Gear Lubrication
Proper lubrication is critical for gear life, efficiency, and noise reduction. The right lubricant reduces friction, dissipates heat, protects against corrosion, and cushions impact loads.
Lubrication Methods
Grease Lubrication: Suitable for low-to-medium speed gears (pitch line velocity under 5 m/s). Easy to apply, no circulation system required. Use NLGI #1 or #2 gear grease.
Splash Lubrication: Oil bath where gears dip into lubricant. Good for enclosed gearboxes at moderate speeds (2–15 m/s pitch line velocity).
Forced Circulation: Pumped oil delivery for high-speed, high-power applications. Provides cooling in addition to lubrication.
Lubricant Selection
For spur and helical gears: ISO VG 220 or VG 320 gear oil. For worm gears: ISO VG 460 or higher, with extreme pressure (EP) additives. For plastic gears: dry operation is often preferred — or use white food-grade grease if lubrication is required.
Maintenance Intervals
Grease-lubricated gears: inspect every 1,000 hours, replace grease every 3,000 hours. Oil-lubricated enclosed gearboxes: change oil at first 500 hours, then every 2,000–4,000 hours depending on operating conditions.