On-site & Field Balancing Services
On-site & Field Balancing Services
Reduce vibration, improve reliability and maximise machine performance
PR Rolls provides professional on-site balancing and field balancing services for rolls, cylinders and rotating equipment used in paper mills, board mills, pulp mills, power plants and other heavy industries.
Unbalance in rotating equipment increases vibration, accelerates bearing wear and places unnecessary stress on machine components. Even small imbalances can reduce machine reliability, shorten component life and increase maintenance costs.
By performing field balancing directly at the customer's site, PR Rolls restores smooth machine operation without unnecessary dismantling or transportation. Our field engineers use advanced balancing instruments together with decades of experience in industrial rolls and rotating equipment to optimise machine performance under real operating conditions.
What is Field Balancing?
Field balancing, also known as on-site balancing, is the process of correcting mass imbalance while the rotating component remains installed in the machine.
Unlike workshop balancing, field balancing is carried out under actual operating conditions. This allows the balancing process to consider the complete rotating system, including bearings, couplings, supports and machine foundations.
Because the equipment remains installed, field balancing reduces maintenance time while providing a more representative balancing result for the operating machine.
Typical applications include:
- Paper machine rolls
- Drying cylinders
- Yankee cylinders
- MG cylinders
- Calender rolls
- Guide rolls
- Vacuum rolls
- Reel drums
- Rotating shafts
- Industrial drums
- Rotors
- Fans
Why is Field Balancing Important?
All rotating equipment develops imbalance over time.
Imbalance may be caused by:
- Normal wear
- Surface damage
- Repairs
- Coating
- Material build-up
- Uneven wear
- Component replacement
- Manufacturing tolerances
When imbalance increases, vibration forces also increase.
This may result in:
- Bearing failures
- Increased machine vibration
- Shaft deflection
- Coupling wear
- Foundation fatigue
- Reduced roll lifetime
- Machine instability
- Poor product quality
- Increased maintenance costs
- Unplanned shutdowns
Professional field balancing services eliminate these forces before they develop into costly mechanical failures.
Benefits of On-site & Field Balancing
Balancing is one of the most effective preventive maintenance activities for rotating equipment.
PR Rolls helps customers achieve:
- Reduced vibration
- Improved machine reliability
- Extended bearing life
- Longer roll and cylinder lifetime
- Lower maintenance costs
- Reduced energy consumption
- Improved machine runnability
- Better product quality
- Lower risk of unexpected shutdowns
- Increased production availability
For paper and board machines, correctly balanced rolls contribute to smoother operation throughout the entire production line.
Field Balancing for Paper and Board Machines
PR Rolls specialises in field balancing of large industrial rolls and cylinders used in paper, board and tissue production.
Typical applications include:
Drying Cylinders
Balancing reduces vibration, improves bearing life and contributes to stable dryer section operation.
Yankee Cylinders
Accurate balancing helps maintain stable operation while reducing mechanical loading on surrounding equipment.
MG Cylinders
Proper balancing improves rotational stability and contributes to improved machine reliability.
Calender Rolls
Balancing supports consistent roll performance while reducing vibration transferred to bearings and machine frames.
Guide Rolls
Even relatively small guide rolls benefit from proper field balancing, especially on high-speed machines.
Vacuum Rolls
Balancing reduces vibration that may otherwise affect sealing performance and bearing lifetime.
Field Balancing During Maintenance Shutdowns
PR Rolls performs on-site field balancing during planned shutdowns, allowing several maintenance activities to be completed during the same maintenance window.
Because the equipment remains installed:
- dismantling is minimised
- transportation is eliminated
- shutdown time is reduced
- production restarts sooner
Field balancing can easily be combined with:
- On-site grinding
- On-site machining
- Roll measurements
- Thermal spray coating
- Roll inspections
- Condition monitoring
Combining several services during one shutdown creates a more efficient maintenance process and reduces overall project cost.
Dynamic Balancing of Rotating Equipment
PR Rolls performs dynamic balancing for rotating equipment operating at production speed.
Dynamic balancing differs from static balancing because it compensates for imbalance occurring during rotation.
Typical rotating equipment includes:
- Industrial rolls
- Cylinders
- Shafts
- Rotors
- Drums
- Fans
- Large rotating components
Dynamic field balancing is particularly valuable for high-speed production equipment where even small imbalance generates large centrifugal forces.
Our Field Balancing Process
Every balancing project follows a structured process.
1. Initial Assessment
The machine, operating conditions and vibration history are reviewed.
2. Vibration Measurements
Advanced balancing equipment measures:
- vibration amplitude
- rotational speed
- phase angle
- operating conditions
3. Analysis
Measurement data is analysed to calculate the exact balancing correction required.
4. Field Balancing
Balancing corrections are performed directly on the installed rotating component.
5. Final Verification
After balancing, new vibration measurements verify the achieved improvement.
Customers receive documented measurement reports showing machine condition before and after balancing.
Why Choose PR Rolls?
Unlike companies that only provide balancing, PR Rolls combines field balancing with a complete range of industrial maintenance services.
Our customers benefit from:
- Field balancing specialists
- Extensive roll and cylinder expertise
- On-site machining
- Grinding services
- Thermal spray coating
- Roll measurements
- Complete shutdown support
- Paper industry expertise
- Global field service capability
This integrated approach allows PR Rolls to optimise the entire rotating component rather than balancing it in isolation.
Industries We Serve
PR Rolls provides field balancing services for:
Paper Mills
Balancing of paper machine rolls, drying cylinders, calenders and guide rolls.
Board Mills
Dynamic balancing for large rotating equipment and production rolls.
Tissue Mills
Field balancing of Yankee cylinders and drying equipment.
Pulp Mills
Balancing of washer drums, shafts and rotating process equipment.
Power Plants
Balancing of shafts, rotors and rotating equipment.
Other Heavy Industries
Balancing services for large industrial rotating components operating under demanding conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is field balancing?
Field balancing is the process of balancing rotating equipment while it remains installed in the machine. It is also known as on-site balancing and allows balancing to be performed under actual operating conditions.
What is the difference between field balancing and on-site balancing?
There is no practical difference. Both terms describe balancing carried out at the customer's site while the equipment remains installed.
When should field balancing be performed?
Field balancing is recommended whenever increased vibration is detected, after repairs or coating, following component replacement or during planned maintenance shutdowns.
Which equipment can PR Rolls balance?
PR Rolls balances rolls, cylinders, shafts, drums, rotors, fans and other rotating equipment used in paper, pulp and heavy industry.
Can field balancing improve machine reliability?
Yes. Proper field balancing reduces vibration, extends bearing life, reduces mechanical stress and helps improve machine reliability.
Can balancing be combined with other maintenance services?
Yes. PR Rolls frequently combines field balancing with grinding, machining, thermal spray coating and measurement during the same shutdown.
Why PR Rolls is Different
Most balancing companies focus solely on correcting imbalance.
PR Rolls takes a broader approach.
Because we are specialists in industrial rolls, cylinders and rotating equipment, we can combine field balancing, on-site machining, grinding, coating, measurement and condition assessment within a single maintenance project.
This enables customers to restore complete roll performance, minimise downtime and reduce total maintenance costs through one experienced service partner.