February 2022 Volume 4

MAINTENANCE

The pump pictured at right is anexample of the type of grease pump that would be used in a forging press lubrication application. This pump is capable of a 75-to-1 ratio. The only external force required to make the pump function is an airline. Normally, the only maintenance required is keeping the unit clean by using a filter or grease strainer on the inlet of the pump and an occasional seal pack replacement. Care must be taken to provide the cleanest possible operational environment. The pump is controlled by a timer to ensure that the correct amount of lubricant is applied to the system. Primary Divider Valves

The system can be monitored for proper operation at the master divider valve by a cycle indicator pin. Within the divider valves are various sized pistons that shift back and forth allocating the correct amount of lubricant to each point on the machine. As the piston shifts back and forth, an indictor pin moves in and out and can be detected by a proximity switch thus, verifying proper operation. Normally, the indicator pin is placed only on the master divider valve, however additional cycle indicators can be placed in secondary blocks and detected by a proximity switch to provide additional points of monitoring. The divider valves are manufactured to very close tolerance, and it is imperative that the grease/oil is filtered, preventing contamination of the lubricant entering the system.

At the heart of modern press lubrication are the divider valves. A Series Flo divider valve is amanifold proportioning device consisting of an inlet and end section. The divider valve is manifolded together with tie rods and nuts. A master divider valve is the first divider downstream from the lubrication pump. A secondary divider valve is any divider valve receiving lubricant from the master divider. The typical system is made up of a series of engineered divider valves that are sized to provide adequate lubrication to the various lubrication points on the press.

Whenever there is damage to a lubrication system line, block, or fitting, it will be necessary to bleed the lubricant and purge air from the system. Following the steps below: 1. Replace the damaged hardware/components. 2. Do not completely tighten the connections at the lubrication point. 3. Remove the performance indicators or indicator port plug from the working valve section on the secondary divider valve assembly corresponding to the outlet port and line connected to a particular lube point. 4. Attach hand pump filled with clean, filtered lubricant to the port on the secondary divider valve that was opened in Step 3. 5. Operate the hand pump until air-free lubricant is observed flowing from the loosened connector at the lube point. 6. Tighten the fitting at the lube point while lubricant is still flowing.

FIA MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2022 21