ME 3507: Theory of Machines

Balancing

Dr. Faraz Junejo

Objectives
Balance simple rotating objects
and pin jointed fourbar linkages

Introduction
Shaking forces and shaking
(Chapter 11) will lead to vibrations

torques

Shaking forces and shaking torques are

produced
by
unbalanced
rotating
members
Unbalanced
rotating
mass
used
in
machinery where vibration is required, ex:
vibration function in cell phone
For common machinery, vibration is not a
desired feature (leads to noise, faster wear
and tear) and can be removed through
balancing

PlayStation 2 Dual Shock controller

Purposes of Balancing
Making machine elements center of mass or
gravity coincide with their rotating centers
The center of mass of some machine may not

coincide with their rotating centers, the reasons

are:
The asymmetry of the structure
Uneven distribution of materials
Errors in machining , casting and forging
Improper boring
By keys
By assembly

Centrifugal Force
A particle made to travel along a circular
path generates a centrifugal force directed
outward along the radial line form the
center of rotation to the particle.
As the particle rotates about the center
point, so does the centrifugal force.

Centrifugal Force
(contd.)
Centrifugal force is an inertia force and

is
actually the bodys reaction to an externally
applied force.

For circular motion the external force is known

as centripetal force. The centripetal force acts on
the particle in a radially inward direction.
They both have the same magnitude but differ in
the direction of action.

Centrifugal Force (contd.)

Similarly, a rotor with mass center slightly
displaced form the axis of rotation will generate
centrifugal force.
This is the force associated with static unbalance.
The shaft supports counteract the forces of
unbalance -> the externally applied centripetal
force.
It should be noted here that the quantity m. r is known
as unbalance and that centrifugal force is the product of
unbalance and angular velocity squared. While
unbalance force (Fcentrifugal) increases rapidly with speed,
the unbalance quantity itself (m. r) does not change at
all.

Centrifugal Force (contd.)

With rigid bodies the unbalance remains
the same although an increase in speed
causes an increase in force.
The increased force will in turn cause
increased motion depending on the
stiffness of the shaft or the shaft supports.
Force increases exponentially as the
square of the change in speed. Twice the
speed equates to four times the force and
four times the motion.

F = mr2 = U2

Unbalance: Summary

A rotor is unbalanced if its centre of gravity

(S) or principal axis of inertia does not
coincide with the axis of rotation.
During rotation the centre of gravity then
moves on a circular path and the rotor exerts
centrifugal forces and moments on its frame.
As system is rotating at
some constant angular
velocity . The accelerations
of the masses will then be
strictly centripetal (toward
the center) , and the inertia
forces will be centrifugal
(away from the center).

Unbalance: Summary (contd.)

In addition to mass, the factors

governing the centrifugal force of a body
are the radius of the circular path and
the angular velocity/speed.
F = m r 2
As the centrifugal force increases with
the square of the speed, good balancing
is extremely important, particularly for
high-speed machines.

Static Balancing

Applies to things in motion even though

the word static is used
Also known as single-plane balancing
Applied to rotating masses that are in, or
nearly in the same plane (2D problem)
Ex: Bicycle wheel, gear, grinding wheels,
fan propeller

 Common feature: All objects are short in

the axial direction compared to the radial
direction. The axial dimension B is smaller
compared to the diameter D ( usually B/D0.2 )

Masses almost lie on a single plane

Requirement for static balance: Sum of all
forces on system must be zero, F = 0

Static Balancing:
Example

If the system is a simple disc then

static balance is all that is needed.
Consider a thin disc or wheel on
which the centre of gravity is not the
same as the centre of rotation.

 If the centre of gravity is distance r from

the centre of rotation then when it spins at
rad/s, centrifugal force is produced.
This has a formula C.F.= M 2 r where M
is the mass of the disc.
This is the out of balance force. In order to
cancel it out an equal and opposite force is
needed. This is simply done by adding a
mass M2 at a radius r2 as shown. The two
forces must have the same magnitudes.

 Placing a suitable mass at a suitable

radius moves the centre of gravity to the
centre of rotation.
This balance holds true at all speeds down
to zero hence it is balanced so long as the
products of M and r are equal and
opposite.

Another Example !!
Figure shows a link in the shape of a vee
which is part of a linkage. We want to
statically balance it.
We can model this link dynamically as two
point masses m1 and m2 concentrated at
the local CGs of each "leg" of the link as
shown in Figure b.

 These point masses each

have a mass equal to that
of the "leg" they replace;
and

Dynamic model

are supported on
massless rods at the
position (R1 or R2) of that
leg's CG.
We can solve for the
required amount and
location of a third
"balance mass" mb to be
added to the system at
Assume
some location
Rb in order
that the system
is rotating at some constant angular
velocity
. The
accelerations
of the masses will then be strictly
to satisfy
equation
F ma
centripetal (toward the center) , and the inertia forces will be
= 0.
centrifugal (away from the center) as shown in Figure.

We will set up a coordinate system with its origin at

the center of rotation and resolve the inertial forces
into components in that system. Writing vector
equation (F ma = 0) for this system we get:

Remember !!
Note that the only forces acting on this system
are the inertia forces.
For balancing, it does not matter what external
forces may be acting on the system.
External forces cannot be balanced by making
any changes to the system's internal geometry.
Note that the 2 terms is cancelled, b/c for
balancing as discussed earlier, it also does not
matter how fast the system is rotating, only
that it is rotating ( will determine the
magnitudes of these forces, but we will make
their sum to be zero anyway for balancing).

Static Balancing (contd.)

Static Balancing (contd.)

 Once a combination of mb and

Rb is chosen, it remains to
design the physical
counterweight.
The chosen radius Rb is the
distance from the pivot to the
CG of whatever shape we create
for the counterweight mass.
Our simple dynamic model,
used to calculate the mR
product, assumed a point mass
and a massless rod. These ideal
devices do not exist.
A possible shape for this
counterweight is shown in
Figure 12-1c. Its mass must be
mb, distributed so as to place its
CG at radius Rb at angle b.

Example: 1
Given : The system shown in the
right figure has the following
data:

m1=1.2kg R1=1.135m
@113.4
m2=1.8kg R2=0.822m @48.8
=40rad/sec
Find: The mass-radius product
and its angular location needed to
statically balance the system.
Please note desired value for
Rb=0.806m

Example: 1 (contd.)
(1) Resolve the position vectors into x, y
components:
R1=1.135m@113.4, R1x=-0.451m,
R1y=1.042m
R2=0.822m@48.8,

R2x=+0.541m,

R2y=

0.618m
(2) So the mass-radius product of the
counterweight is:
mbRbx =
-(m
R1x+m2R2x) = -[(1.2)(2.1363

259.6
b arctan
0.451)+(1.8)(0.541)]
0.433

= -0.433kg.m
2
2
mb R
( -(m
0.433
)+m( R2.363
) 2.402kg m
mb b
Rby =
R
)=
-[(1.2)
1 1y
2 2y

(1.042)+(1.8)(0.618)]

Example: 1 (contd.)
(3) If a value for Rb=0.806m is
desired, the mass required for this
counterweight design is:
mb=(2.402kg-m)/(0.806m)
=2.980kg
at a chosen CG radius of:
Rb=0.806m

m1
m2

r1

r2
r

mbb

Exercise: 1
Three masses A, B and C are placed on a
balanced disc as shown at radii of 120
mm, 100 mm and 80 mm respectively. The
masses are 1 kg, 0.5 kg and 0.7 kg
respectively. Find the 4th mass which
should be added at a radius of 60 mm in
order to statically balance the system.
Answer: The mass
required is 2.4 kg at
208.7o
counterclockwise of
+ve x-axis.

Static Balance/Single Plane

Balance

Usually the counterweight mb are placed at

as large a rotating radius as is practicable to
minimize the amount of the added mass.
An alternative approach could be by
removing mass in the direction of imbalance
(e.g. drilling a hole as the open circle mb),
rather than by adding counterweights to it.
Any number of masses in a disk-like rotor
can be balanced by adding a single mass or
removing a mass at an appropriate position.
This is also called single-plane balance.

Dynamic Balancing
Also known as two-plane balancing

Applied to rotating objects that are

relatively longer in the axial direction
compared to the radial direction
Ex: Car tire, squirrel cage fan,
turbine rotor

Example
Consider 2 masses statically balanced as
shown but acting at different places along
the axis.
For static balance
MArA = MBrB

It is clear that even with static balance,

centrifugal force will produce a turning moment
about the centre of gravity for the system.

Example (contd.)
In this case, the problem is solved by
adding equal and opposite forces at
the two points as shown.

 Consider the assembly in Figure. Two equal

masses are at identical radii, 1800 apart
rotationally, but separated along the shaft length.

 A summation of inertial forces due to their

rotation will be always zero (i.e. statically
balanced). However, in the side view, their
inertia forces form a couple which rotates
with the masses about the shaft.
The couple will act on the frame and tend
to produce rotation vibration of the frame.
The criterion for the balancing in such
cases is:
Both the vector sum of all inertia forces and
the vector sum of all moments of inertia
forces about any point must be zero, i.e.
Fi=0

and

Mi=0

Dynamic Balancing (contd.)

Requirements for dynamic balancing:

Sum of all forces must be zero, F = 0

Sum of all moments must be zero, M= 0
Requires addition of balancing weights in

two correction planes separated by some

distance along the shaft to provide a
counter couple to cancel the unbalanced
moment

Example: Dynamic
balancing

When

an

dynamically

automobile

tire

and

wheel

is

balanced,

the

two

correction

planes are the inner and outer edges of the

wheel rim.
Correction weights are added at the proper

locations in each of these correction planes

based on a measurement of the dynamic
forces generated by the unbalanced, spinning
wheel.

Dynamic balancing: Summary

Dynamic balancing: Summary (contd.)

 Consider the system of three masses arranged

around and along the shaft in Figure 12-3.
We then create two correction planes labeled A and
B. In this design example, the unbalanced masses
m1, m2, m3 and their radii R1, R2, R3 are known
along with their angular locations 1, 2, and 3.

 A 3D coordinate system is applied with the

axis of rotation in the Z direction.
Note that the system has again been
stopped in an arbitrary freeze-frame
position. Angular acceleration is assumed to
be zero. The summation of forces is:

 Taking moment about pt. O on correction plane A

yields:

12.4d

12.4e

12.4f

Equation 12.4 c becomes

Dynamic Balancing (contd.)

Example 2: Determine the mass radius products

and their angular locations required to
dynamically balance the system using the
correction planes A and B

Example: 2 (Summary)

Balancing Linkages

Balancing forces
the CM of the object
to coincide with the
center of rotation
CM of object
becomes stationary
as a result of this
Static balancing is
in effect making the
CM of the object
stationary

Balancing Linkages (contd.)

Balancing forces
the CM of the object
to coincide with the
center of rotation
CM of object
becomes stationary
as a result of this
Static balancing is
in effect making the
CM of the object
stationary

Balancing Linkages (contd.)

We will employ static balancing on a linkage,
because mass of fourbar linkage is distributed in
a single plane
CM of entire linkage will move as linkage moves

Linkage Balancing Strategy

Force CM of entire linkage, CMt to be
stationary
Do this by adding 2 balancing weights, mA
and mB, to links 2 and 4 (because they are
in pure rotation)

Linkage Balancing Strategy (contd.)

Force CM of entire linkage to be

stationary
Derive equation describing location
of CM of entire linkage
Eliminate all variables from equation
to ensure location of CM is constant
(stationary)

Balancing of 4 bar linkage

Total mss of the system is given by
m t = m 2 + m3 + m4
Now the total mass moment about the
origin O2 must be equal to the sum of
mass moments due to individual links, i.e.
MO2= mt Rt = m2 R2 + m3 R3 + m4 R4
Where, R2, R3 and R4 are individual CM of
links located in global system centered at
O2 using position vectors

Global CM of Linkage
w.r.t. O2

Vectors Representing Link Lengths

Vectors for Local CM of Links

Vectors for Local CM of

Balancing Weights

Expression for R2

Expression for R3

Expression for R4

Expression for RA

Expression for RB

Expansion of Linkage CM equation

Vector Loop Equation

Location and mass of balancing weights

and gives orientation of RA and RB relative L2
and L4 respectively
Any combination of mA and RA are acceptable so
long as their product is equal to mARA(same with
mBRB)

Exercise: 1
Figure shows an unbalanced fourbar linkage.
Balance this linkage using two balancing
weights of mA = mB = 100gm. Please note,
all dimensions are in mm, unless stated
otherwise.
The distance and angular orientation of the
second balancing weight mB, relative to link
4 has been determined for you. There
values are shown in figure.
Determine the distance RA and angular
orientation of the first balancing weight
mA, relative to link 2 .

Exercise: 1

Exercise: 1 (contd.)
Hint: Need to use following equations
for fourbar pin joint mechanisms

Answers are as follows:

RA= 14.2mm
= 180 + = 193.4o