Page 286 - Machinery Component Maintenance

268 Machinery Component Maintenance and Repair

machine performs its measuring functions. This category of machine is
suitable for maintenance or job-shop balancing as well as for many small
and medium lot-size production applications.

Semi-Automatic Balancing Machines
Semi-automatic balancing machines are of many types. They vary
from an almost universal machine to an almost fully automatic machine.
Machines in this category may perform automatically any one or all of
the following functions in sequence or simultaneously:

1. Retain the amount of unbalance indication for further reference
2. Retain the angular location of unbalance indication for further ref-
erence
3. Measure amount and position of unbalance
4. Couple the balancing-machine drive to the rotor
5. Initiate and stop rotation
6. Set the depth of a correction tool depending on indication of
amount of unbalance
7. Index the rotor to a desired position depending on indication of
unbalance location
8. Apply correction of the proper magnitude at the indicated location
9. Inspect the residual unbalance after correction
10. Uncouple the balancing-machine drive

Thus, the most complete semi-automatic balancing machine performs
the entire balancing process and leaves only loading, unloading, and cy-
cle initiation to the operator. Other semi-automatic balancing machines
provide only means for retention of measurements to reduce operator fa-
tigue and error. The features which are economically justifiable on a
semi-automatic balancing machine may be determined only from a study
of the rotor to be balanced and the production requirements.

Fuliy-Automatic Balancing Machines

Fully automatic balancing machines with automatic transfer of the ro-
tor are also available. These machines may be either single- or multiple-
station machines. In either case, the parts to be balanced are brought to
the balancing machine by conveyor, and balanced parts are taken away
from the balancing machine by conveyor. All the steps of the balancing
process and the required handling of the rotor are performed without an
operator. These machines also may include means for inspecting the re-
sidual unbalance as well as monitoring means to ensure that the balance
inspection operation is performed satisfactorily.