Today Industrial sectors are growing day by day at a fast rate and spreading across the globe, parallelly every machine and equipment operating in the industrial sectors also plays a crucial role in this fast paced momentum. Machines are the lifeblood of various industries, including manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace and they require high level maintenance and care to maintain their peak operational capabilities.
The performance, efficiency, and lifespan of these machines contribute highly to the growth of industrial sectors operating in different industry niches. All these characteristics of an industrial machine are determined or depend highly on the caliber of lubricant applied – in this case, it’s grease. The relation between grease quality, machine performance and lifespan is inseparable.
Did you know one thing? About 90% of grease lubricant products available globally are manufactured in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Today there exist more than five hundred grease manufacturers in UAE, offering more than 1000+ grease lubricant products under different brand names.
The main function of grease is to reduce the friction between moving parts of a machine thereby helping to reduce wear and tear, reduce the chances of overheating issues, protect from sudden breakdowns, and reduce downtimes, etc. On the other hand not all greases are the same and each one is different in properties and used for different applications. So different machines and equipment require different types of grease and using the wrong one can do more harm than good.
Quality Grease For Quality Results
How do we find quality grease then? The answer lies in the UAE. Most of the grease manufacturers in UAE are strictly following the guidelines of API (American Petroleum Institute) and ISO (International Standard Organisation) which allow them to manufacture high quality grease lubricant products that meet international quality standards. On the other hand, all these manufacturers offer a wide range of grease products suited for different machines and equipment operating in different environmental conditions. 90% of the grease manufacturers in UAE use top grade base oil, thickening agents, and advanced additives to manufacture high quality greases that can improve the operational performance and lifespan of industrial machines and equipment.
Best Practices For The Application of Grease
Ensuring the proper application of grease can immensely impact the performance and lifespan of industrial machines. But there are some concerns around the application of grease such as how much grease is too much, or how often should you grease your machines? So let’s check the best practices for the application of grease.
- Frequency
The frequency of grease application on machines is important because machines are working continuously and seamlessly without breaks so in such conditions it’s required to give proper monitoring and maintenance, application of grease and its time interval frequency is highly crucial in order to get maximum performance and reducing the chances of breakdowns and downtimes and thereby extending the lifespan of machines.
- Adequate Level
If a human or machine consumes over the limit, it will create complications and issues. So in this case it is required to apply an adequate level of grease on machines and equipment, if the grease application gets excessive then it will lead to seal damages and leakage problems. On the other side, insufficient grease can lead to an increase in wear and tear, overheating, and sudden breakdowns.
- Evaluate Operating Conditions
It’s important to choose the right grease that is suited for the conditions where machines operate. In high temperature conditions, it’s better to use grease with high viscosity and high thermal stability.
- Compatibility
It’s important to choose the right grease that is compatible with machine components, seals, brackets, and also with other lubricants. By choosing greases that are incompatible with these machines can affect the machine’s performance and efficiency and may also adversely affect the machine’s lifespan.
Real world Impact of Quality Grease
Mainly three types of greases are commonly used for industrial purposes like Calcium EP Grease, Lithium EP Grease, Lithium Complex EP Grease. Let’s see the real world impact of quality grease in extending the life span of various machines operating in different industrial sectors such as the Automotive Industry, Aerospace, Marine Applications, Construction Equipment, Mining Machinery, Agricultural Equipment, Power Generation, Manufacturing Machinery, Oil and Gas Industry, Food and Beverage Processing, Pulp and Paper Industry, Textile Industry, Chemical Processing, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Railroad Equipment, Wind Turbines, Steel Mills, Cement Plants, Water Treatment Plants, Electrical Motors and Generators etc
- Reduce Friction and Wear & Tear
The application of quality grease on machines will help to reduce the friction between moving components of these machines and will reduce the wear and tear of bearings, gears, etc which will lead to extending the life of engine components and contribute to increasing the overall lifespan of machines.
- Enhance performance and Efficiency
Proper application of grease ensures efficient lubrication on machine moving parts thereby reducing the friction and helping the machines to operate smoothly and seamlessly. This will lead to improved machine overall performance and efficiency
- Protection against Corrosion
Most of the greases manufactured in UAE contain anti-corrosion additives that protect the surfaces of the moving parts of a machine from corrosion effects when they are exposed to moisture, moisture, harsh weather conditions, or corrosive substances. This feature of grease also contributes to extending the lifespan of machines by reducing the chances of replacements of machine components due to corrosion and rust.
- Thermal Stability
Thermal stability is another important feature of grease which means its ability to withstand high temperature conditions. The application of high quality grease on machines will help to ensure these machines work seamlessly even under high temperature conditions and also avoid the chances of overheating and sudden breakdowns and damages.
So in conclusion, it is clear that the lifespan of a machine depends highly on the quality of grease used in it. The proper application of high quality grease ensures the optimum level of lubrication which will reduce the friction between the moving components and thereby prevent wear and tear, protection from overheating, damage, and breakdowns, and protection from corrosion and rust all these contribute to and help to increase or extend the lifespan of a machine or equipment.
When looking forward, there will be a new trend will pop-ups in the future focusing on manufacturing environmentally friendly and sustainable greases. As industries embrace these advancements, the importance of quality grease remains central to the continued success and durability of machinery in diverse applications.