Experimental Evaluation of the Exact Point-Speed and Least-Squares Procedures for Flexible Rotor Balancing by the Influence Coefficient Method

An experimental test program was conducted to extend the verified operating region of the Influence Coefficient Method’s Exact Point-Speed procedure for balancing of flexible rotating machinery. Also, the Least-Squares procedure (of which the Exact Point-Speed procedure is a particular case) was applied to several test cases which were identical to those investigated by the Exact Point-Speed procedure. A comparison of the effectiveness of both balancing procedures under identical test conditions was thus obtained. The practical aspects of balancing real, flexible rotors were investigated through inclusion of rotor out-of-roundness data at the measurement probe locations. The computer program was demonstrated to be fully capable of handling out-of-roundness data in the investigation. Testing was performed predominantly with a machine having a 41-in. (104 cm) long, 126-lb (57 kg) rotor. This rotor was operated over a speed range encompassing three rotor-bearing system critical speeds. Both balancing procedures were evaluated for several different conditions of initial rotor unbalance. Safe (and slow) passage through all the critical speeds was obtained after two or three balancing runs in most cases. The Least-Squares procedure was found to be generally equivalent in capability to the Exact Point-Speed procedure for the configurations studied.