Proper lubrication is an essential part of well-maintained, effectively functional machinery. By reducing the impact of friction on the system, lubrication allows each element of a piece of equipment to perform its movements smoothly and with reduced wear and tear. However, the process of applying the lubricant oil to each of the equipment’s moving parts can be a major task that requires a great deal of manual effort. For this reason, machines are often designed with automatic lubrication systems.
In the following blog post, we’ll explain how automated systems designed by companies like Aberdeen Dynamics provide necessary lubrication for mechanical technologies. We’ll break down the essential parts and discuss how they work together to contribute to improved equipment performance, reduced wear, and extended intervals between maintenance.
Why Do Machines Need Lubrication?
Machinery used in manufacturing is composed of a complex system of working parts, including gears, pistons, shafts, and bearings, all of which remain continuously in motion as the machinery performs its job. As these parts move across one another, friction is generated. This has several impacts:
- It slows the operation of the machinery.
- It generates damaging heat energy.
- It wears away the outer layer of the machinery part, ultimately reducing its efficacy.
Operators mitigate the impact of friction by applying chemical lubricants, such as grease or mineral oil. Many lubricants are also composed of synthetic oil manufactured specifically for the job. Once applied, they allow each of the moving parts to glide over one another with minimal resistance, avoiding the wear and tear that would otherwise occur.
How Automatic Lubrication Works
Traditionally, lubricant greases and oils have been applied directly to machinery by hand. While this has been a perfectly good method for doing so in the past, modern advances have provided a more effective solution: the automatic lubrication system. This is a mechanical element of the machinery that provides the necessary lubricants at predictable intervals or as needed. It makes use of an injector to apply an amount of oil or grease to the machine during the performance of its regular functions.
There are several key benefits of automation over completing the work manually. The biggest one is that, with an automated system, the lubrication can be applied to the machinery while it is still in operation. By contrast, manual lubrication requires shutting the equipment off completely, leading to downtime during which critical productivity is lost. Automatic lubrication systems also reduce the number of tools used in lubrication and free up workers to perform other duties that can streamline the operation.
Parts of the System
All elements of a machine’s lubrication system work together to produce the desired results. Below, we’ll discuss each of these parts and the functions they serve.
Pump
The lubricant medium is stored in a reservoir that is connected to one or more supply lines. These supply lines carry the lubricant to the injectors, which then deliver it to the moving parts of the machinery. For this to happen, the flow must first be generated, which is done with a built-in pump that creates enough pressure to force the lubricant through the supply lines.
Operators have multiple options when it comes to the type of pump they can select for their machinery. Care must be taken to match the flow rate of the pump to the machinery itself, and it’s also important to choose a pump that is compatible with the power source the equipment uses.
Hose
Due to higher viscosity, it can often take a great deal of pressure to transfer lubricant fluids throughout an automatic lubrication system. For this reason, the pump must be connected to hoses built to withstand the high levels of pressure they are subjected to. Heavy-duty, reinforced hoses with a size suited to their specific machinery are a critical element of lubrication systems.
Metering Device
Modern-day automatic lubrication devices are quite sophisticated and able to deliver precise amounts of oil or grease to specific areas of the machinery to achieve the best possible results. They can do this through the use of metering devices, which help to measure out specific quantities of lubricant and apply it where it’s needed.
Metering devices are used in both single-line and multi-line lubrication systems. In either case, they measure and direct the lubricant in the direction it needs to go. They can do so using monitoring devices that can detect pressure changes in the system’s supply lines.
Valve Actuator
The actual flow of the fluid is controlled by the opening and closing of a valve that is operated automatically by the control unit of the system. Different systems may make use of different actuators, depending on the need and the power source available. Pneumatic and hydraulic actuators are common since they can operate with greater mechanical power than other models. For smaller systems with a plug-in power source, electric actuators may be used.
Injector
The injector is the element that deposits the lubricant onto the machinery. It is usually a small metal device that is carefully calibrated for precision. An automatic lubrication system must only apply the exact amount of material required, as too much or too little can create problems. Injectors are made in various sizes but must always be compact enough to be fitted into the machinery without obstructing its long-term operation.
Control Unit
The control unit is the “brain” of the system, responsible for determining exactly when and how the machinery will apply lubricant. Since the primary goal of an automatic lubrication system is to reduce the workload for a human operator, control units must be intuitive and easy to use. They must also be able to make determinations about the needs of the machinery on their own, which is often done through an array of sensors installed in the unit. More advanced systems also supply feedback to their operators, allowing adjustments to be made as necessary.
Maintaining Your Equipment
An automatic lubrication system is a critical component of well-maintained industrial machinery. Ideally, it should be a built-in element of the larger system, as this can streamline the production process and make manufacturing and other tasks much more efficient. Contact Aberdeen Dynamics to discuss options for custom equipment with high-end automatic lubrication systems. We’ll help ensure your operation remains effective and efficient.