Simalube helps deliver year round lubrication.
Done properly, manual lubrication is a time-consuming process. Production processes may have to be stopped, guards opened and/or specialist equipment such as man lifts may be needed. In many plants the most difficult-to-access lubrication points get over looked, or receive fewer visits and therefore less lubricant than planned.
Even when a comprehensive lubrication plan is in place and rigidly followed, the nature of manual lubrication can lead to problems. There is a strong temptation to pump quickly and move on, which can lead to overpressure in the bearings and the displacement or rupturing of seals. In a fast running bearing too much grease can be more dangerous than not enough; resulting in the rolling elements skidding instead of rolling and causing the bearing to overheat. Damaged seals allow contamination and moisture to enter and further accelerate wear. Contamination and water can also be drawn into bearings that are under lubricated.
Analysis by leading bearing manufacturers of bearings that failed earlier than anticipated are reasonably consistent. Around 15% fail due to damage caused by incorrect mounting. Around 34% of failures are due to either too much or too little lubricant and another 16% because of contamination. This means that 50% of early bearing failures are self-inflicted, attributable to the lubrication practices in use.
To reduce breakdowns, shutdowns, free up maintenance crews time and ensure you have the correct lubrication for up to 12 months we recommend using simalube single point lubrication systems. Simalube is a range of compact, self-contained oil and grease dispensers that can be mounted at each lubrication point. Construction and operation is similar to a syringe but with a patented electrochemical cell producing gas in place of a plunger. The cell is activated and set by means of an Allen key and, once the pressure behind the piston increases beyond the back-pressure at the outlet, lubricant begins to flow in a slow even manner.
The setting disc is calibrated 1 to 12, representing months to empty the dispenser. The setting can be adjusted at any time to find the ideal supply rate for each lubrication point. A simple smartphone app provides a suggested starting point based upon the characteristics of the application or the current lubrication plan data. By eliminating the waste inherent in filling grease guns and overfilling bearings, the ideal delivery from a simalube will almost always mean that lubricant consumption significantly decreases. This means less mess and a cleaner, safer workplace in addition to cost savings.
The dispensers are available in a range of five sizes containing between 15 ml and 250 ml of lubricant. They are all sealed to IP68 and intrinsically safe for use in ATEX zone 1. They can be safely used on machines surrounded by explosive gas or dust and underground in mines. They require no special handling in such environments.
The units are normally supplied pre-filled with one of a range of standard greases and oils designed to cover a wide variety of applications from quarrying to food production. They are also supplied empty to allow customers to use their own special lubricants for particular applications.
By installing simalube single point lubrication there is a simple way to:
- Optimise lubricant delivery
- Prevent unexpected breakdowns
- Reduce lubricant usage
- Increase safety
- Free up maintenance staff for other tasks
- Reduce waste with a 100% recyclable product
All of these benefits ultimately lead to savings in both time and money, and provide peace of mind.
