Story by Claire Rowan.
(Tribology is the science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion.)
Under its KlüberEfficiency Support services and consulting, Klüber says its expertise can help companies protect their valuable resources such as energy and water, reduce wear and help to reduce operating costs. Services can involve systematic optimisation of lubrication processes, including schedules, cleaning and relubrication, lubricant and component analyses and consistent control of lubricant quantity.
Klüber also offers ‘intelligent packs’ to simplify precise lubricant metering of installations and components. The automated metering system Klübermatic ensures reliable and precise lubrication of friction points at variable lubrication intervals to avoid over-lubrication.
At Drinktec in 2013, Klüber introduced a new flexible lubrication unit with compact design to its Klübermatic range.
“Klübermatic Flex is a very clean, safe and economical device supporting compliance with the strict hygiene requirements for lubricants in the food processing industry,” said Jesus Diaz, market manager food industry at Klüber Lubrication, who explained that Klüber’s automatic dispensing system is available in several designs that each facilitate variable lubrication interval settings.
They can be used for single-point lubrication of rolling and plain bearings, slideways, open gears, toothed racks, threaded spindles, shaft seals and chains.
“The automatic lubrication system does not only prevent over-lubrication of components, but also reduces premature wear of machine parts due to starved lubrication while extending maintenance intervals and reducing production losses,” he said.
The optimum application of a lubricant without excess lubrication or dropping is particular important in beverage processing environments, and Klüber has innovated to create a food contact solution to the lubrication of vertical or overhanging surfaces, chains, or difficult-to-access components.
Combining the lubricating properties of a synthetic lubricating oil with the application properties of a foam, the newly developed Klüberfoam ensures that the lubricant stays at the lube point and doesn’t drip off. At the same time, excess lubrication is prevented. Oil is dispensed gradually due to the slow dissolution of the foam and its ‘conversion’ back into oil.
Owing to the capillary effect, only the specific quantity of oil that’s actually needed is actually dispensed to the friction point, with any remaining oil remaining as a foam. Due to the white colour of the foam, already lubricated points are clearly visible at all times.
For plastic conveyors in the beverage and dairy industries, Klüber Lubrication has introduced a new high-quality lubricating oil designed to make production more reliable and safer.
According to Klüber, plastic conveyor lubrication in the food industry is subject to challenging requirements: to reduce wear and friction, minimise operating costs and most importantly ensure consumer protection through food safety measures. With the new product Klüberfood NH1 C 4-58, Klüber Lubrication offers a lubrication solution especially developed to meet the different requirements of this particular component.
Additionally, this speciality lubricant was developed for minimum-quantity application. Unlike many water-based products, which are sprayed all over the conveyor in large amounts, Klüberfood NH1 C 4-58 is applied directly. This makes for extremely effective minimum-quantity lubrication and reduces costs.
“In one customer’s cardboard line, we were able to reduce the quantity of lubricants used from more than 1,000 litres to less than 50 litres per line in a given time frame,” said Diaz.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024