Method and apparatus for the alignment of several, machine units arranged in series

A method for aligning at least one machine unit (36) on a base (42) comprises the steps of installing alignment markers (28) on the parts (12, 14) of a machine unit (36) to be aligned, and correcting the locations of the alignment markers (28) to effect a correction in the locations of the parts (12, 14) on which they are installed. The alignment markers (28) are installed in positions which have precise relationships to the positions of function specific openings (20) in the parts (12, 14) which are preferably formed in metal cutting machining. A correction in the locations of the alignment markers (28) thus effects a correction in the locations of the function specific openings (20). The alignment markers (28) enable an alignment of parallel parts (12, 14) of a single machine unit (36) as well as alignment of several machine units (36, 38, 40) arranged one after the other in series.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for the 
alignment of several machine units arranged in series. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
German Patent Publication DE-OS 3012986 discloses a device for the erection 
of heavy loads on a platform. The device balances out discrepancies in the 
exact positioning and location of a deposited heavy load. Position 
adjustment shoes connected with an oil force supply means build up an oil 
cushion which effects a correction in the position of a heavy load, the 
position of which can be changed on the platform. 
With the device disclosed in German Patent Publication DE-OS 3012986, only 
a single machine unit can be erected individually and in an exact 
position. Furthermore, extensive peripheral access is necessary to make 
use of the position adjustment shoes. 
In a printing press, a plurality of printing units are arranged in series. 
Each printing unit includes printing cylinders extending between the side 
frames of the printing unit. The printing cylinders should extend 
horizontally. When installing a printing unit, the installer places a hand 
level on the edges of the side frames of the printing unit. The printing 
unit is then moved until the top and side edges of the side frames are 
horizontal and vertical, as indicated by the hand level. This method is 
based on the assumption that the printing cylinders in the printing unit 
will be horizontal when the side frames are level. When a printing unit is 
installed on a shop floor, dimensional tolerances between the position of 
a cylinder and the edge of a side frame can result in the cylinder being 
installed in an inclined, non-horizontal position even though the edges of 
the side frames are horizontal and vertical. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing and installing 
one or more machine units having parts which must be accurately 
manufactured and installed. The method is especially applicable to machine 
units in which the parts to be accurately manufactured and installed have 
function specific openings which must be accurately located relative to 
each other, and which are formed in a metal cutting process. The method 
includes the step of providing alignment markers on the parts. The 
alignment markers on each part are positioned accurately with reference to 
the locations of the function specific openings. During manufacture and 
installation of the machine unit having the alignment markers, a movement 
of a part to correct the locations of the alignment markers effects a 
correction in the locations of the associated function specific openings. 
The alignment markers thus enable alignment of the parts within each 
machine unit, as well as alignment of adjacent machine units. 
The invention enables exact alignment of function specific openings in 
machine parts or machine units. The function specific openings are aligned 
with each other indirectly by accurately aligning the alignment markers 
with each other. The alignment markers are located in alignment openings 
in the parts which have the function specific openings. The relationship 
between the positions of the function specific openings and the positions 
of the alignment openings formed in a machine part can be maintained more 
closely than the relationship between the positions of the function 
specific openings and the position of a different portion of the machine 
part, such as an edge of the machine part. This is especially true when 
the function specific openings and the alignment openings are formed in a 
boring operation performed on the machine part, because the relationship 
between the positions of openings formed in a boring operation can be 
controlled more accurately than the relationship between the position of 
an opening and the position of an edge of the machine part. 
In practice of the method according to the invention, the alignment 
markers, when erecting a first series of machine parts on a base surface, 
establish a first horizontally extending alignment line. When erecting a 
second series of machine parts on the base surface, the alignment markers 
establish a second horizontally extending alignment line parallel to the 
first horizontally extending alignment line. When erecting machine parts 
which are arranged parallel and side-by-side, the alignment markers 
establish a horizontally extending alignment line which extends at a right 
angle to both of the above-mentioned horizontally extending alignment 
lines. The invention advantageously enables a longitudinal alignment of 
successive machine parts in a row as well as lateral alignment of 
parallel, side-by-side machine parts, with associated alignment of the 
function specific openings in the machine parts. The alignment in 
longitudinal and lateral directions at an early stage in the assembly and 
installation of the machine units saves time by avoiding corrections in 
their positions which might otherwise be needed thereafter. 
In addition to enabling longitudinal alignment between successive machine 
units in a row, the parallel horizontal alignment lines described above 
enable the distance between successive machine units to be accurately 
measured and adjusted. 
The invention further comprises a machine unit which is assembled and 
installed in accordance with the method described above. In a preferred 
embodiment of the invention, the machine unit is a printing unit for use 
in a printing press comprising a plurality of printing units. The printing 
unit has parallel side walls. A plurality of the printing units are 
installed in a row extending in a direction parallel to the side walls. 
Each of the side walls has at least one bore in which a bearing supports 
an end of a printing cylinder. The bores are the function specific 
openings. Each printing cylinder in the printing press should be installed 
accurately with reference to the positions of each other printing cylinder 
in the printing press. Therefore, each bore in a side frame should be 
assembled and installed accurately with reference to each other bore in 
each other side frame in the printing press. 
The alignment markers are constructed as alignment openings which receive 
alignment pins. The alignment openings are formed in the side frames in 
the same hole-forming operations which form the bores for the bearings. 
The same relationship between the positions of the bores and the positions 
of the alignment openings is maintained in each hole-forming operation on 
each side frame, and a low tolerance is maintained. Importantly, the 
relationship between the positions of the bores and the positions of the 
alignment openings can be maintained more closely than the relationship 
between the positions of the bores and the positions of edges of the side 
frames, because the bores and the alignment openings are formed in a 
single hole-forming operation, whereas the bores and the edges of the side 
frame are formed in different manufacturing operations. 
Preferably, the side frames in a printing unit are connected to each other 
by tie bars. The alignment pins on each side frame establish a horizontal 
alignment line. The locations of the two side frames are adjusted relative 
to each other so that the two alignment lines are parallel and level with 
each other. The bores in the two side frames are thus adjusted into their 
desired locations indirectly by adjusting the locations of the alignment 
pins. The two side frames are then fixed relative to each other by the tie 
bars. When a first printing unit is installed, the two parallel alignment 
lines established by the alignment pins serve a longitudinal alignment 
lines for other printing units which ar installed in series with the first 
printing unit. 
The printing units which are installed in series can be supported on blocks 
which are pre-arranged before the printing units are placed on the blocks. 
Some of the blocks have V-shaped grooves in which alignment pins on the 
side frames of a printing unit are received. The printing unit is thus 
supported on the blocks, and will be spaced from an adjacent printing unit 
the same distance that the blocks are spaced from adjacent blocks. A 
horizontally extending alignment line can be formed between the side frame 
of a printing unit and a pair of blocks associated with the side frame. 
The alignment markers in accordance with the invention are not limited to 
alignment openings and alignment pins. Rather, alignment regions on 
machine parts can also be used, the correct position of which can be 
determined by optical measuring devices such as lasers. The alignment 
regions on a machine part can be constructed in such a way that they have 
photo-electric sensors, optically sensitive surfaces, or other optical 
measuring devices.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present invention relates to machine units which are arranged in 
series. For example, the invention is applicable to an energy producing 
engine consisting of gas or steam turbine units and generators arranged in 
series, as well as being applicable to paper processing machines arranged 
in series. Additionally, stationary large capacity diesel engines with 
transmissions for the assembly into a hull can simply be aligned relative 
to each other in accordance with the invention. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of printing units 
are arranged in series. The invention relates both to assembly of a 
printing unit and to installation of a plurality of printing units in 
series. 
Assembly of Printing Unit 
As shown in FIG. 1, a printing unit 10 has two side frames 12 and 14 which 
are parallel to one another. The side frames 12 and 14 of the printing 
unit 10 each have a rectangular shape with a horizontally extending edge 
16 and a vertically extending edge 18. Each of the side frames 12 and 14 
also has a bore 20 centered on a horizontal axis 22. The bores 20 are for 
supporting roller bearings (not shown) in which a printing cylinder (not 
shown) extending between the side frames 12 and 14 is journalled for 
rotation about the axis 22. Each side frame 12 and 14 also has a pair of 
alignment openings 24. Each alignment opening 24 on one of the side frames 
12 and 14 is coaxial with a respective alignment opening 24 on the other 
one of the side frames 12 and 14. Each of a plurality of alignment pins 28 
is receivable in a respective one of the alignment openings 24. The 
alignment pins 28 are likewise coaxial when received in the alignment 
openings 24. Tie bars 26, two of which are shown in FIG. 1, fix the side 
frames 12 and 14 to each other in positions wherein the bores 20 and the 
alignment openings 24 are coaxial as described above. 
Each of the side frames 12 and 14 is manufactured with a minimum tolerance 
in the spacing between the bore 20 and the associated alignment openings 
24. The relationship between the positions of the alignment openings 24 
and the position of the bore 20 in a side frame 12 or 14 can be maintained 
more closely than the relationship between the position of the bore 20 and 
the position of an edge 16 or 18. This is because a dimensional tolerance 
can be maintained when forming holes in a single boring operation which is 
closer than the dimensional tolerance which can be maintained in separate 
manufacturing operations which respectively form a bore and an edge of a 
side frame. Therefore, in accordance with the invention, the alignment 
openings 24 and the associated bore 20 in a side frame are formed in a 
single boring operation. The relationship between the positions of the 
alignment openings 24 and the position of the associated bore 20 is 
predetermined and is established with a close dimensional tolerance when 
the side frame is manufactured. The same relationship between the 
positions of the alignment openings 24 and the associated bore 20 is 
repeated when another side frame is manufactured. That relationship is 
repeated most precisely when the side frames 12 and 14 are placed atop one 
another and are bored together. 
After each of the side frames 12 and 14 is manufactured with the same 
predetermined relationship between the positions of the alignment openings 
24 and the position of the associated bore 20, the side frames 12 and 14 
are fixed to each other as shown in FIG. 1. The side frame 12 and the side 
frame 14 are moved relative to each other until the alignment openings 24 
are coaxial with each other as shown in FIG. 1. The location of the 
alignment openings 24 relative to each other can be determined by 
measuring the location of the alignment pins 28 relative to each other 
when the alignment pins 28 are received in the alignment openings 24. 
Alternately, the locations of the alignment openings 24 relative to each 
other can be determined with reference to an alignment line 30 which, by 
way of example, is shown in FIG. 1 to be established by a laser 32. 
Another alternate method of establishing a coaxial relationship between 
the alignment openings 24 on the two side frames 12 and 14 would involve 
temporary insertion of tie bars 26 or other rigid members in and between 
opposed pairs of alignment openings 24 to hold them in a coaxial 
relationship. 
Because the position of the bore 20 on the side frame 12 and the positions 
of the alignment openings 24 on the side frame 12 have the same 
relationship to each other as do the bore 20 and the alignment openings 24 
on the side frame 14, the bores 20 on the side frames 12 and 14 will also 
be coaxial with each other when the alignment openings 24 on the side 
frames 12 and 14 are coaxial with each other. The bores 20 will therefore 
be coaxial with each other with a close dimensional tolerance when the 
side frames 12 and 14 are fixed to each other. A printing cylinder 
extending between the bores 20 will consequently extend horizontally with 
the same low dimensional tolerance. The alignment openings 24 and/or the 
alignment pins 28 thus serve as references for the locations of the bores 
20 when the printing unit 10 is assembled. 
Installation of Printing Units 
As shown in FIG. 2, a printing press 34 comprises a plurality of printing 
units 36, 38 and 40 arranged in series. For clarity of illustration, each 
of the printing units 36, 38 and 40 is identical to the printing unit 10 
described above, and the same reference numbers are used to identify 
corresponding parts of the printing units 36, 38 and 40. The printing unit 
36 is first placed on a base surface 42. A hand level 44 is placed across 
the alignment pins 28 on the side frame 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the same 
or another hand level 44 is similarly placed across the alignment pins 28 
on the side frame 14, as well as between coaxial pairs of alignment pins 
28 on the side frames 12 and 14. The side frames 12 and 14 are then moved 
relative to each other until all of the alignment pins 28 are shown by the 
hand level(s) 44 to be level with each other. When the printing unit 36 is 
thus installed with the alignment pins 28 level with each other, the 
alignment pins 28 on the side frame 12 establish a horizontally extending 
alignment line 46, as shown in FIG. 2. The alignment pins 28 on the side 
frame 14 similarly establish a horizontally extending alignment line 46 
which is parallel and level with the line 46 extending across the side 
frame 12. Preferably, the centers of the alignment pins 28 are visibly 
marked (FIGS. 1 and 7), and the horizontally extending alignment lines 46 
are considered to extend through the centers of the alignment pins 28. 
After the printing unit 36 is installed as described above, the printing 
units 38 and 40 are installed in succession as shown in FIG. 2. After the 
printing unit 38 is placed on the base surface 42, the side frames 12 and 
14 of the printing unit 38 are moved relative to each other until all of 
the alignment pins 28 on the printing unit 38 are level with each other 
and with the alignment pins 28 on the printing unit 36. The level 
positions of the alignment pins 28 on the printing unit 38 can be 
established by the use of hand levels 44 placed across and between the 
alignment pins 28 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
Alternately, the level positions of the alignment pins 28 on the printing 
units 36 and 38 can be established with reference to the horizontally 
extending alignment lines 46 as projected by a laser 50. In the latter 
case, the alignment pins 28 could be equipped with optical targeting means 
of suitable construction, or the visibly marked centers of the alignment 
pins 28 could serve as alignment targets. 
In another alternate embodiment of the invention, the horizontally 
extending alignment line 46 could be established simply by drawing a 
string in a straight line across the visibly marked centers of the 
alignment pins 28 on the printing unit 36, and extending the string beyond 
the printing unit 36 as a reference for location of the centers of the 
alignment pins 28 on the printing units 38 and 40. 
When the printing units 36, 38 and 40 are installed with all of the 
associated alignment pins 28 level with each other as described above, the 
bores 20 in the printing units 36, 38 and 40 will also be level with each 
other, as indicated by the horizontally extending alignment line 52 shown 
in FIG. 2. Another horizontally extending alignment line 52 (not shown) 
similarly extends across the side frames 14. The bores 20 will be level 
with each other on the lines 52 because the position of each bore 20 on 
each of the side frames 12 and 14 has the same relationship to the 
positions of the associated alignment openings 24. Such relationships are 
maintained uniformly from one side frame to the other with a minimum 
dimensional tolerance, and the bores 20 are thus centered on the lines 52 
with the same minimum dimensional tolerance. The printing cylinders 
extending across the printing units 36, 38 and 40 will consequently be 
horizontal and level with each other. 
Another alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In 
this embodiment of the invention, the printing units in a printing press 
are supported on blocks. For clarity of illustration, only the printing 
unit 36 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The printing unit 36 is supported on a 
pair of V-blocks 60 and on a pair of rectangular blocks 62. Each of the 
V-blocks 60 has a V-shaped groove 64 in the upper surface thereof, as 
shown in FIG. 4. The V-blocks 60 are fixed to the base surface 42 in 
positions wherein the upper surfaces of the V-blocks 60 are level with 
each other, and wherein the V-shaped grooves 64 in the V-blocks 60 are 
centered on a horizontally extending transverse alignment line 66. The 
rectangular blocks 62 are similarly fixed on the base surface 42 in 
positions wherein the upper surfaces thereof are level with each other. 
The printing unit 36 is supported on the V-blocks 60 and on the rectangular 
blocks 62. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the alignment pins 28-at one 
end of the printing unit 36 are received in the V-shaped grooves 64 in the 
V-blocks 60, and the alignment pins 28 at the other end of the printing 
unit 36 rest atop the rectangular blocks 62. The alignment pins 28 are 
thus supported in locations level with each other. The centers of 
alignment pins 28 on a side frame are aligned on horizontally extending 
longitudinal alignment lines 68 which are perpendicular to the transverse 
line 66, and the centers of transversely adjacent alignment pins 28 are 
aligned as on the transverse line 66. When V-blocks 60 and rectangular 
blocks 62 for the printing units 38 and 40 are fixed on the base surface 
42 in the same manner, the alignment pins 28 on the printing units 38 and 
40 will likewise be level with each other and will be centered on the 
horizontally extending longitudinal alignment lines 68. Consequently, all 
of the bores 20 in the printing units 36, 38 and 40 will be level with 
each other so that the printing cylinders supported in the bores 20 will 
be horizontal and level with each other. 
The distance between successive printing units in a row can be established 
in predetermined amounts by measuring between successive pairs of the 
V-blocks 60, because the V-blocks 60 capture the associated alignment pins 
28 in their positions along the lines 68. Also, the distance between pairs 
of V-blocks 60 and pairs of rectangular blocks 62 measured along the 
transverse lines 66 can be repeatedly determined so that the side frames 
12 and 14 are consistently parallel with each other. The blocks 60 and 62 
are arranged so as to establish vertical planes in which the lines 68 
extends as shown in FIG. 5. 
Another alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. In this 
embodiment of the invention, the distance between adjacent printing units 
36 and 38 is established by a measuring bar 70 having openings which are 
spaced a known distance from each other. The openings in the measuring bar 
70 are received over the alignment pins 28 as shown. 
The alignment pins 28 can also be formed as bolts or other projections on 
the side frames 12 and 16. Alternately, alignment regions or surfaces 
which can be detected by a laser scanner can be used in place of the 
alignment pins 28. The use of a laser scanner assures a highly precise 
alignment even for very long series of machine units. Additionally, light 
sources other than lasers can be used. Still further, alignment can be 
accomplished with the alignment openings 24 even in the absence of 
alignment pins 28 or other parts associated with the alignment openings 
14. 
The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. 
Improvements, changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the 
art. Such improvements, changes and modifications are intended to be 
covered by the appended claims.