4 Different Lubrication Methods For Conveyor Chains
August 12, 2021
Machinery has to undergo a lot of work and resistance. It badly impacts their life and performance capability. The corrosion of a machine can limit the horsepower capacity of its chain drives, thereby reducing their potential and usage.
Lubricating the machinery becomes an important part of keeping it in good condition for a long time. Tensile, fatigue, and wear can affect the performance of the conveyor chains. The tensile causes stretches in the chain that can affect its performance or pull it apart. It also causes microscopic cracks in the sidebars and link plates. This wear combined with corrosion and abrasion degrades the life of the conveyor chain, and ultimately, the chain breaks.
Lubrication can positively affect the conveyor chains’ performance and enhance its functioning. This blog post mentions how lubrication can positively impact the conveyor chain and the different types of lubrication methods.
How Does Lubrication Positively Impacts The Conveyor Chain?
Proper lubrication and the usage of the right kind of lubricant can improve the lifespan of the conveyor chain. It can increase its lifespan by as much as 100 times. The wear percent in comparison to the life of the chain increases when lubrication is provided on time. Lubrication greatly reduces the coefficient of friction between the sliding surfaces that helps in the reduction of wear and tear. It impedes rust and corrosion and provides a cushion for impact loads. Moreover, it also helps to flush away any foreign matter such as dust.Different Types Of Lubrication Methods For Conveyor Chains
Manual Lubrication
This involves manually adding the lubricant into the inner and outer link plate of the chain. Manual lubrication is done using an oil can, brush, and aerosol spray. You should do manual lubrication almost every day to ensure that the machine is working fine. Manual lubrication is a cost-effective solution for lubrication. However, it impacts productivity, and the chances of injury are higher.Oil Bath Lubrication
In this method, there is oil in the chain basin. A small section of the chain passes through this section of oil. The bottom of the chain should be fully immersed in this oil. However, it should not be too deep or too shallow as it will affect the oil and cause oxidation.Drip Lubrication
Oil is supplied by drip-feeding in this type of lubrication method. The oil is dripped between the link plates and sidebar edges at a rate of four to twenty drops per minute. The amount of oil and frequency is very important. Otherwise, it will form a reddish-brown discoloration in the chains’ joints. This method is suitable for machinery with spatial constraints. However, you should be careful with drip lubrication as the drains plug can leak, and the oil can spill. Ensure that the flow rate is properly specified and the oil is directed to the chain in this lubrication method.Force-Feed Lubrication
In this type of lubrication method, the feeding pump and oil pipe supply the spray of oil to the chains’ parts. The gearing places of the chain and the spray nozzles should be near each other. This method is ideal for machines with large horsepower, heavily loaded drives, and high speed. The force-feed method is costly but effective. Other Lubrication Methods For Chain Conveyor are:- Oil ring lubrication
- Brush lubrication
- Oil stream or spray lubrication
