The turbine power and aircraft industries have always demanded accurate measurement techniques for minimizing engine vibration, increasing bearing life and determining engine piece component irregularities.
Aerospect Stack Prediction System SPS-1000
Precitech developed the Aerospect Stack Prediction System, SPS-1000 to meet this challenge. Using this instrument, the operator can test individual compressor engine parts and predict stack alignment of its components for attaining a final tolerance. Imbalance in a final balance procedure is reduced by an acceptable system stack considerably minimizing the total time taken for final assembly.
Precitech deploys its proven modular parts, a heavy duty tilt, a precision air bearing spindle, rigid gage posts, centering work table and gage arms. A digital input-output interface, an industrial grade computer, monitor and gaging board are encased in an air-conditioned electrical cabinet for consistent operation even in highly challenging shop floor conditions. All parts are fixed to a toolroom grade granite plate with adjustable isolation mounts minimizing any floor vibrations.
Two versions of the Aerospect SPS-1000 Stack Prediction Gage are:
- A "tall profile" primarily for piece part inspection. (SPS 1000T)
- A "low profile" gage for piece part and stack prediction (SPS 1000L)
SPS-1000 Windows Software
The SPS-1000 software from Precitech determines each piece component for perpendicularity, concentricity and runout. This data is stored and numbered to be used for stack prediction.
After inspection of all the serialized piece components the data obtained is derived from memory and a final piece part angular orientation is determined and displayed on the monitor. With the aid of this technique of stack prediction for rotor or compressor assemblies, all guesswork for stacking individual components is done away with.
Four gages are used simultaneously by the SPS-1000 to determine concentricity, runout, flatness, out-of-roundness, parallelism and perpendicularity of a component. This eliminates unnecessary gage handling and minimises set-up time. To each gage post, two gages are mounted 180° apart and are detected in the part edit program configuration.
An encoder arranged within the rotary table shows angular orientation for aligning the piece components tested for final stack prediction. The two gage posts swing outwards for convenient part loading and get locked into position for inspection to be performed.
Standard SPS-1000 Programs
Standard SPS-1000 programs include the following:
- Tit Center – This guides the operators through the steps that level and center the component to desired tolerances for piece part inspection
- Piece Part Inspection – This inspects the component for desired geometric parameters
- Stack Prediction – This determines the group of components for optimization of the final stack. The data is obtained from the individual part serial numbers
- Part Edit - This is used for creating and altering components for inspection. Part heights, diameters, gage orientations and serial numbers are entered in this program file.
- Diagnostics Program - For analysing encoder channels, spindle encoder counts and calibration reports the Diagnostic program is useful
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Precitech.
For more information on this source, please visit Precitech.