Unlike most alignment service providers, we use a variety of alignment techniques as a solution to today’s demanding machinery tolerances:

OPTICAL

GLASS, LLC uses Optical equipment, such as Brunson Transits and Sight Levels.  This optical equipment is accurate to 0.001” over a distance of 17 feet.  Optics are the workhorse of the alignment industry due to their versatility and short setup time.  GLASS prefers the use of Optics when it comes to machinery installation or roller alignment.  We have been successful in aligning our Customer’s machinery to a tolerance of 0.001” to help optimize the machinery’s performance.

Optical alignment has the advantage of using a common reference, such as the machine centerline, to eliminate compounding of errors that occur when using tramming rods, or pi tapes.  Each roll or machine component that is inspected with optics is done using a control scope that is not moved and a secondary scope that is used to inspect the component in question.  Therefore separate components, up to hundreds of feet away from each other, can be inspected using the same datum, providing accurate alignment information.

Optical Equipment

LASER TRACKER

GLASS, LLC uses the latest technology in 3-D measurement - Laser Trackers.  In particular, we use the FARO Laser Tracker. The Faro Laser Tracker is accurate to 72 microns over a distance of 20’.  The Laser Tracker enables manufacturing, engineering and quality control professionals to measure and inspect large parts, machine tools and other large objects on-site, in-process or wherever it’s most efficient and cost-effective. Now a must in the automotive tooling industry, the laser tracker replaces theodolytes as the inspection equipment of choice for inspection of tooling jigs.

The FARO Laser Tracker uses an ultra-precise laser beam to measure objects in the 0 to 100 foot range. With its greater angular resolution, repeatability and accuracy, the FARO Laser Tracker advances already-proven tracker technology. Among its many enhanced features is SuperADM, (Super Absolute Distance Measurement), a very high-speed distance measuring capability. ADM allows the user to measure effectively even if the laser beam has been interrupted, a key feature for the practical use of trackers.

Laser Tracker

LASER SHAFT ALIGNMENT

If you are in need of coupling alignment, we use laser shaft alignment systems, such as Rotalign Pro – accurate to .0004” over 33’.  Laser shaft alignment is used when Optical Techniques cannot obtain two points as a reference – such as an input and output shaft of a motor.  The laser shaft alignment system picks up the center of a rotating component and uses it as a datum to align other components (gearbox, lineshafts, etc..)

Laser Shaft Alignment System