Automatic lubricators are machines that are set to distribute lubrication (grease or oil) on a predetermined schedule. Most of the time, the equipment can continue to operate while being lubricated, decreasing downtime. Automatic lubrication is not a new concept; the concept has been in practice for decades. However, the technology for delivering exact amounts of lubricant predictably and purposefully has advanced significantly throughout time. Whereas early lubricators depended on gravity and backpressure to govern the lubrication process, today’s lubricators are complex. They include microprocessors and other self-regulating components to guarantee that the proper quantity of oil is supplied to the bearings at the appropriate time.
These lubricators can be installed directly to a single bearing or positioned remotely for easier bearing service in difficult-to-reach or hazardous situations. Several automated lubricators on the market today can produce output pressures of over 300 psi, making them appropriate for many lubricating points in effect, operating as low-cost and centralized lubrication systems.
The importance of Automatic Lubricators
You already know that lubricating your machinery is necessary to keep it operating smoothly. It reduces the chances of getting your machine damaged. If the machines are not lubricated so it may cause the machines not to work properly. Friction causes wear and tear, which shortens the life of your machines.
It would be best if you used the appropriate automatic lubricator for your machines.
Benefits of Automatic Lubricators
Every bearing, regardless of its size or position, requires proper lubrication. Lack of lubrication will result in significant, yet unneeded, operating expenses. Replacement of bearings, labor for replacements and repairs, excess lubricant, and labor for inefficient manual practice are some of the direct costs associated with incorrect lubrication. In addition, downtime or lost output is indirect but very real expenses; product spoiling due to excess lubricant; environmental, safety, or housekeeping concerns; and excessive energy use. Automatic lubricators make equipment lubrication easier and more consistent, resulting in better outcomes.
Below you will see the benefits of automatic lubricators:
1. Reduced Equipment Downtime
Automatic lubricators can be positioned remotely, away from the machinery’s service port or grease tip, in a convenient and safe location. Because service panels, shrouds, and other machinery components do not need to be removed in order to access hard-to-reach bearings, time-consuming lock-out procedures are practically eliminated. It eliminates the need to shut down the machinery to replenish the lubrication supply.
Downtime costs hundreds or thousands of dollars per hour for many institutions. However, these systems may soon pay for themselves by saving rest by automating the lubricating process.
2. Reduced Equipment Maintenance
Optimal lubrication techniques extend the equipment’s life. Lubrication experts no longer need to track work hours each week to ensure that equipment bearings have a fresh supply of oil. An automated lubricator may be serviced in less than five minutes on average. In comparison, manually lubricating a bearing might take up to fifteen minutes.
3. Increased Labor Force efficiency
One of the most common criticisms we hear regarding automated lubrication is that it creates carelessness and makes it easier for maintenance employees to disregard the equipment. On the other hand, automating the lubrication process allows the technician to devote more time to inspect the equipment.
Furthermore, it allows them to devote more time to higher-value jobs, resulting in a considerable increase in labor force efficiency. The automation of the lubrication process does not imply that the equipment may be ignored. Rather, it encourages consistent lubrication and makes greater use of employee time.
4. Increased Safety
The dangers of manually lubricating hard-to-reach locations are eliminated with automatic lubricators. Slipping, stumbling, and falling are examples of these dangers. Automatic lubricators can be installed in a safe location for lubrication sites in hard-to-reach regions, and a grease line can be connected to those lube points.
5. Prolonged Equipment Life
Lubrication applied uniformly may considerably improve the life of equipment and avoid unexpected downtime and maintenance. In addition, small quantities of lubricant used over time prevent wear by maintaining a fresh lubrication coating between friction surfaces. It also saves lubricants by just lubricating the bearings when needed rather than on a regular basis.
Furthermore, automated lubrication reduces waste, which is beneficial to the environment. It also keeps oil off the factory floor and away from the machinery, improving safety.
6. Lubrication Consistency
Automatic lubricators consistently deliver the same amount of lubrication at the same frequency and to the same location. The lubricant is applied in the same way every time.
Manual lubrication might result in two distinct outcomes if two separate lubrication professionals use two different approaches to grease the same location. Even a single technician does not always lubricate the same place the same manner. Time limits, workload, and other factors may have an impact on his or her routine.
7. Lubrication Reliability
Even when you’re not around, automatic lubricators are functioning twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. So you won’t have to worry if or when key bearings were oiled any longer. Additionally, you may avoid the finger-pointing that often follows a bearing failure caused by incorrect lubrication.
