Clean Up Your Act
The SKF Oil Conditioning Unit, a low-pressure pump filtration system which removes contaminants as it circulates oil, is designed to get the most out of your lubricants. Fully integrated, it connects directly to machines, bearing housings, gearboxes, sumps and compressors using minimal connections. The company says the system can perform continuously with periodic filter changes, offering longer service and component life and increased machine productivity, all while reducing component wear, maintenance, repairs, oil consumption and disposal costs. The units are available with wide range of equipment options to suit many industry applications, from paper and pulp to mineral processing and mining. Web: www.skfusa.com
Transport Chain Reaction
Royal Purples escalator chain lube lubricates the chains of escalators, elevator doors and moving walkways for improved equipment reliability. This synthetic, high-film-strength lube is said to extend the life of Novatex boards and other components subject to high wear, with up to 75 percent less lubricant consumption. Less of this oil transfers to exposed surfaces of the equipment, providing safer, more sanitary function. The company says it reduces lint build-up, which can remove oil and hinder its reapplication; cuts down on noise, and has no offensive odor. Web: www.royalpurple.com
The Right Stuff
Formulated with precise amounts of sulfur, sulfated ash and phosphorus (SAPS), Cat DEO-ULS engine oils were created to protect heavy-duty diesel engines and extend the life of their emissions reduction systems. The viscosities – SAE 15W-40 and 10W-30 – are a good fit for mixed fleets that need to conform to API CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS/CI-4, CH-4 or API SM specifications. Another grade, the synthetic, multi-seasonal Cat DEO-ULS Cold Weather SAE 0W-40, delivers protection to engines operating at least part of the year in below-freezing temperatures. It can withstand temperatures ranging from -40 to 104 degrees F. These oils are available only from Caterpillar dealers. Web: www.cat.com/parts/oils
Push to the Limit
HDAX 7200, a low-ash, SAE 40 natural gas engine oil from Chevron, takes aim at large, stationary gas engines operating under extreme conditions, as in cogeneration, compression or processing applications. It can also serve specific Ajax, Clark-Dresser, Fairbanks-Morse/MEP and Worthington two-stroke gas engines required to start in low temperatures. HDAX 7200 is said to improve engine function by minimizing deposits and sludge formation; guard against ring, piston and liner wear; lengthen oil life; keep pistons and skirts clean to prevent ring sticking, and provide valve recession protection to reduce the likelihood of spark-plug and pre-ignition fouling. Available in bulk and 55-gallon drums. Web: www.chevron lubricants.com
Big Chill for MQL
The Uni-Max Revolution, Unists new minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) technology, is designed to integrate with CNC machines and software, to customize the volume of lubricant applied to each part produced. Made for new turning centers and CNC mills, it can be retrofitted to existing machinery as well. The system accurately applies the smallest functional amount of lube directly to interfaces between tools and material being worked, resulting in savings of 50 to 90 percent on fluid-related costs, cleaner operations and reduced environmental impact due to waste and cleaning methods, reports Unist. Options include a pulsed-air nozzle for chip removal in challenging applications such as pocket milling. Web: www.unist.com
Green Machining
Vegetable-based Rustlick PowerCool Green and PowerCool Green CF (chlorine-free) coolants from ITW Rocol North America are available now for heavy-duty grinding and cutting. These water-soluble, plant-derived oils contain extreme pressure additives, are long lasting, and feature maximum physical lubricity and fluid performance. They decrease the overall volume of fluid used and provide longer sump life, says the company. Theyre suitable for metals including ferrous or non-ferrous, brass, copper, aluminum and bronze, with the non-chlorinated formula recommended for titanium. Use them in a variety of operations such as drilling, threading, tapping, broaching, turning, cutting, grinding, machining or milling. In 5- or 55-gallon containers. Web: www.itwfpg.com
Pump It
The flexible design of the G3 Electric Pump from Graco allows customized lubrication and fits with series progressive or injector-based systems. This pump can take on a wide range of applications and multiple markets, such as in-plant manufacturing, mobile equipment and wind turbines. It features an adjustable stroke, longer life with load-minimizing drive, and flow dynamics that prevent grease separation. Three user control choices make system setup, operation and troubleshooting easy, says Graco. Use with the grease of your choice to increase productivity and decrease cost. Web: www.graco.com
Skimmer Proves Valuable in Gulf Clean Up
Abanakis patent-pending Fuzzy2 oil skimmer has been surpassing expectations in its role in the oil spill cleanup efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, the company says. Thanks to its unique surface, oil recovery capacity is 385 gallons per minute, over triple that of common skimmer material. The hairy texture provides greater surface area which further increases its effectiveness. It is attached to 30-inch diameter skimming disks on Crucials floating skimmer equipment. Abanakis Tom Hobson remarked that the Fuzzy2 makes it possible to triple the pickup rate of many existing disk skimmers because it can be retrofitted to almost any brand. Web: www.abanaki.com/116
Cutting-edge Chills
MAG Industrial Automation Systems has unveiled a new concept in cooling, developed with support of the U.S. Navy. It uses liquid nitrogen at -321 degrees F and through-spindle through-tool cooling to concentrate the cooling effect on the cutting insert. This greatly reduces the temperature of the cutting edge and allows higher cutting speeds, increased metal removal rates and longer tool life. More benefits may come from combining this technique with minimum quantity lubrication to reduce adhesion and friction, the company suggests. The system is said to have increased some milling speeds by 60 percent, and to have quadrupled speeds with diamond tooling. MAG hopes to commercialize the breakthrough next year. Web: www.mag-ias.com
The Easy Weigh
Avoid back pain when weighing drums of lubricants, greases, chemicals and other products. The DeckHand portable floor scale from Alliance makes it easy with two wheels, a folding ramp, a non-skid top plate and a column with two hand-grips. The compact platform, in steel or stainless, has a full function battery-operated weight indicator. It features a five-digit LCD display and allows a known tare value to be entered. Suitable for drum weighing and counting applications, use it at the job site or in your plants production, shipping and receiving departments. Available in 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound capacities, the scale includes an RS-232C serial port and 110 VAC adaptor, among other features. Starting at $2,595. Web: www.alliancescale.com
Put Oils to the Test
The two-fold oil oxidation and varnish test package from Maintenance Reliability Group can help foretell the remaining lifetime of your hydraulic fluids and turbine oils. Working from used oil samples as small as 60 ml, MRG applies Membrane Patch Colorimetry to spot the presence of varnish precursors – those byproducts of oil degradation that can adhere to machine components, affect hydraulic performance and increase the need for maintenance. MRG also performs the Ruler Test (linear sweep voltammetry) to compare antioxidant levels in the sample to that in new oils, to trend degradation. They provide a report and maintenance recommendations from turbine experts, complete with in-depth analysis and images of the Ruler graph and the patch results. Cost per sample is $150. Web: www.mrgcorp.com
A Welcome Wet Blanket
Even in windy conditions, the Pig Oil-Only weighted blanket stays put to catch drips and leaks outdoors, such as under pipes, transformers or parked equipment. Its hydrophobic polypropylene filling repels water while efficiently absorbing petroleum-based fluids. Made by New Pig, it has self-contained pockets formed by heavy-duty seams to assure even filler distribution. The spunbound outer layer is durable and UV resistant even in direct sunlight for a year, says the company. Ballasts supply added weight, and grommeted corners can be staked to avoid blowing against wires, transformers or capacitors. The blanket also helps comply with 40 CFR 112.7 and 122.26. Web: www.newpig.com