Lubrication System Parts

Lubrication System Parts

Lubrication systems play an integral role in how well your machines work and how long they continue to do so. The individual components and parts which make up the specific lubrication system are significant factors one must consider for efficient and lasting lubrication.

What is a Lubrication System?

An automatic lubrication system, sometimes referred to as an integrated lubrication system, is a machine used to distribute oil to moving parts of a device to prevent friction and wear and tear. Systems automatically deliver the right amount of lubricant to a specific point where the most rubbing occurs.

What are the Components of a Lubrication System?

Automated lubrication systems are essential to prolonging the life of factory equipment. The fluid film in the systems, commonly referred to as lubricant, provides a protective barrier between moving parts. Without lubrication, excess friction would lead to a loss of engine power or premature failure.

Automated systems are one of the best investments you can make because they prevent common errors that normally occur during manual lubrication. These errors include using too much lubricant, using too little lubricant, and lubricating parts when it’s not needed. All three of these errors can lead to premature damage. Automated systems know when to lubricate and how much is needed.

There are six major lubrication system parts, which we will cover in the sections below.

Lubricants

There are two major types of lubricants: grease and oil. As previously mentioned, lubricants are needed to reduce friction, vibrational impact, and excess heat from friction. When choosing lubricants for your system, you must consider operating conditions, application speed and temperature, and other environmental conditions (vibration, moisture level, contaminants, etc.).

Filters & Collectors

Even the best lubricants become contaminated by dust, debris, and other particles. Filters and collectors help prevent bearing damage by capturing that debris and dust. DropsA carries a wide array of sub-micron filters and collectors for the following systems:

  • Coolant Systems
  • Near-Dry Lubrication
  • Oil Recirculation Systems
  • Small-Reservoir Self-Contained Production Units
  • Total-Loss Lubrication

Industrial Spray Nozzles

Although industrial spray nozzles aren’t an essential lubrication system part, they do come with many advantages. We carry a large selection of nozzles for air-oil, air, grease, or MQL applications. We also match spray nozzle types and attachments to the spray pattern that you need.

Lubrication Pumps

The purpose of a lubrication pump is to feed oil or grease lubricants from the reservoir into the system of tubes in the lubrication system. We carry electric, manual, pneumatic, barrel, hydraulic, gear, cam-operated, drive, and mechanically operated pumps. If you’re not sure what type of pump you need for your application, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Valves

Valves are important parts of a lubrication system. Their main purpose is to automatically stop any lubricant flow from the pump to the reservoir. This prevents high pressure from building up in the automated lubrication system. Our inventory includes easy-to-install bypass valves, breather valves, and so much more.

Controllers

Lastly, controllers are responsible for scheduling the lubrication. They are programmable and can be adjusted based on application. We sell a high-quality VIP5 controller that comes with three operating modes (cycle, pulse, and flow). This controller can be customized based on your specific application and requirements. Contact us today to learn more.

What are the Types of Lubrication Systems?

There are various types of lubrication systems on the market. Depending on the project requirements and the application, one lubrication system may be more appropriate. Here are the most common lubrication system types:

  • Grease lubrication systems: Grease lubrication systems transport a specific amount of grease to the proper lubrication area. These systems are often used in automotive applications.
  • Dual-line lubrication systems: Dual-line systems have a modular configuration, making repairs and machine upgrades easy. These systems are beneficial for large machines with many points that must be lubricated. Dual-line systems are commonly used in the iron and steel industries and heavy machinery construction applications.
  • Progressive lubrication systems: Progressive systems are comprised of one or more pumps that are connected to the primary metering device. The device supplies lubricant fluid to metering devices that have a pressure of up to 800 pounds per square inch. The meters divide the lubricant into equal parts, depending on the predetermined amounts.
  • Oil lubrication systems: The main job of an oil lubrication system is to move oil to the device’s moving parts to reduce friction between surfaces that come into direct contact. The oil starts at the top of the device and filters through the feed line. Feed lines are designed with tiny holes that allow the oil to drip throughout the crankcase.

This is not a comprehensive list of lubrication system types. Depending on the project and the application, other types may be used.

What is the Main Function of Lubrication Systems?

Lubrication systems serve many functions, including:

  • Reducing wear and tear of device components
  • Reducing energy consumption
  • Decreasing the amount of heat generated
  • Eliminating corrosion damage

Also, lubrication systems are used in various industrial applications as they increase machine performance, improve device accuracy, and reduce maintenance and repair costs.

Lubrication System Components

Dozens of products make up your lubrication system. The specifics of what you need depends on several factors. These include how old the system is, the make, the model, what you use it for and its daily workload. Here are some of the main parts that our clients source from us.

Lubricants

At the heart of any lubrication system are the lubricants. We believe the lubricants you use should be as high-quality as the machinery you have invested in and provide products that meet this criterion. No matter what your project specs are, we have the right lubricants for you.

Filters and Collectors

No matter how high-quality your lubricants and coolants are, they can become contaminated by dust, other particles and even each other. We provide the lubrication system parts you need to reduce this risk and improve efficiency. Here are some of the filters and collectors we provide:

  • Tramp oil skimmer
  • Dust collector
  • Magnetic filters
  • Coolant filters
  • Mist collectors
  • Micron filters

Industrial Spray Nozzles

The industrial spray nozzles we carry were chosen with client diversity in mind. We can provide suitable nozzles for almost any application, including air-oil, air, grease or MQL use. We also provide the right attachments to ensure the correct spray pattern for the intended purpose.

Pump Systems

The packages we create for pump systems are built to work seamlessly with any existing system you have. We carry pneumatic, electric and circulating oil lubrication system parts. If you already have an existing pump system you’re happy with, we can help you improve efficiency with high-quality manifolds.

Valves

We are one of the top manufacturers for lubrication plug valves created for centralized systems. Not only are our valves reliable, but they are also affordable. You can either use our valves as part of a brand-new, custom system or for upgrading an existing one.

Controllers

The brains of the lubrication system parts should be a smart one. We provide an easy-to-use platform that monitors how much lubricant flows through your system and stores the information so you can revisit the data ad map trends. We also provide sensors.

Lubrication Solutions

Beyond the products we provide, we also assist our clients with implementing solutions in a wide range of industries. These are some of the many problems we have solved so far:

  1. Maintenance Time: Systems that require a lot of maintenance are often cheaper to install, but cost you time and money in the long run. We can install a centralized lubrication system that reduces downtime for frequent maintenance.
  2. Wastage: The more oil your machines require to remain in great shape, the more money they cost you and the less green your business is. Our MQL systems allow you to use less oil and our recirculation systems allow qualifying machinery to reuse the oil.
  3. System Contamination: Sometimes, contamination comes down to the specific design of the system. We minimize this risk by using high-quality lubrication system parts to build a total loss lubrication system.

Founded in 1946, DropsA is a manufacturer of integrated lubrication systems and supplier of lube system parts. We strive to produce high-quality products and components for clients in a multitude of industries. Contact us today for more details.

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