Straalbedrijf Boxtel switches to automatic lubrication

Straalbedrijf Boxtel, specialised in blasting and coating metal parts, particularly hydraulic cylinders for the offshore sector, boasts 35 years of knowledge and experience. With the growth of the company came the need for more efficient lubrication maintenance. After an initial trial with the Interflon Oil Dispenser, the company has now installed approximately 160 Single Point Lubricators. These systems automatically provide the correct amount of grease, reducing maintenance to the annual replacement of the lubricant cartridges.

Blasting and coating are inextricably linked. Blasting prepares metal surfaces in such a way that the coating in the next step of the process adheres optimally and provides long-lasting protection. Straalbedrijf Boxtel, founded in 1987 and grown to a company with fifty employees, has earned a special place in this industry thanks to its knowledge and experience.

Partnership drives efficiency

As the company grew, so did the lubrication maintenance of the bearings, transport wheels, switches, and chains within the company. Bart van den Heuvel, head of Technical Services and responsible for the machinery, noticed that manually lubricating these bearings every three months became unfeasible due to workload and a shortage of skilled personnel. Poor or no maintenance would inevitably lead to breakdowns, a risk the company could not take.

The collaboration with Interflon began with a request for heat-resistant lubricants for bearings in a conveyor leading into the coating oven. Besides a product recommendation, this also led to advice on preventive maintenance and efficiency improvements. Bart van den Heuvel: "With the excellent advice on the heat-resistant oil, Interflon gained our trust. This resulted in an intensive collaboration."

A shift to automatic lubrication

After a joint company tour, it quickly became clear that semi-automatic lubrication was the solution. The introduction of the Interflon Oil Dispenser, which uses compressed air to deliver and atomize lubricant at the lubrication point, was a significant improvement. This system, controllable via a PLC or switch, eliminated the need for manual lubrication with an aerosol for which the system had to be shut down, and increased employee safety.

Additionally, Interflon saw a solution for the many other lubrication points in the company. An analysis made with the Technical Service showed that lubrication activities took 120 hours annually. By installing a single-point lubrication system at each lubrication point, these hours were almost completely eliminated. Interflon's MicPol® technology extends the lifespan of lubricants by a factor of 3 to 4. For Straalbedrijf Boxtel, this means that the content of one lubricator is sufficient to lubricate one point for a whole year.

Significant improvements and a bright future

Bart van den Heuvel: "I have now installed 160 Single Point Lubricators, and another 40 will follow. Ultimately, this leads to a significant reduction in the number of required maintenance hours for Straalbedrijf Boxtel, so we can manage well with the current maintenance staff. More importantly, we are sure that the lubrication points are provided with the right amount of the correct lubricant on time. This significantly reduces the risk of breakdowns or downtime, increasing the availability of our installations. Quite important for our busy company!"