The best automatic lubrication system is not simply the one with the right pump, valves and controller. It is the system that reliably delivers the right lubricant, in the right amount, at the right time, to the right point—under the actual conditions in which your equipment operates.
That takes more than component selection.
LubriSource designs and installs centralized automatic lubrication systems around your equipment, operating environment, maintenance practices and reliability goals. Our hands-on experience in industrial plants helps us account for practical issues that can make the difference between a system that looks good on paper and one that performs reliably for years.
Whether you are automating manual lubrication, replacing an outdated system, correcting an existing design or adding lubrication to new equipment, our team can help develop a system that works for the way your plant actually operates.
Every application is different.
Before recommending a pump or selecting a system type, the design needs to consider what is being lubricated and the conditions surrounding it.
Depending on your application, our team evaluates factors such as:
These details matter because an automatic lubrication system is only effective when lubricant consistently reaches every required point in the correct amount.
A lubrication system eventually has to leave the drawing and operate on a real machine.
That is where practical experience matters.
Our team has spent decades working in manufacturing facilities installing, maintaining, repairing and troubleshooting lubrication systems. That experience feeds directly back into the way systems are designed.
We think about questions such as:
Can maintenance easily refill the reservoir?
Can technicians see the indicators they will need to inspect?
Are lines protected from heat, moving equipment, washdown or physical damage?
Can the system be serviced without creating unnecessary downtime?
What happens if a lubrication point becomes blocked?
How will the plant know if the system stops cycling or runs low on lubricant?
Can a technician troubleshoot the system efficiently several years from now?
Those practical considerations can dramatically affect the long-term reliability and maintainability of an automatic lubrication system.
There is no single automatic lubrication system that is right for every application.
The number of lubrication points, lubricant, operating environment, equipment configuration, distance, pressure requirements and monitoring needs all influence which type of system makes sense.
LubriSource works with leading lubrication equipment manufacturers and multiple system technologies so the design can be driven by the application rather than forcing the application to fit one product.
Single-line systems use one main supply line to distribute lubricant to individual lubrication points. Depending on the application, single-line resistance or parallel injector systems can provide a simple and effective approach for delivering controlled quantities of oil or grease.
Single-Line Resistance Lubrication Systems
Single-Line Parallel Injector Lubrication Systems
Series progressive systems use divider valves that sequentially deliver measured quantities of lubricant to each lubrication point. Because each valve operates as part of the sequence, these systems also provide useful monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities.
They are commonly used where precise grease or oil delivery and confirmation of system operation are important.
Internal link — Series Progressive Lubrication Systems: https://www.lubrisource.com/lubrication-equipment/series-progressive-systems
Dual-line systems use two alternating main supply lines and are well suited for larger systems with widely dispersed lubrication points, varying lubricant requirements or demanding operating conditions.
They are often used in heavy industrial applications including steel, pulp and paper, mineral processing and other severe environments.
Some applications require something different.
LubriSource also works with technologies including:
The goal is not to sell a particular type of lubrication system. The goal is to determine which approach best fits your equipment and operating requirements.
A good design still depends on proper installation.
LubriSource can support the complete process from initial application review through system installation, startup and ongoing maintenance.
We start by understanding the equipment, lubrication points, current lubrication practices, operating environment and reliability objectives. For an existing system, this may also include identifying problems such as failed components, damaged lines, improper lubricant quantities, pressure issues or difficult-to-maintain system layouts.
Lubrication points are evaluated to determine the appropriate lubricant quantity, frequency and delivery method. The objective is to prevent both under-lubrication and over-lubrication while delivering lubricant consistently to critical components.
Based on the application, we determine whether a single-line, series progressive, dual-line, spray, circulating oil or other lubrication technology is most appropriate.
The system is designed around the application, including pumps, reservoirs, metering devices, divider valves or injectors, tubing, fittings, controls, sensors and monitoring devices. Component location and line routing are considered as part of the overall system—not as an afterthought during installation.
Our installation team can install tubing, components, pumps, controls and other system elements while coordinating work around production requirements and available shutdown windows.
An automatic lubrication system should not simply be turned on and assumed to be working. The system needs to be filled, purged and checked so that lubricant delivery, system pressure, cycling and monitoring devices can be verified.
Lubrication systems require inspection and maintenance just like the equipment they protect. LubriSource can provide troubleshooting, repairs, system modifications, preventative maintenance, shutdown support and ongoing lubrication system service.
Lubrication System Maintenance & Installation Services
You do not always need to start over.
If an existing lubrication system is unreliable, difficult to maintain or no longer matches the equipment it serves, the problem may be the system design, components, settings, installation—or a combination of all four.
LubriSource can evaluate existing centralized lubrication systems and recommend whether they should be:
A system review can also identify issues such as damaged or leaking lines, blocked lubrication points, failed injectors or divider valves, improper settings, inaccessible components, insufficient monitoring and components that are no longer supported.
A lubrication system in a food-production environment may need to withstand repeated washdowns, meet specific equipment requirements and be installed within a very limited production window.
In one LubriSource application, the existing lubrication system was redesigned from the bearing information up. Lubricant amounts were sized for the individual bearings, and components were selected for the washdown environment.
Automated equipment can create lubrication challenges that cannot be solved with a standard grease fitting.
For a robotic application involving bull gears, LubriSource developed a spray-grease system that allowed the spray duration and frequency to be fine-tuned for the application.
Large, hot, dirty and demanding industrial environments can require high-pressure systems, long distribution lines, numerous lubrication points and components designed to operate reliably under severe conditions.
LubriSource works with single-line, progressive and dual-line technologies as well as the ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting required to keep those systems operating.
When the application is right and the system is properly designed, installed and maintained, automatic lubrication can help:
The objective is not simply to automate lubrication.
It is to make lubrication more precise, more reliable, easier to maintain and better suited to your operation.
LubriSource designs, installs and supports industrial lubrication systems for applications throughout:
Whether you're just beginning to investigate automatic lubrication systems, or you need to upgrade your current system, LubriSource can assist you every step of the way.
