Reliable Lubrication Solution for Wire Rod Mill in Steel Plants

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Suppose we reference the current trend of lubricants & Keeping in mind the increased cost of operation, depressed price realization and immense market competition; every customer demands enhanced equipment life and operational efficiency, lower downtime and reduced overall cost. Therefore, we want to take an opportunity by sharing our experience of the current technological developments and global trend in lubrication that significantly enhances performance and reduces operational costs of the equipment.

Before moving ahead, we should know that greases are Non-Newtonian fluids with high viscosities at low shear rates and low viscosities at high shear rates.

Application: – Wire Rod Mill Rolls Bearing Lubrication

A wire rod mill (WRM) objective is to reheat and roll steel billets into wire rods. The production of wire rods in wire rod mills is subject to constant change. The growing demands on the quality of the wire rods and the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of the wire rod mills have necessitated the development of new and innovative technologies and processes. Modern wire rod mills are high-speed mills capable of rolling smaller dimensions at high production rates while at the same time keeping investments and operating costs at reasonable levels. The mills can roll at speeds ranging from 17 meters per second to 120 meters per second. Typical product sizes are within the 5.0 mm to 20 mm range. The range of materials comprises low to high carbon steels, cold heading steels, wire drawing steels, alloy steels, spring steels, ball bearing steels, electrode quality steels, reinforcement bars and tool steels.

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Application Criticalities for Rolling Mill Rolls Bearing Lubrication:

  • Speed is high. Approx. 17 Meters per sec.
  • The ambiance is a highly moisturized and corrosive atmosphere with high chances of oxidation.
  • Load is high in the initial stage.
  • The temperature is high.

Basis of grease selection for Wire Rod Mill Rolls Bearing Lubrication

Grease should have high base oil viscosity used in WRM Rolls Bearing Lubrication

Kinematic viscosity of the base oil should be approx. 400mm²/sec at 40°C. Variations of base oil viscosity can be selected for better performance.

Grease Thickner for Wire Rod Mill Rolls Bearing Lubrication

Grease should be made with Mineral oil with Lithium Calcium soap / Lithium Complex thickener. There are multiple reasons to select Lithium & calcium as grease thickeners for WRM Rolls Bearing Lubrication. First, Lithium improves load carrying capacity & calcium helps excellent water washout properties. If you want to know more about different types of grease thickeners & their characteristics, you should go through the article Lubricating Oils Vs. Lubricating Greases | What to Choose & Why?

Grease should withstand high temp for WRM Bearing Lubrication

The grease should withstand approx 150°C. Means grease service temp should be approx 150°C (More is Better).

Better Flow ability better the result

The Flowability of grease inside the bearing should be good. Normally in this type of application, you can select NLGI grade 1 or 1.5 for better results.

High Thermal Stability

The grease thermal stability should be high with a min 180°C drop point.

High Load Carrying Capacity

Grease should have an Excellent load-carrying capacity with more than 2500N.

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Good Water Resistance with anti-wear properties

Grease should have good water resistance & anti-wear properties. Also should have good resistance to water washout and spray off.

Anti corrosion properties

It will be very good if the grease has Excellent anti-corrosion properties.

Conclusions on Reliable Lubrication Solution for Wire Rod Mill in Steel Plants

Before choosing any lubricants for your application, there are no such limits there that you have to select specific lubricants for your application. Otherwise, your machine will be a breakdown. In many plants, EP2 greases are also used in wire rod mill bearing lubrication. Still, you can opt for specialty lubricants if you want to reduce premature bearing failure and increase production rate with low application breakdown due to low-quality lubricant. Every lubricant has its capability. You have to select lubricant as per application requirements.

Hope you have liked our article. If we can add value to your lubrication knowledge, you can share our article with your friends & colleagues to get more information about Lubricants & Tribology.

You can also read below articles for more information

Reliable Lubrication Solution for Caster Application in Steel Making Plants

Reliable Lubrication Solution for Rolling Mills (Metal Working) in Steel Plants

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