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LIULIAN CHAIN MANUFACTURING
Lubrication issues in chain drives
2023-08-23 16:05
I. Preface
Friction is a universal and objective phenomenon in nature, indispensable to human survival, life, and development. However, the conscious understanding, research, and utilization of friction have been relatively late. It only began to receive worldwide attention and research in the 1940s, gradually forming a discipline called "Tribology" in the early 1960s. The study of friction is of great significance. Firstly, it involves energy consumption. According to statistics from the 1977 International Tribology Conference, 1/3 to 1/2 of the world's energy is consumed in the form of frictional losses during energy transmission in various machinery. Secondly, it leads to component wear. Statistics show that 80% of machine part failures are caused by friction. In chain transmission, each link has two pairs of friction pairs: the pin and bushing, and the bushing and roller. Friction also occurs during the meshing of the chain and sprocket. Currently, in China, neither chain manufacturers nor users pay sufficient attention to the lubrication of chain drives. Poor lubrication or even no lubrication is widespread. Therefore, this article will discuss the lubrication of chain drives.
II. Necessity of Lubrication
For chain drives, even if the chain and sprocket are designed to perfectly match the operating conditions and environment, poor lubrication will prevent the full realization of the design performance and guarantee of service life.
The wear of a chain with good lubrication can differ by 200-300 times compared to that with poor lubrication [2]. Insufficient lubrication will cause wear on the pin and bushing, leading to misalignment between the chain and sprocket, increased noise, and chain elongation. It may even cause chain breakage. Poor lubrication between the roller and bushing will cause severe early wear of these parts (see Figure 1), rendering them unusable. Therefore, formulating a reasonable scheme for selecting lubricant viscosity, oiling position and method, oiling interval, and oil quantity to ensure sufficient lubrication between the friction surfaces of the chain is crucial for maximizing chain performance. This will achieve the following effects:
Reduce friction pair wear;
Reduce power consumption;
Prevent adhesion wear caused by bonding;
Eliminate overheating caused by friction;
Ensure smooth transmission and extend service life.
III. Selection of Lubricants
To reduce friction and wear between friction pairs and lower frictional resistance, any anti-friction substance can be used as a lubricant. There are many types, including lubricating oils, greases, and solid lubricants. When selecting lubricants for chain drives, the lubrication method, ambient temperature, and chain specifications must be considered. High-quality mineral oils with stable chemical properties are generally used, with pure composition, resistance to oxidation, and absence of impurities being optimal. Used oils or greases may contain tiny particles and corrosive components, causing chain seizure and other failures. Therefore, they should never be used as chain drive lubricants.
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