10 Steps to Prevent Mixer Gearbox Failure – Part II

In the previous post, we had discussed the initial five steps, which can prevent gearbox failure. In this post, we will be discussing water infiltration, vibration analysis, liquid mixing processes, and oil leakage and over-lubrication.

Latter Five Steps to Prevent Gearbox Failure

The following are ancillary steps, which can be used to maintain the performance of a mixer gearbox.

• Water Infiltration: Water is one of the elements that can contaminate the motor oil quickly and easily. Internal water prevention seals, and external plastic covers can be used to prevent water from infiltrating the system.
• Prevent Oil Leakage and Over-Lubrication: When it comes to some mixer gearbox designs, excess oil is not really a good idea. If oil is leaking from the output shaft, it means that the mixer gearbox has been over-lubricated. Most gearbox output shafts are grease sealed. When the gearbox is over-lubricated, the oil penetrates the grease, and breaks it down, leading to oil leakage. The oil can leak into the mixing process. In such cases, it is crucial to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the oil levels.
• Properly Install the Oil Level Gauges: If the oil gauge levels are incorrect in any manner, then it can lead to less or excess oil being provided to the gearbox. Lack of oil will result in the gears rubbing against each other, reducing their service life. Excess can lead to over-lubrication. Hence, the technician responsible for lubrication should check the gauges, and accordingly lubricate the mixer gearbox. If required, he should consult the manufacturer regarding the lubrication levels.
• Always Perform Liquid Mixing Processes: The mixers are designed to perform liquid processes. If the mixer run with only air, then it can quickly damage pinions, gearing, and mechanical seals of the gearbox. Hence, it is imperative that the shafts and impeller are always run with the required industrial liquid.
• Vibration Analysis: Excess vibrations can also cause components to become loose, or gauges to perform incorrectly. A good vibration analysis program can help diagnose potential issues and predict any chances of failure. If a problem is identified, the gearbox should undergo a gearbox repair process. . This can prevent any expensive repair costs and unnecessary downtime.

Gearbox failure can result in expensive and time-consuming downtime. Production losses can hurt an organization’s overall success rate. Performing the ten steps on a periodic basis can help maintain the gearbox’s performance, and enhance the organization’s production runs.