When the gears stop turning
Fourth Quarter 2007
Other technologies
The type of gear oil selected for a specific application can have a significant effect on operational costs, but what are the consequences of choosing oil that does not perform?
One consequence is unscheduled downtime. Operators need to use every strategy they can to maintain operational efficiency and minimise overall costs. Factoring in high performance lubrication to address the issue of unscheduled downtime can help maximise productivity.
Water contamination is one of the most common problems in the management of gearboxes. Just 1% of water in the gearbox can reduce bearing life by 90%, but this does not have to be the case.
Shell Lubricants SA's Peter Thorpe comments, "The threat of water contamination is inescapable in any industrial environment where process water, cleaning practices, leaking heat exchangers, condensation and the weather are all potential factors that allow water into the system."
According to Thorpe, even though water is an unavoidable operational risk, most of the damage it can cause is avoidable, through a combination of good maintenance practices and careful selection of high quality gear oil that quickly disperses water.
Shell Lubricants has revitalised its range of mineral and synthetic industrial gear oils to meet the demands of modern machinery. Shell Omala, Shell Omala HD and Shell Tivela S gear oils have been specially formulated to limit the dangers of water contamination, prolong gear life and reduce unscheduled downtime, all of which can help industrial companies reduce their overall operating costs and improve profitability.
A purchasing decision based purely on lower cost per litre could lead to greater overall costs. "Operators should take an overall view on cost savings and use high quality gear oils to help maximise productivity," concludes Thorpe.
For more information contact Andrew Evans, Shell SA, +27 (0)11 996 7264, [email protected], www.shell.com
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