Abstract
Among various machines and equipments included in the iron and steel industry, rolling mills and their accessories are most difficult and hence progressive in the view point of lubrication. Therefore hereby statements are made upon this field of industry mainly. In this connection brief review on oil film bearings in strip mills, centralized greasing systems, plastic laminated bearings, gears and gear lubricants are covered as high spots.
As regards lubrication maintenance and control, many of factories had started the committees during the wartime or shortly after the war, to control the consumption of petroleum products which had been hard to obtain. However, as the importance and influence of lubrication has'been recognized., the plant managements are reorganizing the committee to a department dealing with maintenance of machines and equipment along with lubrication. In most progressive plant, lubrication problems are handled by Preventive Maintenance Department.
As the cost paid for purchasing lubricants are so small, the managements often overlook the importance of lubrication. The reports of the Lubrication Conference of The Iron and Steel Institute of Japan, carried in 1950 told us that about 30% average of the troubles happend in steel rolling shops are based upon poor lubrication, thus resulting in enormous loss, if considered repair cost and production loss, heat loss and labor cost by mill shutdown.
