Page 25: of Marine News Magazine (February 2018)

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COLUMN LUBRICANTS

Maintaining Mission-Critical

Winches, Windlasses and Cranes

The 4 must-have lubrication steps that all operators need to keep gears going.

By Ben Bryant and Steven Brochu

In the marine indus- A-B-C-D G M & RSYSTEM OF EAR AINTENANCE EPAIR try, winches, windlasses Functional reliability and damage-free operation of large and cranes are the work gear drives depend on correct lubrication. That’s because horses of deck and har- they are exposed to highly varied loads and different op- bor operations. They erating conditions during their service life, from their as- can be used to set an- sembly to permanent operation under full load. To ensure chors, position ? oating optimum lubrication at all operational stages and to pro- drill rigs, raise and lower tect the drives from damage right from the start, a system-

Bryant Brochu sensitive scienti? c equip- atic lubrication method can achieve your operational ob- ment, tow a ship, load/unload heavy cargo or even land ? sh. jectives. Each phase of the operation uses a different type

They are as vital to the mission of a vessel or a port as the of lubricant with the letters A–B–C–D denominating the main engine is to a ship. And just like engines, implement- individual steps of the system: ing a proper lubrication plan can lead to improved perfor- A = priming & pre-start lubrication mance, reduced downtime and extended equipment life. B = running-in lubrication

A common component of winches, windlasses and cranes C = operational lubrication are the open gear sets where one or more pinion gears drive D = repair lubrication a large girth gear. Proper alignment of these gears while also maintaining a high contact ratio of the tooth ? anks is criti- Lubricants have been developed for every step; suitable cal to the successful operation of this equipment. not only for the respective operating phase, but also account 25 www.marinelink.com MN