Points to note when choosing grease
Introduction
Bearings are used in most machines where parts such as shafts rotate. Inside the bearings, grease is sealed to prevent wear and ensure smooth operation.
Grease comes in many different types depending on its intended use. Generally, you should choose the grease that's right for your purpose, but the problem arises when you need to add grease to bearings that already have grease in them.
Adding just any grease you have lying around the factory, thinking "it's a commonly used grease, so it should be fine," can, in the worst-case scenario, lead to damage to the machinery.
I myself had a naive understanding of grease, and I almost chose the wrong kind of grease in the past...
This time, I'll be sharing some important points to consider when choosing thermal grease, including a warning!
What is grease?
Grease refers to a lubricant that has been made into a paste by adding a thickening agent to lubricating oil.
Due to these properties, it is a common lubricant often used in bearings and gears where it would be problematic if it leaked out, unlike lubricating oil.
It's commonly used in everyday life; for example, when you touch a door hinge, you might feel a slimy substance on your hand—that's grease.
The thickeners contained in grease play a role in binding the oil together. There are various types of thickeners depending on the application.
Pay attention to the ingredients of the thickener!
When it comes to thickeners used in grease, the most important thing to be careful about is that mixing them with thickeners of a different component can change the composition, causing the grease to either harden or become too soft and run off.
Furthermore, if the grease thickener is the same, there will be no problems due to changes in the thickener. However, since the performance may change due to other additives, it is generally best not to mix greases.
The problem arises when adding grease to the mechanical parts that are originally sealed inside.
Bearings are almost always pre-filled with grease by the manufacturer, so using the wrong kind of grease can lead to the problems mentioned above.
When adding new grease to a bearing, you can identify the type of grease that is already sealed inside by checking the bearing's manufacturer.
If the source of the problem can be identified, using grease from the same manufacturer will prevent the issue from occurring.
Please contact us if you need assistance with drawing machines or machine parts!
We are happy to answer any questions you may have about machinery, including old machines that are no longer working properly.
If you have any problems with your old machine, please feel free to contact us using the inquiry form below!
Enhanced safety features through reverse engineering: Area sensors
Introduction Reverse engineering often involves requests to recreate parts from older machinery that are no longer supported. However, many older machines prioritize production capacity and do not meet modern safety standards, and the machines are problematic…
Enhanced safety features through reverse engineering – Double switch
Introduction Reverse engineering often involves requests to recreate parts from older machinery that are no longer supported. However, many older machines prioritize production capacity and do not meet modern safety standards, and the machines are problematic…
Reverse Engineering for Enhanced Safety – Safety Fences
Introduction Reverse engineering often involves requests to recreate parts from older machinery that are no longer supported. However, many older machines prioritize production capacity and do not meet modern safety standards, and the machines are problematic…
Reverse Engineering and Components ~Screw Shafts~
Introduction When older machinery is beyond repair, we receive inquiries about reverse engineering. While we receive inquiries about a wide variety of machines, there are certain parts that we are surprisingly often asked to work on. This column will discuss such parts…
Reverse Engineering: How to Avoid Failure? Part 2
Introduction: Reverse engineering is a technique that can repair parts of machines whose support has ended, but it cannot repair all products and parts, and there is a possibility of failure. This column will explain how to perform reverse engineering…
Difficult even with the physical object? Reverse Engineering of Gears
Introduction Gears are a common subject of reverse engineering requests due to their failure. While the basic mechanism of power transmission is the same, the shapes and combinations of gears vary greatly depending on their application. Even I, the author, discover something new every time I research gears…
Reverse Engineering Techniques: Material Selection Based on Application (Part 3)
Introduction When using reverse engineering to repair old machines and restore parts, the material of the part can be a headache. If you make a new part using the same material as the damaged part, you can't easily distinguish it by measuring it with measuring tools or by looking at its color because the original part is still available...
What are the advantages of 3D printers that shine through reverse engineering?
Introduction 3D printers have become commonplace, not only in the manufacturing industry but also among many people who use them personally as a hobby. However, there are many advantages to effectively utilizing 3D printers in the field of reverse engineering. This time…
What are the essential points to check when reverse engineering!? <Part 3 - Components>
Introduction Reverse engineering, while a broad term, deals with a wide variety of machines and parts. Analyzing such diverse objects using reverse engineering is no easy task. In fact, when proceeding with reverse engineering…
Reverse Engineering Techniques: Material Selection Based on Application (Part 2)
Introduction When using reverse engineering to repair old machines and restore parts, the material of the part can be a headache. If you make a new part using the same material as the damaged part, you can't easily distinguish it by measuring it with measuring tools or by looking at its color because the original part is still available...
Reverse Engineering Techniques - Selecting Materials by Use, Part 1
Introduction When using reverse engineering to repair old machines and restore parts, the material of the part can be a headache. If you make a new part using the same material as the damaged part, you can't easily distinguish it by measuring it with measuring tools or by looking at its color because the original part is still available...
Reverse Engineering Techniques - Material and Substance Investigation Part 2
Introduction When using reverse engineering to repair old machines and restore parts, the material of the part can be a headache. If you make a new part using the same material as the damaged part, you can't easily distinguish it by measuring it with measuring tools or by looking at its color because the original part is still available...
Reverse engineering technology - material and substance investigation
Introduction When using reverse engineering to repair old machines and restore parts, the material of the part can be a headache. If you make a new part using the same material as the damaged part, you can't easily distinguish it by measuring it with measuring tools or by looking at its color because the original part is still available...
How to avoid failure in reverse engineering? Part 1
Introduction Reverse engineering is a technique that can restore parts of machines that are no longer supported, but it cannot restore all products or parts, and there is a possibility that it will fail. In this column, we will explain how to reverse engineer...
Examples of reverse machining of molds made by other companies
Introduction When you have trouble with an old machine, the most common problem is repairing broken parts. If there are drawings for the parts, you can recreate them based on those, but with old molds, there are often no drawings, so repairs are often abandoned...