Why Over-Greasing Damages Industrial Equipment and How Automation Helps

Most pieces of industrial equipment need lubrication to function properly. After all, these machines are not impervious to friction damage or component depreciation. Now, despite being a necessity, no machine should be overly lubricated. In fact, excess lubrication is a well-established cause of equipment failure. Thankfully, this problem can be curtailed with automatic grease lubrication systems.
In today’s digitally powered age, numerous industries still rely on manual lubrication. The effectiveness of this approach depends solely on the operator’s timing, experience, and judgment, none of which is concrete. Automatic lubrication is better because it is much more controlled and precise. If you still do it manually, you are probably unaware of the negative effects of excessive greasing. That is what you will read about here.

Why Excess Use of Grease is Harmful to Industrial Equipment

Initially, adding more grease or another lubricant may seem logical, as it provides better protection. The truth, however, is that every machine needs only a precise amount of lubrication to operate optimally. Using too much of a lubricant can actually increase resistance, generate heat, and interfere with normal operation.
Industrial components like gearwheels and bearings must operate at a specific level of lubrication, as specified by their manufacturers. It is a delicate balance, and the machinery will start acting up as soon as anything disturbs it.

The Effects of Over-Greasing

Over-greasing affects bearings more than anything else. Using too much grease will overfill the bearing cavity, preventing the moving parts from operating as they should.
Due to this increased resistance, temperatures rise, leading to grease breakdown. The situation also reduces the effectiveness of the lubricant. Sometimes, excess pressure from over-greasing also damages the seals, allowing contaminants to enter the bearing area.

Maintenance Costs with Excess Grease

Over-greasing is inevitable without automatic grease lubrication. If you use more grease than required, machinery performance will be affected, increasing your operational costs. The more lubricant you use, the more your business has to spend on grease.
Additionally, if a piece of equipment breaks down due to incorrect lubrication, it will result in unexpected repairs and unnecessary interruptions.

The Problems of Manual Lubrication

Manual lubrication is not easy. It requires a technician to inspect a machine and apply lubricant according to maintenance schedules. While experienced operators can do it properly, manual processes can still be full of human errors, such as applying too little or too much, missing difficult-to-reach points, inconsistent lubrication, and differences in experience between operators.
These challenges are more significant in large industries where machines with several lubrication points operate continuously.

Preventing Over-Greasing with Automation

Automating the lubrication aspect can eliminate most issues associated with manual lubrication. You do not have to rely on your judgment anymore. If you use an automated system, you will ensure optimal distribution of grease at the right points in regular intervals.
With automatic grease lubrication systems, industrial machines receive the required lubrication without wasting excess grease. Automated systems can even continue to perform their tasks while a machine is in use.
Do you want to automate your lubrication system? Then Solutec can help. We understand the importance of efficient lubrication. It is now the cornerstone of industrial machinery maintenance. Without it, machinery components like motors, bearings, and gears are at risk of increased friction, depreciation, and failure. You can stop that with our automated grease application systems.
Get in touch with us to learn more.