Cleaning up the Industrial Industry

The 5 Biggest Benefits Of Dry Lubrication Systems For Conveyors

by Alfredo Harper

Whether you're moving large sheets of metal in a stamping workshop or bins worth of grain through a mill, keeping the conveyor system lubricated is the only way to keep it running smoothly and quietly. Yet not all lubrication options are created equally when it comes to maintaining the chains and bearings. Make the switch to a high tech dry lubrication system for these five reasons.

Enjoy A Cleaner Plant

Basic lubrication equipment sprays a mixture of water and oil or grease onto the conveyor on a regular basis to cut down on friction. Sometimes soap is used instead of oil for a different viscosity and extra cleaning power. While both of these methods for lubricating work, splashes of both water and lubricant end up on the floor underneath the conveyor belt.

Dry lubrication equipment takes a different route for treating the conveyor chains that leaves no liquids running down the floors and walls. Dry particle coatings are sprayed at a high velocity onto the moving parts, resulting in little to no overspray and cleanly coated components with less build up. The entire area stays cleaner, reducing the amount of scrubbing and rinsing you do on a regular basis. You'll save money on cleaning labor and material costs for the hot water and cleaning chemicals.

Reduce Safety Hazards

A cleaner floor in your manufacturing or processing plant doesn't just save you money on maintenance costs. Dry conveyor lubricants don't make the floors slippery and dangerous for your workers either. This reduces injuries due to falls, which can become life-threatening if your employees end up falling into or near heavy machinery. Instead of installing expensive and hard to clean safety grids in the floor to increase traction, switch your conveyor lubricant equipment for an immediate improvement.

Go Eco-Friendly

Trying to establish a new angle for your marketing materials to attract new clients and customers? Consider increasing the energy efficiency and eco-friendliness of your entire operation with this one single upgrade to the conveyor system. The environmental benefits include

  • No water needed during the initial lubrication or for clean up, reducing waste
  • Reduced waste of valuable petroleum-based lubricants and silicone products
  • Better energy efficiency due to reduced friction in the conveyor.

This is definitely the easiest benefit of dry lubrication to use in marketing materials when promoting your business. Consider using this argument for convincing the board of directors from your company to approve the acquisition of upgraded lubricant.

Prevent Contamination

With all that overspray and splashing creating a mess with traditional conveyor lubricating systems, it's no wonder that sometimes the lubricants end up in your product as well. This creates serious problems when you're bottling drinks or canning foods on an assembly line. The lack of overspray keeps your product clean, and it's easy to find food-grade dry products as well so that even a tiny amount of lubricant won't affect your quality. If you're concerned about keeping the conveyor working without greatly modifying your current belts or buckets, consider the easier upgrade of a new lubricating system instead.

Reduce Unwanted Growth

Finally, watch out for bacteria and fungus growing on your conveyor parts when using a wet lubricant. The water provides the moisture needed for these two biofilms to develop, and scrubbing off the foul smelling residue is time-consuming. Dry lubricants don't provide enough moisture for any of these living pests to flourish, so you'll enjoy cleaner conveyors with less maintenance.

Investing in better lubrication means you're also investing in the overall lifespan of the conveyor equipment. Reduced friction and cleaner chains mean fewer repairs over the years, saving you money and preventing interruptions to your work flow.

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