Shaft Laser Alignment - 3 Benefits over Dial Indicators

Lovejoy Disc Coupling being Laser Shaft Aligned

As discussed in prior posts, shaft misalignment is one the major causes of premature coupling, bearing, and seal failures in a power transmission system. Even while staying within the misalignment limits of a flexible coupling, it is still advisable to keep misalignment to a minimum.

While dial indicators offer an excellent shaft alignment solution for many applications, for those looking for a best in class solution, laser shaft alignment tools are available. (Note: Lovejoy does not sell laser alignment tools, but we do sell a dial indicator kit.)

A major advantage of laser alignment tools is their accuracy. Unlike some dial indicators, there is no bar sag that needs to be measured and accounted for. Readings are also very precise.

A second major advantage of most laser shaft alignment tools is that they come with a computer system that automatically calculated what adjustments are needed and records measured values (which maintenance crews can use both to verify proper installation and watch for trends or changes in equipment movement). Dial indicators generally require hand calculations and adjustments (assuming you don't use the Lovejoy Dials free new smartphone app). 

A third major advantage of laser alignment tools is that they can be spread fairly far apart, which is very useful when working on two sides of a long spacer type coupling.

Countering these three strong advantages of laser alignment tools is primarily cost. Dial indicators are generally much less expensive upfront and they are arguably more robust. (Laser alignment tools are electronics, and they also generally call for periodic recalibration of the lasers.)

If you've got a large maintenance budget and reliability is absolutely king (any downtime means big bucks), a high quality laser alignment tool is a wonderful tool to have in the toolbox. For those currently using dial indicators without the budget to throw down on a laser alignment system, the free Lovejoy Dials app will help provide some of the automated calculation benefits of using laser tool. For those not doing shaft alignment at all, for the longevity and reliability of your equipment, we highly recommend that you start now.

Why Lovejoy Offers Shaft Alignment Dial Indicator Kits

As a fourth generation family owned coupling manufacturer with literally millions of couplings installed around the world, we know how important it is that a coupling be made with exceptional quality & design (materials used, product features, bore concentricity, etc.).

What we also know is how important shaft alignment is in the longevity of a power transmission system (see Top Reason for a Coupling Failure).

While we were manufacturing and providing best in class coupling solutions for decades, other than education, installation instructions, and installation videos... we felt that we were not doing enough to directly help our end users and partners properly align the shafts our couplings were going on.

The new & free Lovejoy Dials smart phone app (just search "Lovejoy Dials" in your Apple or Android app store) now empowers users who have dial indicators to quickly and easily align their coupling shafts. No spreadsheets or calculators needed, and the app even calculates for bar sag! 

While this kit should work for most preexisting shaft alignment dial indicators, we furthermore took our commitment to shaft alignment one step further by now offering our very own Lovejoy Dials shaft alignment kit. 

At the end of the day, whether you have and continue to use a pre-existing dial indicator kit, purchase and use ours, or go all in for a high end laser alignment system... what we care most about is that your shafts are well aligned and serve you/your power transmission system as well as your long trusted Lovejoy couplings.