Chain Lubrication for Farm Machinery

Chains are a vital transmission element when it comes to agricultural & forestry machinery. In order for them to perform to their maximum efficiency and last for longer, they must be maintained carefully. Automated lubrication systems, such as the ones provided by SKF, will provide driving chains with the optimum level of lubrication. The costs of chain failure are high and this will often be the result of insufficient lubrication. Whilst you can apply lubricant manually, this carries a risk and can result in early, premature wear and can ultimately hinder the chain’s operation.

SKF have developed and produced three different systems which can be using depending on the design of the farm machine. These are hydraulic, pneumatic and mechanically operated oil lubrication pumps.SKF have this to say about their range.

All SKF systems have high operational reliability in common, even under extreme operation conditions and harsh ambient conditions. The mature designs, compact forms, materials used and the precision manufacture of the systems bear the signature of a company with more than 80 years of experience in the field of lubrication.

SKF’s chain lubrication system utilizes a machine’s hydraulic system to build up the correct level of pump pressure for lubrication. Because the system is automated, it will relubricate the driving chains of farm machinery on a periodic basis. Optional screw-in restrictors are employed to ensure that the lubricant is divided correctly and can be used to regulate the flow rate.

There are also lubricating brushes and these enable the lubricant to be applied on an equal basis across the whole roller width. These brushes sit at the end of pipes, fed through from the chain. When the chain drive is switched off, the main metering piston, working on a spring load is pushed back to its original position.All of this enables the metering chamber to be prefilled with oil once more and everything is in place for the next metering stroke.

The advantages of automated SKF chain lubrication systems are as follows:

The systems provide no unnecessary environment pollution; exact adherence to lubrication intervals; exact metering of lubricant; extension of chain service life; increase in operational reliability and wear resistance; reduction in risk of failure and is a system that pays for itself with efficient resource handling.

As an official SKF authorised distributor, Acorn holds a vast range of SKF products in stock, including chain lubrication pumps. Acorn offer same day dispatch on thousand of SKF bearings, power transmission products, linear systems and maintenance equipment.