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Upgrade an Old Balancing Machine — Retrofit with Balanset-1A
Your balancing machine’s mechanical bed, calibrated pedestals and drive spindle still have decades of life in them. What’s obsolete is the measuring electronics: the old analogue unit, the floppy-disk computer, the unsupported sensor cards. Replace the entire measurement and computing system with the Balanset-1A OEM set at €1,735 and run your existing machine with modern two-channel digital measurement, FFT analysis, ISO 21940-11 reporting and no ongoing licence fees.
In short: Retrofitting an old balancing machine means replacing only its measuring electronics — sensors, signal-conditioning unit and software — while keeping the proven mechanical structure intact. The Balanset-1A OEM set (unit + 2 ICP accelerometers + laser tachometer + software, €1,735) installs in one day on any hard- or soft-bearing machine, adds two-plane dynamic balancing, FFT vibration analysis and printable ISO 21940-11 reports, and costs roughly 10–60× less than a new machine.
Signs your balancing machine needs a measuring-system upgrade
The mechanical side of a hard- or soft-bearing balancing machine rarely wears out first — the electronics do. These symptoms mean the measuring system is the bottleneck, not the machine itself:
The cost of full replacement vs a targeted retrofit
A hard-bearing balancing machine is fundamentally a precision mechanical structure: a rigid bed, calibrated support pedestals and a stable drive spindle. These components have multi-decade service lives with normal maintenance. The measuring system — sensors, signal conditioning, ADC and software — follows the lifecycle of consumer electronics: five to ten years before the platform is unsupported and parts become scarce.
When the electronics fail, scrapping the entire machine is not the rational response. A full replacement is a capital project: €15,000 to €100,000+ for hardware, plus installation, commissioning and staff retraining. The Balanset-1A OEM measuring-system set at €1,735 installs into your existing machine in a single working day, connects to your existing bearing pedestals and picks up from your current sensor mounting positions (or the new ICP sensors supplied), and runs on any modern Windows laptop. The mechanical accuracy you paid for remains; only the obsolete electronics are replaced.
What the Balanset-1A retrofit adds to your old machine
Modern two-channel measurement. The Balanset-1A USB interface unit replaces your old single-channel analogue electronics with a 24-bit two-channel ADC. Both bearing pedestals are measured simultaneously — essential for dynamic two-plane balancing of wide rotors.
FFT spectrum and phase readout. Every measurement run produces a full frequency-domain spectrum so you can distinguish unbalance (1×RPM), misalignment (2×RPM) and structural resonance. Phase angle is displayed and logged for each run.
Influence-coefficient software. The Balanset software walks the operator through a systematic 3-run influence-coefficient procedure: baseline run, trial-weight run, correction calculation. No manual vector arithmetic required. Supports one-plane and two-plane modes.
Printable ISO 21940-11 reports. After each balancing session the software generates a report containing initial and residual unbalance in g·mm, G-grade comparison and a full run history. Suitable for quality management records and customer documentation.
Laser tachometer replaces mechanical trigger circuits. The optical phase sensor mounts with a magnetic stand and reads a reflective tape strip, replacing worn or unreliable mechanical phase-trigger assemblies on older machines.
How to retrofit the Balanset-1A into your machine — step by step
- Assess the existing mechanical structure. Confirm that the machine’s bearing pedestals, drive and runout compensation still meet specification. If they do, the mechanical side needs no work. Document the existing sensor type (ICP piezo-electric, or older charge-mode) to select the correct input configuration for the Balanset unit.
- Connect the sensors to the new unit. Mount the two supplied ICP accelerometers on the bearing pedestal housings in the standard orientation and plug them into the Balanset-1A interface unit via BNC. If your machine already has calibrated ICP sensors you trust, they connect directly. Charge-mode sensors require a charge amplifier in line.
- Install the phase trigger. Aim the laser tachometer at a reflective strip fixed to the rotor or spindle. The laser stand is magnetic and attaches to the machine bed without drilling. This replaces any legacy mechanical or optical trigger assembly.
- Configure the software. Load the Balanset software on a Windows laptop (Windows 7 through Windows 11). Enter sensor sensitivities, pedestal stiffness constants from the machine’s original calibration record, and the rotor mass range you intend to balance. Save as a machine profile.
- Run a calibration rotor. Use a known-mass calibration rotor (or your first production rotor with a precisely weighed trial weight) to verify that the measured unbalance matches the known value. The influence-coefficient method self-calibrates per rotor type; no external calibration service is required.
- Verify to ISO 21940-11. Run a check rotor to confirm that residual unbalance after a balance pass is within the G-grade tolerance required for your rotor class. Print and archive the result as the commissioning record.
Before and after: old analogue machine vs Balanset-upgraded
| Capability | Old analogue system | Balanset-1A retrofit |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement channels | 1 (single-plane only) | 2 (single- & two-plane) |
| FFT frequency spectrum | No — analogue meter only | Yes — full spectrum display |
| Phase angle readout | Strobe-lamp estimate | Digital, logged per run |
| ISO 21940-11 report | Not possible | Printed after every session |
| Residual unbalance in g·mm | Not calculated | Calculated and displayed |
| PC connectivity | Floppy disk / none | USB, Windows 7–11 |
| Saved run history | Paper strip chart | Digital file, printable |
| Spare parts | Discontinued | In production, 2-year warranty |
| Upgrade cost | — | €1,735 OEM set |
The mechanical accuracy of the original machine — bed rigidity, pedestal stiffness, drive runout — is preserved entirely. Only the measurement and computing hardware is replaced.
The Balanset-1A — the measurement system that replaces your old electronics
The Balanset-1A is a two-channel dynamic balancer and vibration analyser designed to replace the measuring electronics of any existing hard- or soft-bearing balancing machine. It connects to your machine’s bearing pedestals via ICP accelerometers and to the rotor via a laser tachometer, then runs the 3-run influence-coefficient method in software — calculating exact correction mass and angle and saving a full ISO 21940-11 report. The OEM set (unit + 2 sensors + laser tachometer + software — no transport case, digital scale or magnetic stand) is the purpose-built configuration for integrators retrofitting a machine.
What’s in the Full Kit
€1,975 · Full Kit, in stock, VAT invoice
- Interface measurement unit (USB, 2 channels)
- Two vibration accelerometers (4 m cable, 10 m optional)
- Laser tachometer / optical phase sensor (50–500 mm)
- Magnetic stand for the sensor
- Digital scale for trial & correction weights
- Windows balancing & analysis software
- Plastic transport case
Full Kit
Unit · 2 sensors · laser tachometer · magnetic stand · digital scale · software · transport case. Everything needed to start balancing out of the box.
OEM set — for machine retrofit
Unit · 2 sensors · laser tachometer · software — no transport case, digital scale or magnetic stand. Built for integrators embedding the measuring system into an existing balancing machine. €1,735. The purpose-built retrofit configuration.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Measurement channels | 2 (single- & two-plane balancing) |
| Vibration velocity range | 0.05–100 mm/s |
| Frequency range | 5–300 Hz |
| Measurement accuracy | ±5% of full scale |
| Method | 3-run influence-coefficient (1 or 2 planes) |
| Analysis | Amplitude & phase at 1×, FFT spectrum & waveform, saved reports |
| Standards | ISO 21940-11 residual unbalance reporting |
| Laptop | Not included (Windows 7–11, available on request) |
Real retrofit and upgrade cases
Hard-bearing machine modernised
Full retrofit of an old hard-bearing balancing machine: new ICP sensors, new Balanset measuring unit, modern software — mechanical structure unchanged.
Balanset as OEM measuring system
Video demonstration of the Balanset OEM unit integrated as the permanent measurement and computing system in an existing production balancing machine.
DIY balancing machines
Engineers who built their own bearing pedestals and drive systems around the Balanset measuring unit as the electronic core — the same approach as an upgrade.
Tolerances & standards
Free upgrade calculators
Retrofit & upgrade FAQ
Does the Balanset unit work with my existing sensors?
Can it replace electronics on a soft-bearing as well as a hard-bearing machine?
What is the difference between the OEM set and the standard Full Kit?
Is any mechanical work needed on the balancing machine?
How long does a typical retrofit installation take?
Can the Balanset OEM set be integrated into an automated or semi-automated production line?
Learn the theory
Don’t scrap a good machine — retrofit it today
The Balanset-1A OEM set gives your existing balancing machine a complete modern upgrade — two-plane digital measurement, FFT analysis, phase readout and ISO 21940-11 reporting — for €1,735. Preserve the mechanical investment; replace only the obsolete electronics.
