Gearbox Maintenance Tips Every Beginner Should Know

Avoiding repairs and replacements is nearly impossible. However, you can reduce costs by performing preventative maintenance on your industrial equipment. Things like gearboxes need special care to keep them in good condition.

If you’re unfamiliar with your industrial machines, don’t worry. Every beginner should know these gearbox maintenance tips. Include these practices in your maintenance schedule for smooth operations.

Focus on Lubrication

Your industrial gearbox needs frequent lubrication to keep things from degrading. Unmaintained gearboxes often experience leaks that allow oil to escape. Make sure you’re checking lubricant levels regularly to avoid problems.

The manufacturer’s guide will tell you what kind of oil you need for your specific situation. Inspect all shafts and seal unwanted gaps to reduce leakage. This way, your gearbox components won’t suffer from corrosion and other lack of lubricant problems.

Monitor Temperatures

Industrial facilities generate lots of heat. It’s not uncommon for your equipment to be hot to the touch. However, gearboxes do have a heat threshold. Therefore, monitoring temperatures will help you avoid a catastrophic breakdown.

Your gearbox shouldn’t produce smoke or be hot enough to melt paint and other fixtures. Discoloration is also a sign of overheating. Reducing speeds and weight loads can help with heat production issues; you should upgrade your shafts and bearing to improve efficiency. Your gearbox will generate less heat if it doesn’t have to overexert itself.

Perform Vibration Tests

Like heat, vibrations are normal in industrial settings. However, excessive movement can cause production problems and safety hazards. Performing a vibration test is a gearbox maintenance tip every beginner should know.

You’ll know you have an issue if your gearbox makes loud rattling noises. Your vibration analysis will be able to identify which components are loose or misaligned. Damaged gearboxes will also vibrate excessively, so frequent inspections are essential.

Let Us Take Care of Your Gearbox Maintenance

Knowing how to maintain your gearboxes is helpful. However, hiring Illinois Electric Works is the best way to optimize gearbox performance. We offer industrial gearbox repair in the Midwestern area for all your maintenance needs. We do everything from lubricating your equipment to performing vibration tests. Thus, we can ensure that your facility runs at maximum capacity.