Equipment Installation
What the exam tests
Installation questions cover site survey, foundations, baseplates, anchoring, grouting, leveling, clearance, lifting, cable routing, and handover. The exam rewards sequencing: a machine that is aligned before grouting or piped before soft-foot correction will often be misaligned again.
Core rules
- Confirm the foundation can take static and dynamic loads, and that the anchor type suits the concrete condition. Chemical anchors need correct hole cleaning and curing time.
- Level and align the baseplate before final grouting. Use shims only for temporary support; grout must achieve full contact and the specified strength.
- Check soft foot before coupling alignment. A twisted baseplate will distort the machine and bearing housing.
- Connect piping and ducting without strain. Pipe strain can move a pump or gearbox after alignment; use flexible connections where specified.
- Plan lifting with rated slings, correct sling angles, and a exclusion zone. Never lift from a motor eye bolt unless it is rated for the assembly.
Worked example
A baseplate is 2.4 m long and the specification allows 0.2 mm/m level error. The maximum end-to-end error is 0.2 × 2.4 = 0.48 mm. If a precision level shows 0.7 mm over that length, the baseplate is out of tolerance even if one end looks correct. Correct with shims, recheck soft foot, then grout only after the level and anchor preload are accepted.
Traps
Grouting over shims that cannot be removed; aligning before pipe connection; using unrated lifting points; ignoring anchor curing time; and assuming a concrete floor is flat enough for a precision machine.