Graco builds their oil and grease injectors for automatic lubrication of mobile equipment to the highest-quality standards. Rest assured these precision machined, long-lasting lubricant injectors will perform for you in harsh and challenging environments. Graco's long-lasting injectors are designed to consistently provide accurate lubrication amounts for heavy trucks, waste haulers, fleets of tractor-trailers, cement trucks and more.

In order to keep your equipment moving and keep your operating costs down, lubrication is essential. Your equipment may experience downtime and a shorter lifespan if it is not properly lubricated, which can have a negative financial impact on your business. Lubrication that is automatic might be the solution.

Why is automatic lubrication used?

Consistent lubrication is applied more frequently by automatic lubrication systems. Both too little and too much lubrication can cause heat and friction, which will pull on the bearing and harm its seals. Furthermore, the best time to lubricate a bearing is while equipment is moving. This causes an unsafe and almost impossible task for equipment operators. Automatic lubrication provides a safer method of supplying the precise amount of lubrication to bearings, bushings and other lubrication points when it’s needed. equipment. The MG10 electric magnetic gripper, which is intended for material handling, assembly, and machine tending applications, was released in March 2021.

Simple Automated Lubrication System Components

A metering device, pump, controller, tubing/hose, and fittings to connect to the lubrication locations are the main parts of an automatic lubrication system. A system can also be enhanced or supplemented by a variety of accessories. For a variety of industries, including in-plant industrial production, mining, construction (heavy equipment), food and beverage, energy, and on-road mobile applications, Graco provides full automatic lubrication systems.

Pump

The pump activates the metering device by supplying an oil or grease flow under pressure (s). The choice of pump will depend on the system's requirements and the available power sources because different pumps come in a variety of flow rates, pressure ranges, and compatibility with power sources. In order for the injectors to reset, pumps utilized with them must also include a vent valve. Most pumps are independent units, while some pumps, like the piston pumps used in box lubricators, are also meters.

Controller

A controller executes a timetable or software to regularly dispense lubricant. While many systems have a controller that is independent of the pump, some pumps feature an integrated controller. A small number of controllers can handle a wide range of applications due to the controllers' programmability and versatility. The voltage available and the sensors utilized in the application are a few items to think about. The controller needs to have inputs for the sensors that will be connected to it.

When broken down into its constituent parts, a lubrication system appears to be fairly simple even though it may initially appear to be complex. It will be simpler to design and acquire parts for a system, as well as troubleshoot and repair an existing system, if you are aware of these components.

Producing twenty times more

The Croatian auto cosmetics company Alfa Car aimed to raise manufacturing by a factor of twenty. To accomplish this, a new industrial plant's whole production cycle was automated. For more than 200 process valves, Festo provided a total solution, including project management.

For the purpose of making automobile cosmetic products, a variety of ingredients, such as water, alcohol, glycerine, surfactants, oleic and acetic acids, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide, are kept, transported, blended, and packaged. Complex process automation solutions are needed for this. Here, the Croatian auto cosmetics firm Alfa Car has made a significant advancement. The entire production cycle was entirely automated as a new manufacturing facility was being built, from the raw ingredients through the bottling line for the completed goods. The seamless automation of the process valves was one area of emphasis.

Customized complete solution

The business collaborated with Festo and system integrator Arp Luko to find a solution to the problem. The project management of the automation of the process valves would fall to Festo. Customized full solutions covering the entire spectrum, from the process valve units to the valve manifolds, were delivered to ensure quick integration into the new plant and optimal reliability in the future production process. The explosive atmosphere had to be taken into consideration in particular when choosing the appropriate components.

Reliability counts

For maximum process automation, communication between a large number of various automated ball valves and the new plant's higher-level control system was also essential. A dependable solution using six valve manifolds of type VTUG connected to a PROFINET bus satisfied this need. In this way, more than 200 ball valves from various manufacturers can be totally automated. Alfa Car and Arp Luko were relieved of some of the burden when it came to developing and putting in the new plant by using a single provider for the ball valve solution. The project was also made simpler by the comprehensive cooperation of the numerous process valve vendors, which Festo handled as part of its project management mandate.