It’s very important that before a choice of machine foundation material is picked, its properties have to be checked and ensure that it’s suitable for the type of machine that is going to be installed in a plant.
Different types of machine foundation materials can handle loads of different sizes and how the machine operates.
If by any chance one will end up choosing machine foundation material that doesn’t align with the weight, size and operation of the machine then that foundation is likely to be faulty.
So, the properties of the machine foundation materials are of huge significance when it comes to choosing the machine that is going to be installed.
The moment the properties aren’t met there could be a problem of vibrations, constant repair of the machines, destroying the plant structures and so many other undesired effects on the operators.
You might like this: Advantages & Disadvantages Of Vibration In Machines
Before determining the most suitable material to use for the machine foundation it is necessary that the following properties are considered.
Properties of materials used in machine foundations
1. Allowable space
The space of the material used in a machine foundation is one of the important factors that should be considered before it is used in a machine foundation.
The material should have the right space (allowable space) to accommodate the machine that is going to be installed in a particular layout.
If the material is too big or too small it will cause problems when it comes to the machine installation and the plant layout too.
Think about it, if the material used is too small then this means other parts of the machine won’t be accommodated by the machine foundation.
And this will end up causing problems for the foundation. Some parts of the machine won’t be laid on the foundation correctly and this means the purpose of the foundation wouldn’t have been met.
Also, if the material used in the machine foundation is too big, then this means it will interfere with the plant layout.
One should understand that every machine in a plant is allocated to its specific space.
If the material is going to extend to spaces where it isn’t needed then this will mess up the plant layout.
So, the material used in a machine foundation should be of a suitable size that the machine requires to be laid on.
2. The strength of the neighbouring supports
The choice of material used in a machine foundation should comply with this property.
If the material used in the machine foundation is not that strong then it should have neighbouring support.
This is to ensure that the purpose of the machine foundation is met. If the material is weaker and it’s not supported by anything, the machine foundation is not likely to hold the machine at all.
This is how the strength of the neighbouring supports comes into play.
For instance, a rotary compressor will need a material to support it when it’s operating. It usually rotates at a very high speed.
But you will find that when it’s installed there has to be a concrete foundation block first, and below the concrete block, there are c*cks installed.
Also, you will find that some machines that use spring as their foundation material (machinery with large shocks) are incorporated with rubbers.
That is why the strength of the neighbouring support is one of the factors that should be considered when choosing the machine foundation materials.
This also includes the strength of the material used in that machine foundation.
3. The soil conditions or the floor should be completely studied.
Different machine foundation materials are going to be used based on the condition of the soil or the floor of the plant.
There are some materials that won’t be used on the soil. When you look at the instance of a spring.
The spring can’t be used on soil because it will end up digging a huge over time as the machine keeps operating.
The suitable place for the spring will be on a concrete block.
So, if the soil condition can’t handle a particular material to be used in a foundation then this will interfere with the installation of the machine.
The foundation won’t be solid if the material used is going to mess up with the ground of the plant.
Different machine foundation materials are used on different soil conditions or floor states.
Wood, concrete, brick and grout are some of the materials used in machine foundations.
All these materials are used when they are compatible with the ground state of the plant or the soil conditions.
So, before a material is chosen to be used in a machine foundation, one has to ensure that it won’t destroy the floor or the soil condition of the plant.
Final thought
A machine foundation won’t be functional without the right type of material incorporated into it.
The materials are the ones that are in charge of distributing the load of the machine, aiding in the maintenance of the machine by controlling the vibrations and ensuring that the floor of the plant is not destroyed.
The properties of the materials selected to be used in a machine foundation should be highly considered for the effective working of the foundation.
A wrong choice of materials used in these foundations will completely temper the foundations of the machine installations.
If you have any questions about the properties of these machine foundations materials don’t be afraid to leave your comment.
Also if you have anything to add, just leave your note.
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