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CASE STUDY: ACORN Gets Limestone Quarry Out of a Sticky Situation

A limestone quarry customer thought it would be plain sailing when supplied with a brand-new excavator fitted with a fully automatic lubrication system. However, they soon found that the system consistently had blockages, starving the lubrication points and causing significant issues.

The manufacturer had advised them that the system was suitable for pumping grease up to NLGI 2 consistency. However, this didn't seem to be the case, and even after approaching the manufacturer, they were still looking for a solution.

Desperate to find a solution, the quarry's engineering manager contacted Craig Tivey, ACORN North's branch manager, hoping he could provide some insight into the situation and suggest a possible solution.

With the help of Bearing Product Manager Andy Fletcher and Lubrication Product Manager Andrew Howard, the ACORN team immediately investigated the issue, keen to find a remedy for the excavator.

After some brainstorming, it was determined that switching the grease consistency from NLGI 2 to NLGI 0 would fix the issue.

SKF LGLS 0 is a semi-fluid chassis grease ideal for this application. It was developed for use in lubrication systems under low to medium temperatures. Andrew Howard knew that this product's anhydrous calcium thickener, combined with a high base oil viscosity, offered excellent water resistance, stickiness to surfaces, and very good anti-wear properties.

Andrew recommended a thorough cleanse and purge of the system, followed by a refill with the SKF LGLS 0 grease. ACORN supplied the grease and hand pump to ensure effortless keg refills for the site engineers.

Before long, the excavator was back up and running, and by using NLGI 0 consistency grease, the quarry is safeguarding against future blockages, securing longer uptimes, efficient running, and significant cost savings.

As an SKF Maintenance Product Partner, the ACORN team is eager to investigate and support customers to supply a long-lasting, cost-saving solution regardless of the issue.