Why the right industrial gear oil is essential

Industrial gear oil selection should not be an afterthought, as this article by Shell explains.

Many people see industrial lubricants as just another commodity, according to Shell, but more informed engineers are considering whole-life costs.

In that case, the right industrial gear oil can help increase production rates, reduce costs and cut unpredictable downtime - and its value becomes much clearer.

Joe O'Connor, Product Application Specialist from Shell Lubricants companies, says: "In an increasingly competitive industrial climate, operators need to use every strategy they can to maintain operational efficiency and minimise overall costs; factoring in high performance lubrication to address the issue of unscheduled downtime can help maximise productivity".

Because gears are such sensitive pieces of equipment with hidden components, gear boxes can be prone to failure, which often goes unnoticed until serious problems have occurred.

A bearing failure can cause the whole gear box to stop working, resulting in unscheduled downtime, and the potential costs of maintenance work, component replacement and even lost production.

For example, in the cement industry, failure of the main drive box in a cement kiln can result in significant repair costs as well as all the headaches caused by unscheduled downtime.

The challenges posed by gear boxes require advanced lubrication technology to ensure the gear oils used are up to the job.

Unfortunately, not all products on the market have been specially formulated to address some of the most common risks, meaning that operators can be exposed to potentially high cost operational issues.

Water contamination is one of the most common problems in the management of gear boxes - and one of the most serious.

Just one percent of water in the gear box can reduce bearing life by 90 percent (Ref 1), but this does not have to be the case.

O'Connor explains: "The threat of water contamination is inescapable in any busy industrial environment where process water, cleaning practices, leaking heat exchangers, condensation and the weather are all potential factors in allowing water into the system".

"If the water mixes with the oil, contaminating it, the operator is forced to carry out more frequent oil changes, with the associated costs of increased oil consumption, maintenance and downtime".

"Worse still, the gear oil's performance may be compromised, exposing the gear box to component failure and the operator to the cost of component replacement, unscheduled downtime and potentially lost production".

The good news is that even though water is an unavoidable operational risk, most of the damage water can cause is avoidable, through a combination of good maintenance practices and the careful selection of a high quality gear oil that quickly separates water.

Shell Lubricants have specifically formulated its industrial gear oil range, including Shell Omala and Shell Omala HD, to tackle water contamination issues, helping operators avoid the potential costs of downtime, component failure, increased maintenance and additional oil changes.

With pressure to increase productivity and reduce overall operating costs, often prompting operators to increase equipment loads, gear boxes are operating at increasingly hotter temperatures.

As a result, it is now more important that the gear oil is specifically designed for use in industrial gear boxes - and has excellent thermal stability to cope with the higher operating temperatures.

The effectiveness of a gear oil depends on selecting and maintaining the correct viscosity: too thin and it will fail to protect components from metal-to-metal wear; too thick and the gear box will require more power for operation.

O'Connor explains: "Operators need to use a gear oil that has been formulated to withstand the whole temperature range to which it may be exposed".

"This will not only help to maximise gear oil life, but also will help to avoid the potential costs associated with component wear, such as maintenance and unscheduled downtime".

A purchasing decision based purely on lower cost per litre could lead to greater overall costs with higher annual gear oil consumption, increased maintenance time for more oil drains and bigger picture costs like unscheduled downtime and component wear.

It is for these reasons that operators should take an overall view to cost savings and use high quality gear oils to help maximise productivity.

Shell Lubricants have revitalised its range of mineral and synthetic industrial gear oils to meet the demands of modern machinery.

Shell Omala, Shell Omala HD and Shell Tivela S gear oils, have been specially formulated to help limit the dangers of water contamination, prolong gear life and reduce unscheduled downtime, which can help industrial companies reduce their overall operating costs.

As a global leader in finished lubricants, Shell has over 60 years of expertise in the gear oil market.

Ongoing liaison, testing and research in close association with world leading gear OEMs, and in compliance with all major international quality standards, including DIN, AGMA and US Steel, means that the Shell industrial gear oil range will continue to 'keep gears in motion' for many years to come.

(Updated by CR, May 2007).

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