Automatic lubrication system for bottling machine

In the oenological sector, bottling machines are used for the final preparation of bottles before they are placed on the market.

Also in this sector, industrial lubrication plays an important role, and is applied in certain machines ensuring various production advantages.

An example is the recent installation of an automatic lubrication system for the company “Barida International”, a company located in Canelle, in the province of Asti, which produces bottling machines for the oenological sector.

The machine on which the automatic grease lubrication system has been installed is called “Isobaric filling Monobloc”, and it is used for rinse, fill and capping operations.

This bottling machine was developed specifically for the USA market, and has the ability to produce three different capping systems: screw, plastic welding or “stelvin” (screw cap).

It has several moving parts and components which are responsible for the machine’s operation and must be lubricated properly to operate in an efficient way.

In the case of specific applications, the process is reviewed in order to ensure that the requirements of the customer and of the machinery are met.

For this machine, after having evaluated and studied its characteristics, an automatic grease lubrication system has been designed, consisting of a grease pump, a progressive divider, and a sensor mounted directly on the divider.

The progressive system distributes the flow of a grease pump into separate “progressive outlets” by the use of a progressive spool arrangement. The modular concept allows for the quick replacement of an element without interrupting the work cycle.

The presence of the sensor, mounted on the divider, allows to constantly monitor the delivery of lubricant even with the high cycle speeds of the divider.

This type of system has been designed to exploit the benefits of an automatic lubrication system. In fact, the installation has allowed to:

- Eliminate manual intervention

- Provide the correct amount of lubricant to the moving parts of the machine at the most appropriate time.

- Ensure proper lubrication of the bearings and rotation points of the bottling machine.

- Extend the life cycle ensuring efficient operation

- Minimise the risk of unexpected downtime, costs, and maintenance times.