Balance Test Indexing Tool for Balance-Testing a Rotor

Abstract

A balance test indexing tool for use in a balance testing machine to assist a user in testing unbalance in a rotor. The tool includes a rotor mount face disposed on the rotor being tested. The rotor mount face may be machined in a surface of the rotor or provided in a separate rotor mount temporarily fixed to the rotor. The tool also includes a rotor mount receiver configured to receive the rotor mount face in the balance testing machine. The rotor mount face and rotor mount receiver are configured to provide an indexing coupling that allows the rotor to be readily indexed to any of a plurality of index positions for unbalance testing in the testing machine. The tool allows multiple balancing runs to be made with relatively little effort needed to re-index the rotor. In some embodiments the tool includes a kinematic coupling that provides highly accurate and repeatable indexing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 providing a rotor of a piece of machinery, said rotor including a rotor mount face; and   coupling a rotor mount receiver to the rotor mount face so as to form an indexing coupling between the rotor and the rotor mount receiver.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising installing the assembly and the indexing coupling into a balance testing machine. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising fixing the rotor at a first index position relative to the rotor mount receiver using the indexing coupling, and operating the balance testing machine to test the rotor for unbalance at the first index position. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 3 , further comprising fixing the rotor at a second index position different from the first index position, and operating the balance testing machine to test the rotor for unbalance at the second index position. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling the rotor mount receiver to the rotor mount face comprises fixedly securing a rotor mount including the rotor mount face to the rotor and coupling the rotor mount to the rotor mount receiver so as to form a kinematic coupling between the rotor and the rotor mount receiver. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said fixedly securing includes interference fitting the rotor and rotor mount to one another. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said fixedly securing includes fixedly securing the rotor mount to the rotor using a hydraulic mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling the rotor mount receiver to the rotor mount face includes coupling the rotor to a balance testing machine arbor. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said coupling the rotor mount receiver to the rotor mount face includes coupling the rotor to a balancing simulator. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 providing a balance testing machine;   providing a rotor of a piece of machinery;   providing a balance test indexing tool;   setting the rotor at a first index position using the balance test indexing tool;   operating the balance testing machine to spin the balance test indexing tool and the rotor so as to test the rotor for unbalance at the first index position;   setting the rotor at a second index position, different from the first index position, using the indexing tool; and   operating the balance testing machine to spin the balance test indexing tool and the rotor so as to test the rotor for unbalance at the second index position.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said providing the balance test indexing tool includes providing a balance test indexing tool that includes a kinematic coupling. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said providing the balance test indexing tool includes providing a balance test indexing tool that includes a rotor mount fixedly secured to the rotor and a rotor mount receiver movably securable to the rotor mount. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein said setting the rotor at the second index position includes adjusting a kinematic coupling. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a modular balance test indexing tool system for assisting with balancing a rotor of machinery on a balance testing machine having a drive mechanism, said modular balance test indexing tool system including:
 a rotor mount face disposed on the rotor; 
 a balance testing machine arbor configured to be coupled between the drive mechanism of the balance testing machine and said rotor mount face, wherein said rotor mount face and said balance testing machine arbor cooperate with one another to provide a first indexing coupling between the drive mechanism and the rotor when the rotor, said rotor mount face and said arbor are installed in the balance testing machine; and 
 a balancing simulator configured to be coupled between the drive mechanism of the balance testing machine and said rotor mount, wherein said rotor mount face and said balancing simulator cooperate with one another to provide a second indexing coupling between the drive mechanism and the rotor. 
   
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said indexing coupling is a kinematic coupling. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said rotor mount face and said rotor mount receiver cooperate to provide a plurality of indexing stops for indexing the rotor relative to said rotor mount receiver. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein said rotor mount face and said rotor mount receiver are configured to allow a user to change the indexing of the rotor while the rotor is mounted in the balance testing machine. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein the rotor mount face is formed on a rotor mount configured to be fixedly secured to the rotor. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein the rotor mount face is formed in a surface of the rotor. 
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 a balance testing machine having a drive mechanism;   a rotor for a piece of machinery, said rotor being installed in said balance testing machine;   a balance test indexing tool for assisting with balance testing said rotor in said balance testing machine, said balance test indexing tool coupled between said drive mechanism and said rotor and including:
 a rotor mount face disposed on the rotor; and 
 a rotor mount receiver coupled between said drive mechanism and said rotor mount face; 
 wherein said rotor mount face and said rotor mount receiver cooperate with one another to provide an indexing coupling between said drive mechanism and said rotor. 
   
     
     
         21 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said indexing coupling is a kinematic coupling. 
     
     
         22 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said rotor mount face and said rotor mount receiver cooperate to provide a plurality of indexing stops for indexing the rotor relative to said rotor mount receiver. 
     
     
         23 . A system according to  claim 22 , wherein said rotor mount and said rotor mount receiver are configured to allow a user to change the indexing of the rotor while the rotor is mounted in the balance testing machine. 
     
     
         24 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said rotor mount receiver comprises a balance testing machine arbor. 
     
     
         25 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said rotor mount receiver comprises a balancing simulator. 
     
     
         26 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein said rotor mount receiver comprises an adaptor plate configured to be mounted to a balance testing machine arbor. 
     
     
         27 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein the rotor has a rotational axis about which said rotor rotates during operation in the machinery and the system further comprises a securing means for drawing said rotor mount face and said rotor mount receiver into engagement with one another in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor when said balancing tool and the rotor are mounted in the balance testing machine. 
     
     
         28 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein the rotor mount face is formed on a rotor mount configured to be fixedly secured to the rotor. 
     
     
         29 . A system according to  claim 20 , wherein the rotor mount face is formed in a surface of the rotor. 
     
     
         30 . A balance test indexing tool for use in balance-testing a rotor, the rotor being a component of a separate rotating machine having a machine function other than balance-testing and a radially extending, at least substantially planar, rotor surface perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor, said tool comprising:
 a rotor mount receiver having a flange extending radially from a shaft, said rotor mount receiver defining a receiver face;   a first portion of a kinematic mount disposed on said receiver face;   a mount face formed directly in the planar rotor surface, said mount face including a second portion of the kinematic mount, such that said first portion and said second portion together form a kinematic mount between the rotor and rotor mount receiver; and   means biasing the mount face and receiver together.   
     
     
         31 . The balance test indexing tool of  claim 30 , wherein:
 said first portion comprises balls disposed on said receiver face; and   said mount face comprises radially extending grooves machined in said rotor, each said groove configured and dimensioned to make two-point contact along sidewalls with one said ball.   
     
     
         32 . The balance test indexing tool of  claim 31 , wherein said grooves are not utilized in the machine function of the rotor. 
     
     
         33 . The balance test indexing tool of  claim 30 , wherein said biasing means comprises at least two bolts extending between the rotor and the rotor mount receiver. 
     
     
         34 . The balance test indexing tool of  claim 30 , wherein said biasing means comprises:
 a shaft extending from the rotor mount receiver and through said rotor; and   a threaded member received on said shaft and bearing against the rotor.