Minimizing Assembly Runout in Turbo-machines Made With Curvic® Couplings

Abstract

A new method is presented for optimizing the assembly of turbomachine rotors manufactured with Gleason Fixed CURVIC Couplings. The method permits conversion of radial and axial runout measurements into part dimensions that represent manufacturing errors for each stage. The part dimensions are used to mathematically select assembly combinations of the rotor stages so that runout is minimum along the rotor. A computer program has been written to perform the calculations. Recent applications of the new method show that turbomachine rotors can be assembled to within manufacturing tolerances in the first attempt, thereby eliminating the need for trial and error assembly methods.