Industrial gearboxes are subject to harsh conditions, including high pressures and extreme heat. These machines are designed to operate under pressure. However, operating under a temperature even a few degrees too high can cause significant damage to your equipment. This post will go over the causes of overheating in your industrial gearbox and what you can do to prevent this issue.
There are many common factors that cause overheating in your industrial gearbox. These include operating temperature, ambient temperature, viscosity index, load conditions, contamination levels, lubrication requirements, humidity, air velocity, and air temperature. You must investigate each of these factors to establish a baseline temperature and find the cause of overheating. Remember, many of these are out of your control. So, it is difficult to know the “maximum” surface temperature of your gearbox.
Lubricant film strength is one of the most important factors that ensures longer operational life for your industrial gearbox. The lubricant needs to have enough strength to separate the metal surfaces of the components. The strength is determined by temperature, so it is the most important factor in measuring overheating issues.
For example, overheating could be happening because you are using a lubricant with the incorrect viscosity for your specific gearbox operations. A common cause of overheating is friction caused by an imbalance between lubricant and viscosity levels.
Another common issue is if your lubricant is oxidizing and breaking down. You can tell the oil is oxidizing if it has a foul odor. It may easiest to hire a technician to conduct an oil analysis to measure oxidation levels. You can also use a lubrication filtration system to do this yourself. Oil oxidation could be caused by a variety of factors including ambient temperature, poor environmental conditions, and even using the wrong lubricant.
Synthetic oils are better at handling thermal and oxidation issues. If you use a mineral-based lubricant, that could be the cause of the overheating. If you upgrade to a synthetic lubricant, the overheating issue could be addressed.
There is no real maximum surface temperature, so you must adjust and deal with temperature fluctuations by using different solutions of lubricants. For example, if your operating temperatures are lower, you can use mineral oil. But if they tend to get higher, you should switch to a synthetic to avoid oxidation. If you stay with mineral oil, you will need to exchange the lubricant more frequently, which could also cost more money and time.
If you need high-quality industrial gearbox inspection, repair, or maintenance, contact the experts at Amarillo Gear Service in Amarillo, Texas today. We offer an easy-to-use Portable and fixed Filtration System that can help you sample, filter, and change the oil in your industrial gearbox.
You can call us at (806) 622-1273 or Contact Us by email to learn more about our Amarillo Gear™ and Marley™ gearbox repair services, as well as our Oil Management Solutions. Find out more about the Regions We Service and the quality workmanship we can bring to the repair or Renewal of your drive.
