5 common misunderstandings in mechanical equipment lubrication

When it comes to lubrication, everyone is familiar with it. The correct lubrication method can improve equipment performance and prolong working life. Lubrication is indispensable for any equipment, but in actual production, there will be misunderstandings in lubrication due to various reasons, for example, thinking that there is oil can be lubricated, and the greater the oil viscosity, the better the effect. In order to avoid damage to the machine caused by wrong operation, this article introduces 5 common misunderstandings for your reference.

01. The purpose of lubrication is to make the machine run faster.

The relatively moving parts of the machine will have friction and wear on the contact surface. According to statistics, more than 1/3 of the world's energy consumption is in friction loss. When the amount of wear exceeds the allowable limit, it will directly affect the normal operation and service life of the machine. Therefore, the lubricant is added between the relatively moving parts to form a lubricating oil film to reduce friction and wear. At the same time, it can also play a role in cooling, buffering and absorbing vibration, and sealing.
The purpose of lubrication is not only to make the machine run faster, but more importantly, to ensure the normal operation of the machine and prolong its service life.

02. Misunderstanding that oil can be lubricated.

Lubricants have different types and performance. In order to improve certain aspects of lubricating oil, corresponding additives should be added.
In order to obtain reasonable lubrication of the machine, different types of lubricants and additives should be selected for different types, different working conditions, and different oil supply methods.
Therefore, it cannot be considered that any oil can be lubricated, and even improper selection of lubricating oil will cause lubrication accidents, which account for a large proportion of equipment failures.

03. The more lubricating oil, the better the lubrication effect.

In the case of grease lubrication, excessive resistance will increase the resistance and cause heating of the bearing, leading to grease loss, especially for high-speed and heavy-duty machines.
For general oil lubrication, the oil level indicator can display the oil level. For example, the oil immersion depth of the high-speed gear in the reduction box should be 1-2 tooth heights, so as to avoid poor lubrication of the high-speed gear, and at the same time reduce the movement resistance of the gear and the increase in oil temperature. The grease filling amount of rolling bearings generally does not exceed 1/3-1/2 of the bearing gap.

04. The greater the lubricating oil viscosity, the better the lubrication effect.

Viscosity is the main indicator of lubricating oil. The standard is usually to determine the grade of lubricating oil at a temperature of 100℃. The higher the grade, the thicker the lubricating oil film formed. Although the friction of the friction surface is reduced, the resistance is increased. Increase in power loss, increase energy waste.
When the machine is just started, the temperature is low, and part of the lubricating oil on the friction surface is lost due to the increase in temperature after a period of time. Lubrication cannot form an effective lubricating oil film, and the oil cannot be quickly replenished to the friction surface of the machine. The viscosity is large and the flow is slow, resulting in greater wear and tear of the mechanical parts.
Some data show that reducing the viscosity of lubricating oil by 1mm2/s can save 15% of fuel. The choice of viscosity should consider factors such as working speed and working temperature. The low viscosity of lubricating oil is one of the current fuel saving measures.

05. Unchanging oil selection according to the oil grade specified in the equipment manual.

Most equipment management personnel believe that the oil specified by the equipment manufacturer is the law. In fact, the oil specified in the manual refers to the general working conditions and may not be suitable for the actual working conditions. It should be flexibly selected according to the actual use conditions.