Apoltec works together with the Industrial Plant multidisciplinary technical staff (Mechanical maintenance, Inspection, Reliability, Engineering & Civil Work) in order to analyze and to provide a proper diagnose.

The structural flaws of the damping system and the machine installation condition are inferred through more or less evident symptoms. These symptoms not always are easily translatable in causes; for that reason, the essence of each technical report will consist of evaluating the dynamic response of its installation elements: grout, anchoring system and foundation blocks; through the following phases:

1. Dynamic-time analysis: review of historical records and evaluation of trends on outages and shutdown causes, vibration levels and temperature distribution.
2. Statically (Mechanical) analysis: readings of leveling, alignment and web deflections data.
3. Foundation analysis under the design (geometry and mass distribution), construction mechanical values, concrete quality, and the system natural frequency.
4. To locate discontinuities on grout and foundation material, identify the stress points and forecast the evolution of cold joints, cracks, and fracture planes, …
5. Analysis of symptoms: corrosion (of grout, rebars, mounting plates, bed frames,…), material degradation by oil penetration, temperature, surfaces friction causing disbanding or separations.

And implemented thru different tests, methods and diagnosis tools; destructive and non-destructive, as:

1. MAT: Motion Amplification Technology. This technology measures deflection, displacement, movement, and vibration not visible to the human eye, with it we can measure and quantify any structural/foundation movement
2. To get samples and coring out concrete probes to determine mechanical & physical–chemical parameters (grout, concrete, subsoil)
3. To measure displacements & vibrations on equipment – anchor bolts – grout – foundation and to screening the composite geometry, synchronizing the magnitude and direction on each point with the rotating phase or main exciting frequency (Relative Displacement Animation Test).
4. Ultrasonic test to check the continuity of the materials (anchor bolts, grout and concrete)
5. Echo-impact to detect discontinuities and to determine elastic parameters (foundation and grout) and the system natural frequency.
6. Corrosion analyzer non-destructive to establish the correlation between surface area and corrosion grade and velocity (rebar, bolts & studs, bed frames,…)
7. To check the anchor bolts tension: torque and elongation (stretching)

Apoltec performs technical analysis applied to the foundations of heavy machinery, both dynamic and static. Our objective is the detection of the problem, the analysis of the reasons, and the extent of the damage. Our goal is to determine the causes of the problem and propose the best solution for each client.

The TAM is a movement amplification analysis with this technology we manage to amplify the movements and quickly detect the lack of union between the machinery and the foundation. You can see different videos of this technology in our website.

There are several symptoms revealing an incipient dampening system fatigue, for instance:

• Cracks induced by thermal and mechanical stress.
• Oil penetration that counteracts friction response against lateral movement or detaches grout from machine footprint, anchor bolts or foundation.
• Corrosion of peripheral rebar, anchor bolts or bed frame surfaces that affects alignment and vibration isolation response.
• Cold or construction joints separation that discontinues foundations as a continuous mass behaving as undersized dampener.
• Shear stress on anchor bolts or loss of stretching and torque.
• Air gaps underneath mounting frames where oil can be drawn in or to allow resonance
• Subsoil differential settlement which may increase rocking movement.

All these, an others symptoms, alert us upon pathological processes affecting efficient task of dampening system. For instance, oil penetration lubricates surfaces, limiting friction and adhesion. Loss of “superficial integrity” of grouts is particularly critical since wearing away the intimate contact ends in anchor bolts tension loss that increases vibration and displacements and gets through coupling misalignment or crankshaft web deflection.

Our know-how lies on conceiving dampening system as a whole body which always has to keep its integrity and intimately coupled to the machine. Because it suffers mechanical, thermal and chemical stress, restoring these conditions must, at some stage, be strongly recommended in order to guarantee mechanical reliability. Our expert involvement will head to this target developing a specific technical repair procedure.

Apoltec, as applied ENGINEERING will carry out a complete technical survey to provide a turn-key solution.

→ detect symptoms

→ identify causes

→ design solutions

→ elaborate a technical project

→ develop a specific repair process and,

→ job execution

→ Regular inspections

Within maintenance shutdown or production demanding, pursuing to minimize idle time (equipment out of service) mostly of jobs can be executed by keeping equipment in position (machine on site) and using higher quality materials, devices & equipment.

Vibrations can come from both internal (mechanical) problems and foundation/consolidation problems with the ground. Our specialty is the problem that occurs outside the machine, which affects the ground and the foundation of the machinery.

We have a very well-formed technical team and the experience to carry out the studies and propose technical solutions. We have carried out technical analyzes for the main players in the petrochemical sector in the EU. Additionally, we have collaborations with specialized companies in the sector.

Apoltec is a turnkey engineering, we are specialists in covering the entire project from problem detection to engineering and execution. This is why we have a human team capable of moving quickly through the US, North Africa and Asia, as well as the latest technology in the sector.