Gearing up to boost efficiency
November 1st 2011 Advanced gear lubrication can play its part in reducing
energy consumption in gear drives, as Andrea Jacobsen,
industrial marketing, Europe, Africa & Middle East,
ExxonMobil Lubricants and Specialities explains
IIn gear driven operations such as metals
or paper mills, processing industries and
manufacturing plants, industrial gears
are fundamental to the operational
productivity. Even a failure of one gearbox
can cause an entire production line to grind
to a halt, which can be expensive in terms of
loss of production as well as associated
labour costs and replacement parts to get the
operation back on-line.
Lubricants are the lifeblood of a gearbox,
helping to reduce friction and provide longlasting
protection for the rotating, sliding
and moving components. As a result of the
high costs of gear-related downtime, an
increasing number of operators are opting
for high quality synthetic gear oils.
Industry collaboration
Over the years, Equipment Builders (EB)
have focused on developing new, more
compact and efficient gearboxes capable of
delivering even higher load capacities. Such
improvements put additional stress on
lubricants in terms of higher operating
temperatures, faster
speeds and heavier loads. These effects are
compounded by the EB's drive to reduce
total life cycle costs for their products, which
includes reducing oil volume while
extending oil drain intervals. To ensure
lubricants meet the latest requirements,
lubricant suppliers such as ExxonMobil work
closely with key EBs to ensure that products
are ideally formulated to meet the rapidly
evolving gear designs and operation
requirements. An example of this approach
is the recently launched Mobil SHC Gear
series of high-performance fully synthetic
gear oils.
Mobil SHC Gear oils have been designed
in close cooperation with leading EBs to
ensure they operate effectively in the latest
gearboxes. Based on extensive research and
testing, they demonstrate excellent wear
protection for gears and bearings,
enhanced resistance to micropitting
fatigue, improved seal compatibility,
excellent oxidation stability and
outstanding viscosity behaviour in
extreme temperature conditions, all
of which ensure the latest industrial
gears maximise their full performance
potential. As a result,Mobil SHC Gear
lubricants can help to improve operators'
bottom line and provide companies with a
greater competitive edge.
Mineral versus synthetic
Higher operating temperatures,
faster or even slower speeds and
heavier loads are just some of the challenges
facing industrial gears today. Synthetic
lubricants can perform well in these
conditions.
Mobil SHC Gear's high viscosity index
and low traction coefficient combine to
provide a significant reduction in energy
consumption in many gear drives. In
statistically validated laboratory tests and
field trials,Mobil SHC Gear oils exhibited
energy efficiency of up to 3.6% versus
conventional oils, delivering considerable
cost saving benefits to organisations.*
These benefits combine to offer operators
longer equipment life, extended oil drain,
high-temperature capability and ultimately
the opportunity for maximised productivity.
Maintenance
To help maximise gearbox productivity and
reduce costs, operators should incorporate
an oil and equipment condition monitoring
programme alongside the use of high
quality gear lubricants.As part of routine
maintenance, the 'health' of the lubricant and
the equipment itself should be regularly
checked.
The oil analysis should include a
measurement of chemical condition, fluid
viscosity, water content, particle count and
dissolved metals to determine how well the
system is operating. Examining changes in
the oil analysis data over time, also known as
'trending', is necessary to assess the condition
of the lubricant. By trending oil analysis
data, it is possible to address undesirable
conditions before they become problems.
For equipment maintenance professionals
who want an effective oil analysis
programme, ExxonMobil offers an online
Signum oil analysis system, which gives
engineers immediate access to and direct
control of their lubricant sampling
programme.
Beyond oil analysis, visual system
inspections should be conducted regularly to
check the condition of the gear box.
Inspection data can be used to establish the
optimum time to perform maintenance on
critical components such as gear teeth.
Comprehensive leak detection should also be
performed, especially if excessive oil usage is
noted during a routine inspection.
* Energy efficiency relates solely to the fluid
performance when compared with
conventional reference oils of the same viscosity
grade in gear applications. The technology
used allows up to 3.6% efficiency compared
with the reference when tested in a worm
gearbox under controlled conditions. Efficiency
improvements will vary based on operating
conditions and application. More articles from Mobil Industrial Lubricants: | 
