In marine and shipbuilding operations, where space is tight, downtime is costly, and machinery must perform flawlessly under extreme conditions, shaft alignment isn’t optional, it’s essential. From propulsion systems and reduction gearboxes to auxiliary pumps and HVAC motors, misaligned shafts can lead to excessive vibration, increased fuel consumption, accelerated wear, and even onboard safety risks.
Hamar Laser Instruments’ X-Series™ Laser Shaft Alignment Systems deliver the speed, accuracy, and ruggedness the marine industry demands. Whether you’re working on a new build, refit, or in-service vessel, X-Series™ helps ensure peak performance and reliability of rotating equipment, no matter how rough the seas.
Problem: An offshore support vessel experienced persistent vibration and overheating in its propulsion system, traced to recurring misalignment between the reduction gearbox and the drive shaft, despite multiple alignments using dial indicators.
Solution: The engineering team used the X-880 5-Axis X-Series™ Laser Shaft Alignment System to complete a live-move precision alignment, capturing angular and offset misalignments in both horizontal and vertical planes.
Vibration reduced by
41%
Alignment time cut by
50%
Gearbox temperature stabilized within spec
Improved fuel
efficiency by
3%
Compliance documentation created automatically
From high seas to harbor maintenance facilities, X-Series™ is engineered to operate in challenging environments where reliability can’t be compromised. Its rugged design, intuitive software, and unmatched precision make it the go-to shaft alignment solution for marine engineers, shipbuilders, and naval maintenance crews alike.
Whether in drydock or at sea, accurate shaft alignment is vital for operational safety and performance. X-Series™ helps marine engineers reduce wear, vibration, and fuel costs while ensuring mission-critical systems perform flawlessly under pressure.
Assumptions for this example: You have a 480 volt motor drawing 40 amps and operating 8400 hours/year. The Power Factor is .85. Electricity costs $0.06/kWhr. Also assume that the amp draw is measured before and after the alignment and it is found that there is a 1 amp difference.
kW =V* A*PF*1.732/1000
kW =480V* 1A*.85*1.732/1000
kW =.706 = power savings
Savings ($) = operating hours * kW savings * kW cost
Savings ($) = 8400 * .706 * $0.06/kWhr
Savings ($) = 8400 * .706 * $0.06/kWhr
Savings ($) = 355.82
If your plant has 80 similar motors, and if only half of them had the same amount of savings, it would total $355.82 * .5 = $14,232!
The coupling icons next to the data displays show the direction of the misalignment at the coupling and update as you move or shim the motor! You can also zoom in on the coupling to show them in the live display area of the screen.