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What is ‘Soft Foot’ and Why Does

it Affect Shaft Alignment
In: Blog 25 Jul 2013

Any condition where less than perfect surface contact is made between the underside of the
machine’s feet and the surface of the base plate, or frame, is called soft foot. Soft foot is
similar to being seated at a wobbling table. The table wobbles because at least one leg
does not come in perfect contact with the floor. For a table, this is considered an
inconvenience; with industrial equipment, this condition will result in misalignment and
equipment damage.
Soft foot is a commonly misunderstood term and a topic that can be considered on its own,
separate from alignment. The effects of soft foot can be so prevalent in the alignment
process, however, that it must be eliminated before making any alignment corrections. Pre-
alignment checks and procedures include eliminating soft foot; however, soft foot should be
checked in each stage of the alignment process.

Types
The types of soft foot include the following:
1. Parallel Soft Foot – Parallel soft foot exists when the foot simply does not reach the
base and creates a gap between the foot and base. The bottom of the foot is parallel
to the base plate. Tightening the hold-down bolts will result in a distortion of the
machine’s frame as the soft foot is drawn down to the base. This condition is easiest
to detect using either a feeler gauge or dial indicator.
 2. Angular Soft Foot – Angular soft foot can occur when the foot is touching the base
on either the outside or inside portion of the foot, but the other side of the foot is bent
away creating an angle between the base and the bottom of the foot. In both cases,
tightening the hold-down bolts will result in a distortion of the machine’s frame as the
foot is drawn down to the base.
3. Squishy Foot – Squishy foot, sometimes called spring foot, exists when the gap
between the foot and base has already been filled with shims. The machine will
appear to be fixed of soft foot problems until the hold-down bolts are tightened.
Tightening the hold-down bolts can compress shims that are creased, bent, or
otherwise damaged. This condition can distort the machine’s frame as the foot is
drawn down to the base.
4. Stress-Induced Soft Foot – Perhaps the most difficult soft foot condition to detect is
caused by forces that are external to the machine. This is referred to as stress-
induced soft foot. It can be the result of pipe strain or stresses induced by the
electrical connections as well as drastic misalignment. Stress-induced forces can be
created during any stage of the alignment process; therefore, eliminating this kind of
soft foot may require more than one check.

Effects
Effects from soft foot in industrial applications include the following:
1. Shaft Movement – The primary concern of uncorrected soft foot is that once the
machine is tightened down, the centerline of the shaft will have moved. This can
cause significant trouble when completing an alignment procedure and lead to
premature coupling, bearing, and mechanical seal failure.
2. Frame Distortion – Frame distortion can be caused by uncorrected soft foot. This
condition exists when the soft foot is forced to mate with the base. With lighter
framed motors, frame distortion can bend the motor housing. On larger motors,
frame distortion can lead to premature failure of components, such as bearings.
3. Internal Misalignment – Internal components can be forced out of alignment due to
the forces and frame distortions caused by an uncorrected soft foot. These
misalignments can cause decreased efficiency and early component failures.
4. Distorted Bearing Housing – Machine frame distortion can distort the bearing
housing. This can result in excessive wear on the top and bottom of the outer race
and lead to premature failure.
5. Fretting Corrosion – Vibration can loosen the bolts holding a motor to its foundation.
A motor with a soft foot is more likely to cause fretting corrosion and repetitive
impact damage to its foundation and bolts. This corrosion will, in turn, worsen the
soft foot condition.

Correction
To have smooth-running machines, soft foot must be detected and eliminated on both the
driving and driven machines before performing the alignment.
The following are typical methods to correct soft foot:
1. Rough-in – Once the machines are in their approximate final positions, a rough-in
soft foot can be performed. It has been found that a rough-in soft foot check can
eliminate as much as 90% of the soft foot present in a machine.
2. Using Shims – Many times, it is easiest to use a shim as a feeler gauge in
eliminating the residual soft foot. Simply slide the shim into position under the foot
until it stops. Do not force the shim into place as this will raise the foot and can
create soft foot on other feet. The purpose of the rough-in soft foot is to eliminate any
gap under the foot. Once the gaps are eliminated and the other pre-alignment
checks are complete, the technician is ready to move on to the adjustment stage of
the alignment.
3. Re-Check – After all of the adjustments have been made to the machines, check for
soft foot a second time to be certain that no stresses or residual forces have been
introduced. If soft foot is found, restart the procedure.
4. Complete the Rough-In – Once the alignment has been checked in the adjustment
stage, all of the hold down bolts should be tightened to the proper torque
specification. The rough-in soft foot is now complete.

Precision
During the precision phase, each foot is individually checked for soft foot before making any
corrections. A dial indicator is used to ensure the most precise measurement possible.
Adjusting one foot at a time will eventually be successful in removing the soft foot, but
taking a few minutes to examine the soft foot on the entire machine can save hours of
tedious corrections. In some cases, eliminating the largest soft foot will actually remove the
soft foot at the other feet.
Although eliminating all of the soft foot is the goal, sometimes difficult problems or time
restrictions are encountered. If the base, feet, or legs of the machine are too flexible, for
example, final adjustments may cause more frustration than results. A certain amount of
tolerance is typically allowed and will vary by the machine or local guidelines. However,
when the measurements have been taken properly using a solid base, it should be possible
to limit the soft foot to within 1 mil, or 0.001 inches.

To learn more about implementing maintenance and training programs to teach personnel
about proper detection and correction of soft foot, as well as other industry-related issues,
please contact us at (813)908-1100.

By Dallas Hermanson