OPEN GEAR CLEANING SERVICES
Many identify lubrication as critical, but using an effective gear cleaner has a greater impact on gear care. Any lubricant needs to be highly adhesive to ensure it clings to the gears and tooth flanks and not simply drip off. The effectiveness of a lubricant depends on it having a clean surface to cling to, which is why the role of the gear cleaner is so important in gear care.
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The best way to secure proper cleaning of girth and pinion gears, would always be to scrape it by hand manually, while gears are stationary. If total elimination of lubricant is required, pressure washing and final hand cleaning must be done while the mill is shut down.
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However downtime can be significantly reduced, if Open Gear Cleaner was applied before shut down. Open Gear Cleaner would have loosen the unwanted product or material on the gears, making cleaning of pinion, girth, sump and gear housing a much quicker and easier task.
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Preventative maintenance by applying Open Gear Cleaner while mill is operational on a three to six month interval or whenever the need arrives would have prevented shut down for cleaning purposes totally. The product is designed to be applied through the automatic lubrication system in place of the open gear lubricant while the gearing is running and under load, greatly reducing down time.
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The issue of downtime is a concern for any industrial operation, with time spent carrying out gear maintenance sometimes affecting productivity. So, finding a solution to break down and remove grease during operation, even under load, is essential.
OPTION 1: Preventative Maintenance by Gear Protect's skilled technician
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Open gear cleaning can be done as regular maintenance once every 3 – 6 months or when the need is identified during inspections, especially when pump systems show repeated failure or spray nozzles keep fouling.
Scope of work:
20L Open Gear Cleaner applied through the lube system over a 6-12 hour period without shut down. I
Important:
Regular monitoring of the gearing including temperature, vibration and visual inspections is necessary while using Open Gear Cleaner.
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Advantage:
Not only gears and tooth flanges, but also pump, distributor blocks, grease lines, spray bars and nozzles are cleaned internally without any down time.
OPTION 2: Necessary Maintenance (Done by Gear Protect's skilled technician)
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Some grease can build up in very hard-to-reach places, making it very difficult to break down and remove. Option 2 can be used where heavy build up on gears has been identified and shut down is not an option.
Scope of work:
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Apply 20L Open Gear Cleaner through spray system over a 2-3 hour period.
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Apply 10L Open Gear Cleaner by hand spray focusing on identified and hard-to-reach areas.
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High pressure water cleaned to clear unwanted product and contaminant.
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Slightly lubricated before commencing normal lube requirement.
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Implemented by a skilled technician while monitoring temperatures and vibrations.
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Water and Air supply to be supplied by client and made available at point of work.
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Sump to be cleaned by client before commencement and again after conclusion of work.
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Area around mill and platform will have to be cleaned by client’s cleaning team after conclusion of work.
Advantage:
Not only gears and tooth flanges, but also pump, distributor blocks, grease lines, spray bars and nozzles are cleaned internally without any down time.
In addition, valleys cleaned of unwanted build up and hard-to-reach areas are cleaned. The outside of spray bar, outer door, hinges, hatch, distributor block/valve and pump are also cleaned. The result is less vibrations, less heat build up, better lubrication and better meshing.