagram measure the moment

which represents 0.6 mD rD

0.6 mD rD = 53 x 0.001 Kgm2 = 0.053 Kgm2

mD rD = 0.053 / 0.6 = 0.0883 Kgm

The angle is also measured anticlockwise from B

is 79o

Fourth step: The mass - radius polygon can now

be constructed. This is known as the mr diagram
b
0.15kgm
0.1Kgm

d
c
A =134o

0.0883kgm

mA rA

Scale used 1mm = 0.001 Kgm2

Fifth step: The vector has to be measured at this

point; its value is 30.1mm

mA rA = 30.1 x 0.002kgm = 0.0602 Kgm

The angle =134o measured anticlockwise from B

The centripetal force F = mr 2

Where =

210 rpm
60(sec/min)

x 2 rad/rev = 22 rad/s

At bearing A

FA

= 0.0602 Kgm x (22 rad/s)2 = 29.1 N

RA

= - FA = -29.1N

The minus sign indicating that the direction is

opposite to the direction FA

Sixth step: Produce a diagram showing the

direction of bearing reactions

B
RA

79O
FB
134O

RB
FA

This resource was created Leicester College and released as an open educational resource through
the Open Engineering Resources project of the Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject
Centre. The Open Engineering Resources project was funded by HEFCE and part of the JISC/HE
Academy UKOER programme.

2009 Leicester College

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.

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