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How to grease industrial robots

Industrial robots are extremely good for manufacturing companies, as they improve efficiency and carry out tough tasks. This is why it is so important to properly maintain them. One of the most important parts of looking after an industrial robot is ensuring that it is properly greased at all times.

As time passes, oil and grease begin to degrade; their viscosity drops and with it, so does the effectiveness of your industrial robot. Just as you would not dream of allowing your car to run on the same oil for a couple of years at a time, you should not let your robot operate with the same grease for a couple of years at a time, unless you are prepared for it to breakdown

How to grease your industrial robot

You should think about greasing your industrial robot when it has been in operation for between 500-700 hours. This is because the robot’s grease will begin to degrade after this point, making it less flexible and less able to perform its duties.

However, if you use your industrial robot on a daily basis, you should be inspecting its grease on a monthly basis, checking its colour and consistency to ensure that it is always maintained in good condition.

Preparation

If you deem that your robot needs to be greased, you should first read the manual to find out which types of grease are best for the equipment. This is a vital step because the different joints that make up the robot will all require different greases, so you cannot simply use one type and expect things to run smoothly. What’s more, using the wrong grease could invalidate any warranty you may have.

Make it move

Once you have purchased the correct grease, you will need to turn your robot on and let it move around. This will soften the grease already in the system, so it is easier to remove.

Next, take out the in and out plugs for the axes and let the robot move some more as this will banish dirty old grease to the bottom and let the new grease circulate around the joints. Once all the old grease is cleared away, place a bit of grease over the joint. If a bubble forms, you know you have the right place, and can add the new grease. Replace the plugs and you’re done.

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