Common Alignment Mistakes Maintenance Teams Make (And How to Avoid Them)

When it comes to rotating machinery, even small alignment issues can have a major impact on equipment reliability, maintenance costs, and plant productivity.

Misalignment is one of the most common causes of premature bearing failures, coupling wear, seal damage, excessive vibration, and unplanned downtime. Yet despite the availability of modern laser alignment technology, many maintenance teams continue to make avoidable mistakes that compromise machinery performance.

The good news? Most alignment problems can be prevented with the right processes, tools, and expertise.

Here are some of the most common alignment mistakes we see in the field – and what maintenance teams can do to avoid them.

1. Treating alignment as a one-off task
One of the biggest misconceptions is that alignment only needs to be checked during installation.

In reality, alignment can change over time due to vibration, thermal expansion, foundation movement, pipe strain, component wear, and maintenance activities. A machine that was perfectly aligned six months ago may no longer be operating within acceptable tolerances today.

Best practice: Include shaft alignment checks as part of your ongoing preventive maintenance programme, particularly on critical assets such as motors, pumps, fans, compressors, and gearboxes.

2. Skipping the soft foot check
Soft foot remains one of the most overlooked causes of recurring alignment issues.
Soft foot occurs when one or more machine feet do not sit flat on the base. When mounting bolts are tightened, the machine frame can distort, creating stresses that throw alignment out of specification. Many technicians spend time chasing alignment readings without first addressing the root cause.

Best practice: Always perform a soft foot inspection before beginning any alignment procedure. Correcting the machine foundation first ensures accurate and repeatable alignment results.

3. Ignoring pipe strain
It’s not uncommon for maintenance teams to achieve excellent alignment results, only to see those readings change once connected piping is tightened.

Pipe strain places unwanted forces on pumps and other rotating equipment, physically pulling machinery out of alignment. This creates unnecessary stress on bearings, seals, and couplings.

4. Relying on visual alignment methods
While straight edges and feeler gauges have their place, they simply cannot match the precision of modern laser alignment systems.

Visual methods often miss small angular or offset misalignment issues that can still generate significant vibration and wear over time. Even minor misalignment can dramatically reduce component life and increase energy consumption.

Best practice: Use precision laser alignment equipment to achieve accurate, repeatable results and ensure machinery operates within manufacturer tolerances.

5. Not accounting for thermal growth
Machinery rarely operates at the same temperature it was aligned at.

As equipment heats up during operation, components expand. If thermal growth isn’t considered during the alignment process, machinery may become misaligned once it reaches operating temperature.

This is particularly important for high-temperature applications and critical process equipment.

Best practice: Understand operating conditions and incorporate thermal growth calculations where necessary to achieve true running alignment.

6. Using damaged or excessive shims
Shimming is a critical part of shaft alignment, but poor shimming practices can create more problems than they solve.

Dirty, rusted, bent, or stacked shims can introduce inaccuracies and create unstable machine mounting conditions. Over time, these issues can contribute to alignment drift and vibration problems.

Best practice: Use clean, high-quality stainless steel shims and minimise the number of shims under each machine foot wherever possible.

7. Focusing only on alignment readings
Achieving a “green” reading on an alignment tool doesn’t automatically mean the job is complete.

Experienced reliability professionals understand that alignment is only one part of the overall machine condition. Issues such as looseness, worn bearings, baseplate defects, coupling wear, and structural problems can all affect machine performance even when alignment appears acceptable.

Best practice: Take a holistic approach to machinery maintenance by combining alignment with vibration analysis, condition monitoring, and regular mechanical inspections.

8. Failing to verify results
A surprising number of alignment issues stem from teams rushing to complete the job without confirming repeatability.

If measurements vary significantly between readings, there may be underlying issues such as soft foot, loose mounting hardware, shaft runout, or setup errors. Experienced technicians know that repeatable measurements are essential before making final corrections.

Best practice: Always verify alignment readings and confirm stability before returning equipment to service.

The cost of poor alignment
Misalignment doesn’t just affect equipment – it impacts the entire operation.

Poor alignment can lead to:

• Increased vibration and heat
• Premature bearing and seal failures
• Reduced equipment efficiency
• Higher energy consumption
• Increased maintenance costs
• More frequent breakdowns
• Unplanned production downtime

In many cases, these costs far exceed the investment required to perform proper alignment in the first place.

Partner with TRS for precision laser alignment

At TRS, we help industrial businesses improve machinery reliability through professional laser alignment services. Using advanced alignment technology and experienced technicians, we identify and correct alignment issues before they become costly failures.

Whether you’re commissioning new equipment, responding to vibration issues, or implementing a proactive maintenance strategy, our team can help ensure your rotating assets are operating at peak performance.

If you’re experiencing recurring bearing failures, excessive vibration, or unexplained equipment downtime, alignment could be the hidden issue affecting your operation.

Get in touch with TRS to discuss how precision laser alignment can improve reliability, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the life of your critical equipment.