Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/544388
32 | July - August 2015 | www.machinerylubrication.com THE "LUBE-TIPS" SECTION OF MACHINERY LUBRICATION MAGAZINE FEATURES INNOVATIVE ideas submitted by our readers. Additional tips can be found in our Lube-Tips email newsletter. If you have a tip to share, email it to us at editor@noria.com. To receive the Lube-Tips newsletter, subscribe now at www.MachineryLubrication.com/page/subscriptions. Clearing Contaminants from a Gearbox When receiving a new or reconditioned gearbox, open the drain plug and pump fresh oil through the system. This removes any contaminants that might not have been cleaned out during a rebuild or from a new machine. This will ensure your critical equip- ment has a better chance of reaching its life expectancy rather than coming to a grinding halt because of unforeseen contamination. Experiment with Grease Amounts for Less Heat When running grease-packed bearings at higher speeds (in excess of 5,000 revolutions per minute), experiment with the quantity of grease in the bearing. A 10-percent change in the quantity of grease can drastically affect the amount of heat gener- ated by the bearing (even as much as 40 degrees F). If there is too much grease for the bearing to push out to surrounding pockets, the bearing will heat up quickly. Often the optimum amount of grease is less than what you might think. Be sure to provide a suffi cient run-in period for the bearing to position the grease before exposing it to full-time duty. Why Corrosive Wear Occurs Corrosive wear occurs when a machine surface is damaged by chemical attack. The responsible corrosive chemical could be either vaporous or liquid and might be found in a plant that mixes or handles strong acid or alkali materials. Often the damage to lubri- cated surfaces comes from acidic byproducts generated by the deterioration of the lubricant. Advice for Moving Oil Drums When shipping a 55-gallon drum a long distance, consider placing a sheet of 1-inch foam on the pallet. Wiggle the drum downward and strap securely. The foam helps to take up the space and reduce the fl exing of the bottom panel of the drum when trav- eling. This results in less leaks from cracks. How to Get Support for Your Lube Program To obtain management support for your lubrication program, make sure people, especially management, are aware of how the program is contributing to overall equipment reliability. There are many ways to do this including setting up a lubrication program newsletter or intranet site, sending out a periodic email, or just posting a paper on a bulletin board in a high traffi c area. Whatever method is used, highlight successes like good catches or money saved. This will go a long way in helping your program grow and in securing funding for equipment and training. 7 Steps to Stop GearboxWater Ingression Following is a seven-step approach to eliminating water/process fl uid ingress into gearboxes and oil reservoirs via inspection and access points. 1. Evaluate the integrity of the access point. Is there evidence that the material is fl imsy and needs to be strengthened? Is there evidence of misalignment, cross-threading or other problems? Solve these issues fi rst and then proceed to step 2. 2. Evaluate the access point for the proper gasket or sealing. If you suspect the gasket or seal is not effective, get advice from a trusted mechanic or gasket supplier. 3. Use brass crush washers instead of steel fl at washers. Crush washers provide top sealing of the cap screws that attach to the access point. 4. Use liquid hydraulic thread sealant (not thread locker) to seal the thread area of the cap screws. This also provides minimal locking of the fastener. 5. Torque the fasteners using an accepted cross pattern from the manufacturers' specifi cations or from a torque table, taking into account the effect of any lubrication value the thread sealant contributes. 6. Use shields to direct water/fl uids away from the unit. 7. Evaluate the installation and test if possible.