Until synthetic lubricants came on the scene in the 1950s, every Falk gearbox had to be lubricated with petroleum lubricants. Today, however, those who are responsible for the maintenance of even just one Falk gear reducer must carefully consider the wide array of available lubricants. Without lubrication, gearbox repairs will inevitably be required. In essence, lubrication is to a Falk gear reducer as water is to a fish, or as air is to a human. Without lubrication, your Falk gearbox or other gear system will die.
The main difference between synthetic and petroleum lubricants lies in the base fluid. In petroleum lubricants, the base fluid is extracted from crude oil. During the extraction process, the crude oil must be refined, all salt and wax must be removed, and the oil must be distilled to separate out the usable hydrocarbons. (Oil naturally contains many different hydrocarbons; only some of them are actually useful for lubrication.) In contrast, synthetic lubricants are created in a laboratory. Scientists combine custom chemicals in tightly controlled laboratory environments to create these lubricants.
To help you choose between synthetic and petroleum-based lubricants for your Falk gearbox, we compare and contrast these two options below and explain when it’s best to use each variety.
Synthetic Lubrication
For most plant managers, buyers and maintenance supervisors, the first important characteristic of synthetic lubricants is their significantly higher price. A synthetic lubricant can cost as much as five times more than its petroleum-based counterpart. However, synthetic lubricants do offer many advantages over petroleum lubricants, which for some maintenance managers compensate for the higher cost.
To be specific, here are five advantages of using synthetic lubricants in a Falk gearbox:
1. Higher fire resistance and lower insurance premiums. Synthetic lubricants usually have a much higher flash point than petroleum lubricants, which translates to a lower risk of fire. For this reason, some insurance companies offer plants a reduced cost on insurance premiums if they switch to synthetic formulas.
2. Fewer deposits and longer stretches of time between oil changes. Since synthetic lubricants are stable at high temperatures, they deposit less waste and allow plant managers to extend the time between oil drains for each Falk gear reducer.
3. Smoother operations and lower fuel costs. Because synthetic lubrication formulas reduce friction and transfer heat, they usually allow machine parts to operate more smoothly, meaning less horsepower and fuel is required to run the system.
4. Higher operating speeds. Synthetics are less likely to spark a fire than petroleum-based lubricants, meaning a Falk gearbox can generally run more quickly on a synthetic formula.
Because synthetics have a good viscosity-to-temperature ratio, they are ideal for plant environments with extremely cold or hot temperatures. Another excellent application for synthetic lubricants is situations that demand near-continuous operation. (Fewer oil drains means less downtime.) Heavy loads also call for synthetic lubrication.
Petroleum Lubrication
The primary thing to remember about petroleum lubricants is that they are much less expensive than synthetics. Here are a few situations when that lower cost is crucial:
1. Extremely dirty or dusty operations. Neither synthetic nor petroleum-based lubricants for industrial applications are meant to suspend dust and dirt, as in a car engine. Therefore, in these situations it’s more cost effective to choose oil-based lubricants.
2. Setups that result in product contamination. Certain applications, such as natural gas processing, inevitably contaminate the lubricant being used. Because oil-based lubricants are so much less expensive, they are the superior choice in such settings.
3. High lubrication consumption. If your Falk gearbox is going through lubrication at a very high rate, it often makes sense to choose the less expensive lubrication option.
4. Once-through situations. Some plants use machines that must spit out lubricants after only one rotation through the system. Therefore, in equipment that has no lubricant reservoir, it’s often best to choose the lower-cost lubricant.
The above information can help you get a basic understanding of the differences between petroleum- and synthetic-based lubricants. However, to truly maximize the efficiency of any complex gear system, it’s best to have an expert conduct a full oil analysis. Physical tests and spectrometric analysis can help you find the ideal lubricant for your Falk gear reducer or other industrial power transmission equipment.
Posted under Articles, Tips and Tricks on Monday, December 12th, 2011