Things to Know Before Buying a Grease Gun

There are a few things to think about when choosing a grease gun, like how much grease will be applied and what kind of machinery will be lubricated. The manual, pneumatic, and battery-powered grease guns are the most common.

For low-volume lubrication, manual grease guns with a lever or pistol grip are the preferred option. They can also be used in programs for ultrasonic lubrication, which convert vibrations into audible frequencies to notify technicians when the right amount of lubrication has been applied. The pistol-grip style can be operated with just one hand, whereas the lever style typically expels more grease with each stroke.

You will be able to dispense grease at a slower rate with manual grease guns, giving you more control over how much lubricant is applied. Additionally, they are typically lighter and smaller, making it easier for them to fit into tight spaces.

Grease guns of the battery-operated and pneumatic variety are effective when large quantities of grease are required and can reduce operator fatigue. However, using these kinds of applicators has some drawbacks. For example, they are not the best choice for ultrasonic lubrication because the machine, not the operator, controls how much grease is released. Additionally, dragging an air hose around the plant is not always convenient when using a pneumatic pistol grip grease gun.

When using grease guns, remember to correctly label them with the kind of lubricant they contain and know how much lubricant they dispense with each stroke. Your applicators can be labeled in a variety of ways. The color of the applicator's body is used to identify the grease gun's lubricant type with color-coded applicators. Additionally, a tag containing the lubricant's name should be included in this design. The grease gun's operator is able to read the label on the tube because it has a clear body style.

Pump a small amount of grease onto a scale and divide the weight by the number of strokes to determine the amount of grease used per stroke. After that, you'll have an average of how much grease was used in each stroke. A meter can also be added to the end of your applicator to accomplish this. You should be able to get a more precise amount using this method.

Using Your Senses as Tools for Condition Monitoring

A growing number of people are recognizing the advantages of predictive and proactive maintenance strategies in the field of reliability. The primary function of these strategies, condition monitoring, is to identify either the underlying causes or the signs of problematic machine conditions.

To scan, inspect, and figure out the state of machinery, a good proactive/predictive maintenance program needs tools like vibration, thermography, and oil analysis. However, do not undervalue the value of your own senses or other high-tech instruments. Yes, in contrast to other instruments, your eyes, ears, and nose can be useful tools for condition monitoring and require little instruction to use effectively.

While some visual or audible observations necessitate interpretation, others are intuitive and only necessitate a system for information management and action. As a result of their familiarity with the "normal" sounds of the machinery they maintain or operate, the majority of operators and technicians are qualified to recognize unusual conditions.

To See

The most common visual monitoring activity, checking oil levels, is one of many sensory inspections. If someone is paying attention and notices that the oil level is low or nonexistent, they can stop many potential machine failures. As part of the visual inspection, other important tasks can be done.

Problems with the lubricant, such as oil that has been tainted by water or other materials, oil that has been severely degraded or oxidized, excessive foaming, and other machine conditions like excessive vibration, loose belts, loose drive chains, and fasteners that are missing or loose are all examples of things that ought to be routinely documented and scheduled procedures. No matter how sophisticated a condition monitoring program is, this ought to be the foundation.

To Hear

Auditory inspections are another type of sensory inspection. When compared to visual inspections, sound can sometimes be a more sensitive monitoring tool. Auditory inspections may require some experience or training to interpret, whereas visual inspections are relatively simple. Even if a problem is not found, it is likely that even an untrained or inexperienced ear will detect a deviation from the normal sound and be able to report the situation.

To Smell

Smell is one more method or sense of inspection that might not have been taken into account. The powerful human sense of smell can be used to identify a variety of undesirable machine conditions and lubricant issues. Solvents, fuel, refrigerants, and other process chemicals are examples of common lubricant issues that can be detected by smell.

Additionally, oil that has significantly oxidized has a distinct odor that can be readily identified once observed. There are some machine conditions that can also be smelled. Overheated or slipping belts frequently produce an alarming odor that calls for investigation.

The Senses We Use: A Valuable Method for Monitoring Condition

We always looking for ways to cut costs as a lubrication program designer, and sensory inspections give me a lot of opportunities to cut costs. One of the benefits of this kind of activity, in my opinion, is that it can be done in conjunction with other maintenance tasks.

A routine sensory inspection is ideal for any activity that brings technicians into close proximity to the machine. When I visit a facility, I frequently discover easily observable issues that could result in a catastrophic failure that would otherwise go unnoticed.

The number of these things that are observed but not reported, or that are reported but not taken action on, is more prevalent and causes more concern. In most cases, this is not a sign of apathy; rather, it is a sign that there isn't a way to collect and use the data. Consequently, it is essential to document, schedule, and develop a checklist and reporting mechanism with clearly defined follow-up actions to address the identified issues.

The fact that almost anyone is able to perform this kind of condition monitoring is another advantage. A lot of training is required to use other tools like oil analysis or vibration effectively. On the other hand, non-maintenance personnel like operators can carry out sensory inspection.

When the maintenance staff is occupied with reactive maintenance tasks, this may be advantageous. After all, if the operator has time available on his schedule, why not use him for this kind of work?

Identifying an oil leak or a strange-sounding gearbox could, and frequently does, prevent a catastrophic failure, saving tens of thousands of dollars in losses. The importance of making use of one's senses should not be understated or overlooked, even though the majority of us carry out some form of routine inspection.

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