When a pump vibrates in an oil refinery, every minute counts. Unplanned downtimes can cost millions. To prevent this, the shaft alignment of rotating machines must be correct. For its associated systems, Easy-Laser relies on the intrinsically safe Tab-Ex® 03 tablet from Pepperl+Fuchs. The robust solution is part of the XT550 Shaft Alignment System – developed for safe use in potentially explosive areas (Zone 1/21, Division 1) and now in continuous use by numerous industrial customers worldwide.
Vibrations, heat build-up, leaky seals: What starts innocently enough with a misaligned shaft can have serious consequences in industrial plants. In practice, the cause often lies in misalignment of rotating machine parts, for example between an electric motor and a connected pump. Even a misalignment of a few hundredths of a millimeter is enough to generate axial and radial forces that permanently overload bearings, couplings, and shafts. The result: gradual wear or sudden downtime.
For reliable and long-lasting systems, the rotating axles of two coupled machines, such as a motor and a pump, must be perfectly aligned. And this must be achieved under operating conditions in the field. This is exactly where shaft alignment comes in. Instead of working with feeler gauges or rulers, professional companies today rely on laser alignment systems such as the XT550 from Easy-Laser. Two laser units precisely detect the position of the shafts relative to each other, even in tight installation spaces. The integrated app on the Tab-Ex® 03 tablet from Pepperl+Fuchs guides technicians step by step through the measurement, adjustment, and re-measurement process. The shafts are carefully rotated, either by hand or with an auxiliary motor, to obtain accurate data.
Easy-Laser AB, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, is one of the leading manufacturers of laser alignment systems for rotating machines. The company supplies around 1,500 systems annually to over 80 countries, including energy producers, steel mills, chemical plants, and waterworks. “Our systems ensure that rotating machines such as pumps and compressors are aligned with precision – both during commissioning and as part of regular maintenance cycles,” explains Peter Sandström, Head of Product Management at Easy-Laser. Maintenance teams and machine installers use the systems worldwide – in some plants once a year, in others every week.
Anything but trivial: the right hardware for hazardous areas
Around 10 to 15 percent of Easy-Laser's customers work in potentially explosive areas classified as Zone 1/21 and Division 1, according to ATEX and IECEx. In such areas, there is a regular risk of combustible gases, vapors, or dusts occurring in flammable concentrations under normal operating conditions. Typical examples are oil refineries, tank farms, chemical plants, sugar and grain processing, and biogas plants.
The following applies to all devices used: They must be intrinsically safe (Ex-i) and approved for explosion protection, both in terms of their electrical and thermal properties and in terms of mechanical stress, radio behavior, and surface temperature. Before being used in hazardous areas, every electronic device must be certified as not constituting an ignition source – either through sparking or through impermissible heating.
In addition to ATEX certification, Easy-Laser's specifications included further criteria, such as robustness for field use, a large, bright display that is easy to read even in direct sunlight, and reliable operability with gloves. “Here in Scandinavia, cold, humidity, and working with gloves are part of everyday life,” emphasizes Sandström. The battery performance also had to be impressive, with at least ten hours of continuous operation under full load.
Well connected with safety
Easy-Laser decided on the Tab-Ex® 03 from Pepperl+Fuchs, an 8-inch tablet certified for use in Zone 1/21. The device is based on the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active3 and has been further developed for use in hazardous areas. In addition to ATEX certification, the intrinsically safe tablet impresses with its slim design, a replaceable 5,050 mAh battery with up to eleven hours of runtime, and a glove-friendly touchscreen with high brightness.
Using the XT Alignment app from Easy-Laser, the tablet guides the user step by step through the measurement and adjustment process. It stores data including photos taken with the integrated 13-megapixel camera. Reports can be created directly on the tablet during an assignment. The Bluetooth connection to the sensor units was consistently stable in tests – a key criterion, as Wi-Fi is not available in many plants or is disabled for safety reasons.
Stress test in an oil refinery
Before the final decision was made, Easy-Laser carried out pilot projects with several customers, including a large Scandinavian refinery. The goal was to put the system, including the tablet, through its paces under real-life conditions, including Bluetooth stability, battery life, display response, and report generation. Integration into existing IT structures and the handling of safety-critical documents – such as permits or plant diagrams – was also evaluated.
A typical scenario: Increased vibrations are being reported by the permanent condition monitoring of a pump. The plant is shut down as planned and a maintenance team is dispatched with the XT550 system. The technicians quickly record the deviation, correct it, and create the full documentation directly on site on the tablet, including measurement data and, if necessary, image material. Everything is stored audit-proof and later transferred to the central system.
Fast rollout, global support
The tablet was integrated quickly. The evaluation process was completed in around six months. Today, Easy-Laser sells the XT550 system with Tab-Ex® 03 as a complete package – or makes the XT app available for download if customers use their own Ex-certified devices. Global support remains a key success factor: replacement devices and parts must be available at short notice, and the devices must be available and maintainable for at least five years. Here, too, Pepperl+Fuchs scores with its global logistics and technical support.
Easy-Laser sees the combination of the XT system and Tab-Ex® 03 as a clear productivity boost for maintenance teams: less paper, faster processes, better documentation. The hardware has proven itself in tough everyday use—thanks to features such as Samsung DeX, Knox security, ARCore compatibility, and the included S Pen for precise input.
https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/
