Avoiding using machine grease and lubricant can cause severe issues with the longevity of a machine.
What is equipment lubrication?
It is the practice of introducing a lubricating agent — almost always an oil — into machine components to achieve several goals:
Reduce friction
Lower component and operating temperatures
Wick away debris and contaminants
Lubrication is critical for any moving parts that encounter one another in a machine. Most frequently, these are rotating parts and components such as gears. Machine lubricant is designed to prevent:
Undue wear and tear on components
Premature failure of components
Excessive unplanned maintenance
Equipment overheating
Part seizure
What are lubricants made of?
Lubricants are made of oil. In the case of manufacturing and industrial equipment, this typically is either mineral oil (created from crude oil) or synthetic oil (formulations manufactured in a lab). It is in this area that one of the lubrication fallacies takes hold: that lubrication is the simple application of a lubricant.
In fact, there are numerous choices and options for lubrication — not only whether to use mineral or synthetic oil, but what type of formulation to use. There is a vast range of formulation options depending upon type of equipment, operation environment, application, usage and more.
When it comes to lubrication for heavy mining equipment, making sure that the grease being used is appropriate for the machinery is of primary importance. It’s also important to check that the grease is within the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) recommendations and guidelines for the lube system and settings, to avoid any impact on warranties.
When should equipment be lubricated?
Lubrication should occur on a regularly planned and scheduled basis as part of an overall maintenance strategy. The schedule can be based on usage and wear patterns, but in general, lubricant checks should be part of a standard preventive maintenance checklist, so that a part can be replaced before it wears out. Lubrication should also occur upon the introduction of any new equipment or components, as well as after equipment repairs and major maintenance.
What are the benefits of lubrication?
Lubrication of machinery provides numerous benefits, including:
Longer component and equipment service life: By reducing friction and heat — and thus wear and tear — lubrication allows equipment and components to remain in an optimal operational state for a longer period of time. By helping components to remain intact and closer to their “out of the box” form, the time between breakdown and replacement requirements will be extended, improving OEE and reducing overall costs.
Reduced maintenance needs: With less wear and tear comes less potential for breakdown. Parts that are operating with high friction and high heat are susceptible to unexpected failure and breakdown at just about any time, regardless of the age of the component. Proper lubrication keeps equipment operating at an acceptable temperature and friction level, vastly reducing the potential for unexpected maintenance requirements.
Higher part quality: Lubrication allows for more consistent operation by helping to absorb shock and vibration and keep equipment running as expected. This translates to increased repeatability and quality in part production, creating fewer rejects and a higher productivity yield.
Safer operations: Any time equipment is operating at a high level of heat and with increased vibration — as would be the case in unlubricated or insufficiently lubricated equipment — there is a potential for catastrophic failure, which can create a danger to equipment operators and other employees. Proper lubrication is critical to a safe working environment.
Can you over-grease your heavy equipment?
The short answer is yes but the longer answer is it's better to over-grease than under-grease. If you do over-grease, just make sure to wipe down any excess grease that might be showing so no dirt is collected.
A best practice is to give two or three pumps per grease nipple or until you see the grease come out of the machine slightly.
Should you remove old grease?
Yes! Cleaning the joint of any old, dirty grease before you apply new grease is very important. However, if done with the correct schedule, this should be very easy to do as it would only have been applied recently.
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