Pulleys can be aligned with the naked eye, a straight edge, or a laser. Laser alignment is the most effective and safest method, as incorrect alignment can lead to wear and safety hazards.
There are basically three different methods of aligning pulleys. These are with the naked eye, with a straight edge or with a laser. In general, the ease and accuracy of these methods differ.
Pulleys are used in different types of mechanisms. The way they essentially work is quite simple, but they can be of great help with tasks that practically can’t be done with human strength alone. A pulley consists of a rope or belt pulled over a wheel. The belt is attached at one end to a (usually) heavy object and at the other end to a machine which pulls it along the wheel.
The simplest method of aligning the pulley is to simply look at the wheel and belt and bring them together. If the belt appears to slip, it is either pulled back around the wheel and lined up with any grooves that are present, or simply pulled along the center of the wheel. This method has the greatest margin of error and is therefore not necessarily the most effective.
Aligning the pulley with a ruler is more accurate than with the naked eye, but still not as effective as aligning it with a laser. The straight edge method is used when the pulley itself is misaligned, not the belt. A person using this method would hold the edge straight up to the pulley wheels and turn them slowly. If at any point the grooves for the belt or rope do not match up on either of the wheels, he will level them with the straightedge as a reference point.
Lasers are the most effective method for aligning pulleys. There are a number of types of lasers that can be purchased for this purpose, some of which aid in spline alignment, some with the sidewalls of the wheels. These lasers will determine the precise misalignment of the pulley. With these measurements, lateral and axial jacks can be used to properly realign the pulley. In terms of safety and efficiency, this is the best method.
If the pulley alignment is incorrect, a number of problems can arise. For one thing, improper belt placement can lead to wear out very quickly, meaning a higher cost to the person having to install new belts. There is also the possibility of the belt slipping off the wheel and a heavy object in mid-air falling. Ultimately, improper pulley alignment can be not only costly, but also dangerous.
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