Industrial gearboxes can have problems for various reasons, but the causes and roots of many gearbox problems can be summarized in 5 cases. In the following, we will examine the 5 main causes of industrial gearbox failure, their symptoms and solutions; Diagnosing industrial gearboxes and investigating the causes of these problems may not seem so important and serious, but if they are not checked in time, it will cause the entire gearbox and related devices to fail.
1) Misalignment of the industrial gearbox.
If the axes of the gearbox are not aligned correctly, it causes the misalignment of the industrial gearbox and friction and tension. Increases gears and bearings. Inconsistency or misalignment has an effect on the performance and longevity of the gearbox, and its causes are:
Incorrect installation: Improper installation of the gearbox and its screws not being tight leads to the misalignment of the industrial gearbox.
Abrasion of bearings: Over time, bearings and other components of the gearbox become worn and misaligned; The reason for this may be due to the natural wear of the bearings or due to excessive load on the device.
Thermal expansion: Temperature changes can cause the expansion or contraction of gearbox components, resulting in their misalignment. This factor usually occurs when the transmission is used at temperatures outside the standard range.
For more information about the wear of the gears and bearings of the gearbox, read the article on the wear of the gears of the industrial gearbox. The symptoms of industrial gearbox misalignment are:
shaking
Noise
Excessive heat
To fix the inconsistency of the industrial gearbox, various solutions can be implemented, some of which are:
Realignment of axes by means of precision laser leveling tools
Replacing worn parts such as bearings and gears
Correct installation of the gearbox
Upgrade the gearbox to withstand more loads and wider temperature changes
2) Improper lubrication of the industrial gearbox
Incorrect lubrication and lubrication of the industrial gearbox can cause significant damage to the gearbox and its parts. To lubricate the industrial gearbox, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. The causes of this problem include: Low oil level or incorrect lubrication Using contaminated and dirty lubricant Improper maintenance of the gearbox; Inspecting parts and changing oil periodically and regularly Improper lubrication of the industrial gearbox has various symptoms; Including: excessive noise; Similar to a whining, grinding, or clicking sound shaking Excessive heat The following solutions can be used to fix improper lubrication of the industrial gearbox: Adding oil or changing the lubricant Use of higher quality lubricants Regular maintenance
3) Problems of industrial gearbox bearings
Bearings play a very important role in industrial gearboxes and are responsible for supporting rotating axes; Therefore, if there is a problem in their work, significant damage will be done to the gearbox. Among the main causes of industrial gearbox bearing problems, the following can be mentioned:
Lack of proper lubrication
Overload
Gearbox misalignment
Improper maintenance
Symptoms of industrial gearbox bearing problems are not similar to other cases and include the following:
excessive noise; Similar to a scratching or whining sound
shaking
Excessive heat
To increase the useful life of your gearbox, follow the solutions provided in the article on increasing the lifespan of industrial gearboxes. Some of the solutions that are used to solve the problems of industrial gearbox bearings are:
Replace the bearings
Improved lubrication
Rearranging the shafts and aligning the gearbox
4) Overheating of industrial gearboxes
Another common problem in troubleshooting industrial gearboxes is their overheating, which causes increased friction and sometimes the alignment It disturbs the components of the gearbox. The cause of industrial gearbox heating is:
Overload
Insufficient or incorrect lubrication
Improper ventilation and unresponsive cooling fan
High temperature of the working environment
Among the signs of overheating of the industrial gearbox, the following can be mentioned:
Overheating of the gearbox and other equipment
excessive noise; such as scratching or whining
shaking
And to solve this problem, the following solutions can be implemented:
Troubleshooting and strengthening the cooling fan
Load adjustment
Improved lubrication
5) Excessive vibration of industrial gearboxes
Gearboxes, like electric motors, vibrate to some extent during operation, but if their vibration increases significantly, It is a sign of device failure and the industrial gearbox must be diagnosed. Among the causes of this problem, the following can be mentioned:
Gearbox misalignment
heavy load
Wear parts
The solutions that can be done to eliminate the excessive vibration of the industrial gearbox are:
Reset axes
load balancing
Replacement of worn or damaged parts
Gearbox upgrade