As development partners, Klüber Lubrication Germany and Neugart spent considerable time working on a new lubricating grease for the standard models of the international gearbox manufacturer's Economy Line. Right from the start, both parties found that they were aiming for very similar, ambitious goals: to offer gearbox customers not just a short-term solution, but one with a view to the requirements of the future, i.e. taking into account demands for higher power density and the expected amendments to the Chemicals Regulation REACH. Furthermore, Neugart was determined to use the opportunity of this close cooperation to upgrade the development of its gear oil series in tune with the matching lubrication solution so as to offer customers two-fold added benefit.
While the grease Klüberplex BEM 34-132 previously used by Neugart meets all basic requirements and is in fact still used by Neugart for specific applications, the project partners had set their minds on coming up with a truly superior new development. The set of requirements to be met included better ageing resistance, lower service temperature, high compatibility with the relevant elastomers and higher wear and scuffing protection through the selection of suitable additives.
The sample greases developed by Klüber Lubrication were extensively tested by Neugart. "While the idea of somehow short-cutting theses processes may at times seem appealing, Neugart and Klüber Lubrication were strictly against rushing things more than would do them good. All efforts were focused on the needs and long-term benefit of the end customers. Time and again, this led to an extra round of tests and discussions," recalls Jürgen Gehrig, Sales Area Manager at Klüber Lubrication Deutschland.
Meanwhile, the intensive development work of experts at both companies has been finalised. In a first step early in January 2021, Neugart changed over the planetary gears running at customers in Germany to Klübersynth GE 14-112; pandemic permitting, those in China and the US were to follow in one or two months' time.
More about gearboxes from Neugart: https://www.neugart.com
More about our product: Klübersynth GE 14-112