Single Plane Balance Response

5-1
 Single Plane Balance Response

Upon completing this topic, the student will be able to perform the tasks indicated above.

5-2
 Single Plane Balance Response

Balancing is the act of adding (or removing) small masses (rotor mass) to (or from) a rotor
in order to reduce the 1X vibration levels. Rotor unbalance, or imbalance, can be the
result of multiple issues, such as foreign material buildup, liberation of components,
migration of components, and component assembly error, just to name a few.

Note: The use of velocity and acceleration transducers might be required to augment
shaft relative information when situations arise that dictate a full understanding of the
shaft absolute motion (i.e., compliant housing or support structure). It is up to the
balancing engineer to determine when relative, seismic, and/or shaft absolute information
is required to achieve a successful balance exercise. Slow roll data should always be
reviewed and accounted for when utilizing shaft relative vibration data.

The location and size of the mass must produce a response in the rotor that is opposite
the response being caused by the unbalance mass. Instead of using trial weights each
time we balance a machine in an attempt to find the correct location and size, we can use
our knowledge of the predictable response of a rotor. We can, for a given set of operating
conditions, use a calibration weight to determine, through the rotor response, how that
location and size of mass affects the rotor.

5-3
 Single Plane Balance Response

Because the mass will be multiplied by the speed squared, even a small mass at a small
radius from the center of the shaft will create a substantial force. It is the force created by
the calibration mass that would need to not exceed 10% of the rotor’s static weight.

Common Conversions
The following conversion factors are helpful when using Newton’s law to
describe rotating machinery:

1 rev/min
/ =
9.55 (s/min)
(rad/rev)

· =
/

·
=
. ( / )

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 Single Plane Balance Response

The rule of thumb for horizontal machines (when other information about the response of
the system is unavailable) is that if you have no prior knowledge of the machine, use a
calibration weight, at a radius “r”, which causes a force equal to 5–10 percent of the static
weight of the rotor as calculated at the balancing speed. This percentage can be
increased by up to a factor of ten with good prior knowledge of the machine and its
influence vectors. If you do not get a 1X amplitude or 1X phase response, then the
general rule of thumb is to double the weight.

1. Slow ramp rate machines: Use a calibration weight closer to the upper end of the
range, i.e., one that will create a force corresponding to about 10 percent of the rotor’s
static weight if you have no prior knowledge of the machine.
2. Fast ramp rate machines (i.e., electric motors): Use a calibration weight closer to the
lower end of the range, i.e., one that will create a force corresponding to about 5 percent
of the rotor’s static weight if you have no prior knowledge of the machine.

Note: Do not apply the 10% rule to vertical machines such as hydro units. The calculated
trial weight will be excessive and may result in unsatisfactory results or possibly
equipment damage.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

This is a polar plot for a unit with CCW rotation. Use this to plot data from the rotor kit run.

Speed: _______________ rpm

O: _______ mil pp ∠ ______ W cal : _______ g ∠ ______

O+C: _______ mil pp ∠ ______ C : _______ mil pp ∠

______
∠Wtcor = (∠ N ) – (∠C + ∠ Wtcal )
| Wtcor | = ( |N| / |C| ) | Wtcal |

5-6
 Single Plane Balance Response

Record the condition of the machine, i.e., rotor speed, process state, temperature, etc.
Record and plot the amplitude and phase of the original unbalance response vector, .
Stop the machine and insert a calibration weight. Record the size and angular location of
the weight placement. Return the rotor to the same condition and record and plot the
amplitude and phase of the new unbalance response vector, . The new vibration is
the response to the original unbalance plus the unbalance caused by the calibration
weight. The change in the response is due to the change in the unbalance force.
Subtract the original unbalance response from the response due to the original
unbalance plus the calibration weight. This will leave the response due only to the
calibration weight, i.e., . This subtraction can be done graphically by
drawing a vector from the head of to the head of . The resultant vector must
point to the head of . This response is due only to the calibration weight. You should
label it . Measure the amplitude and direction of .
Note: If is translated to the axis origin, these measurements will be easier to make.
(Two vectors are equal if their amplitudes and directions are the same; it does not matter
where they begin or end.)
Remove the calibration weight. Calculate the angular location and magnitude of a
correction weight that will produce a response N that is equal in size to O but in the
opposite direction.

5-7
 Module Title

Record the condition of the machine, i.e., rotor speed, process state, temperature, etc.
Record and plot the amplitude and phase of the original unbalance response vector, .
Stop the machine and insert a calibration weight. Record the size and angular location of
the weight placement. Return the rotor to the same condition and record and plot the
amplitude and phase of the new unbalance response vector, . The new vibration is
the response to the original unbalance plus the unbalance caused by the calibration
weight. The change in the response is due to the change in the unbalance force.
Subtract the original unbalance response from the response due to the original
unbalance plus the calibration weight. This will leave the response due only to the
calibration weight, i.e., . This subtraction can be done graphically by
drawing a vector from the head of to the head of . The resultant vector must
point to the head of . This response is due only to the calibration weight. You should
label it . Measure the amplitude and direction of .
Note: If is translated to the axis origin, these measurements will be easier to make.
(Two vectors are equal if their amplitudes and directions are the same; it does not matter
where they begin or end.)
Remove the calibration weight. Calculate the angular location and magnitude of a
correction weight that will produce a response N that is equal in size to O but in the
opposite direction.

5-8
 Single Plane Balance Response

In order to balance a rotor, it is necessary to create a response equal in magnitude but

opposite in direction to the original response. Creating a response equal in magnitude but
opposite in direction of the original unbalance will create a net response of zero.

Determine the angular location. In this example, we placed the mass at 0 degrees, which
caused a response at 154 degrees. Therefore, the response due to the calibration mass
always lags the location of the mass by 154 degrees. The response we want to create
occurs at 180 degrees from the O vector, or an angle of 195 degrees. Therefore, we
should put the mass at 195 – 154 = 41 degrees.

5-9
 Single Plane Balance Response

In order to balance a rotor, it is necessary to create a response equal in magnitude but

opposite in direction to the original response. Creating a response equal in magnitude but
opposite in direction of the original unbalance will create a net response of zero.

Determine the angular location. In this example, we placed the mass at 0 degrees, which
caused a response at 154 degrees. Therefore, the response due to the calibration mass
always lags the location of the mass by 154 degrees. The response we want to create
occurs at 180 degrees from the O vector, or an angle of 195 degrees. Therefore, we
should put the mass at 195 – 154 = 41 degrees.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

Since we know the response due to the .5 gram mass, we can use this information to
determine the mass needed and its location to create the desired response.
Determine the amount of mass:
In this example the magnitude of the response we want to create is 3.0 mil.
If .5 grams caused a response of 2.6 mil, we can ratio to see that the amount of mass
needed to create 3.0 mil is:

Which can be rearranged to give:

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Single Plane Balance Response

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Single Plane Balance Response

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 Single Plane Balance Response

The influence vector is an important characteristic of the machine response, which

should be documented for the particular rotor speed and machine operating conditions.
This information shouldHbe saved for future reference. The equation for the influence
vector is related to force and stiffness. Recall that in the Fundamental Synchronous Rotor
Response topic we learned that vibration is a symptom. Vibration response is a
relationship between force and dynamic stiffness.

where creates the force causing which is the calibration weight’s

response. This means is inversely proportional to the synchronous dynamic stiffness at
thisHspeed.
= C / Wcal Wcal
H

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 Single Plane Balance Response

Because we are using values that have amplitude and angle to represent them, when we
divide the two we must divide the amplitudes but subtract the angles to get the solution.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

In the example, a calibration weight of 0.5 gram is at a location of 0 degrees. The

response to that calibration weight was 2 mil pp at 154 degrees from the weight location.

Using these values we would say this machine had an influence vector of 5.2 mil pp/gram
at an angle of 154 degrees from where we placed the weight.

Now that we know the influence vector at this speed, we can use the information to
calculate a balance solution.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

Now that an influence vector has been calculated, it can be used for balancing this time or
in the future. If we designate a vector N as being the correction vector, our result will be
opposite the unbalance response. Utilizing of the influence vector establishes our
relationship of response to force and dynamic stiffness.

This relationship (H) can be utilized to calculate the correction weight amount and location
for any unbalance.

Note: If the solution does not yield a predictable solution, we know there has been a
change in the dynamic stiffness because H is related to the dynamic stiffness and it is all
that is used for the solution calculation.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

The basic concept behind modern machinery balancing is that it is possible to find
influence vectors (IVs) by measuring the machine’s response to a known calibration
weight installed in a known location on a weight plane. Once the IVs are known, this
information may be used to calculate the mass and location for solution weight(s) to
reduce vibration to a minimum.

This approach greatly reduces the trial and error methods that were used in years past.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

The machine must have a linear response. By linear response, we mean that if you
double the mass, the response due to the mass will also double. If you move the mass by
90 degrees, the response will also change by 90 degrees.

The machine must have a repeatable response. The machine must respond the same
from run to run, under the same operating conditions and the same balance conditions. A
machine that does not respond with repeatable and predictable results probably has a
malfunction that is not a balance problem. Balancing should not be performed until the
malfunction is properly identified and corrected, except possibly as a very short-term
resolution to elevated 1X vibration conditions.

5-19
 Single Plane Balance Response

This slide shows the graphical method of splitting weights using polar coordinates and the
parallelogram vector method.

The larger (blue) arrow is a vector with its length representing the magnitude of the weight
and the location (angle) the weight was originally. The two smaller (red) arrows represent
the same: The length of the arrows is the magnitude, and the direction the arrows are
pointing is the location (angle) the new weights should be located to have the same effect
as the original blue vector.

5-20
 Single Plane Balance Response

This slide shows the graphical method of weight addition using polar coordinates and the
parallelogram vector method.

In this example we have two weights of different magnitudes and locations and we want
to replace the two weights with one weight that would have the same effect.

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 Single Plane Balance Response

You should now be able to perform the tasks listed above.

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