Labeling Machine Gearbox Lubricant Application
Bottling plant in Britain eliminates oil leakage problem
A British bottling plant of a popular soft drink was experiencing major problems with oil leakage and oil oxidation in its labeling machine gearbox, causing significant unscheduled downtime. Krytox GB series gearbox lubricant helped provide a solution.
Because of the equipment layout and very high operating temperature of the application, the shaft seals lasted only two weeks between oil top-offs.
These top-offs not only presented a safety hazard for the maintenance personnel working on the hot equipment, but cleanliness issues for the food quality production area were also a challenge. Complete gearbox failure regularly caused unscheduled downtime, lost production, and high maintenance costs.
The Challenge
The bottling plant needed a lubricant that would stand up to long-term exposure under very high temperatures and minimize leakage from failing seals.
The Solution
Technical support engineers from Chemours were able to offer a lubricant that met the temperature requirements, as well as provided advice on equipment modifications to help maximize performance. Krytox™ GB H0 lubricant easily met the requirements for the gearbox application. Krytox™ GB H0 is compatible with all elastomeric seal materials and offers superior lubricity at temperatures up to 210 °C (410 °F). Krytox™ GB C2 grease provided an ideal solution for the upper and lower drum bearings because it offers superior lubricity and is compatible with Krytox™ GB H0. By providing an innovative engineering solution, the customer now benefits from a “fit and forget” gearbox solution. Now, the gearbox is changed every two years during routine plant overhaul with no requirement for intermediate maintenance.
Key Advantages
- Using Chemours™ Krytox™ GB H0 and GB C2 gearbox lubricants, the bottling plant was able to significantly reduce failures, unplanned maintenance, and oil leakage problems, saving considerably on operating costs and, more importantly, unscheduled production downtime.
- Krytox™ GB H0 and GB C2 lubricants are compatible with all elastomeric seal materials.
- Krytox™ GB H0 and GB C2 can be used in gearboxes found in other high-temperature, high-speed equipment.
