Progressive and piston pumps for a wide range of applications
Progressive central lubrication systems serve the progressive distribution of lubricant to several lubrication points. Such systems essentially consist of a central pump as well as main and secondary metering devices for targeted metering and allocation of the lubricant to different lubrication points.
The areas of application for progressive lubrication systems are diverse and range from printing presses to industrial presses and construction machinery to wind turbines and mobile machines. Progressive pumps are also used in industrial machine tools to ensure adequate lubrication of moving machine components.
Technical basics for progressive centralized lubrication systems
Progressive lubrication systems generally work with a central piston pump, which initially delivers the lubricant to a main metering device. Pumps such as the models in the KFG and KFA series are suitable, for example, for lubrication with greases of NLGI classes 000 to 2 and deliver up to 5.0 cm³ of lubricant per minute at an operating pressure of up to 300 bar.
The main metering device has the task of dividing the volume flow in a predetermined ratio and forwarding it to the secondary metering devices. With the help of a follower piston control, they are able to progressively feed the lubricant to the assigned lubrication points. The piston pump can be controlled by an electronic control unit to define break and lubrication times.
Advantages of systems with progressive pumps
Central lubrication systems have various advantages compared to other systems. Even in the planning phase, the user benefits from the fact that the selection and dimensioning of the system components is relatively simple. The number and size of the points to be lubricated must be observed. The type of lubricant also plays a role. Building and assembling a centralized lubrication system is not a big challenge thanks to the clear structure. The system can usually be modified accordingly, even if the lubrication points are subsequently expanded or reduced.
Another major advantage of progressive lubrication systems is the economical supply of many consuming end units with just one pump. The inevitably progressive distribution of the lubricant by means of a piston pump ensures that energy consumption is kept low. The follower piston control is particularly easy to monitor using a pressure relief valve.
Pumps from the KFA and KFG series
The pumps in the two series are predestined for use in central lubrication systems and deliver volumes in a wide range from 0.8 to 5.0 cm³.
The KFG variant is suitable for greases up to NLGI class 2 and works with a maximum flow pressure of 700 mbar. Depending on the pump element, 0.8 to 5.0 cm³ of lubricant can be distributed to the intended lubrication points per minute. The pumps in this series can supply up to 100 lubrication points progressively and reach a maximum back pressure of 300 bar. Classic fields of application include vehicles and construction machinery.
The KFA series is also suitable for greases of NLGI classes 000 to 2 and pumps lubricants in a range from 1.0 to 2.0 cm³. The decisive advantage of the model series is the compact design, thanks to which the pumps are ideally suited for confined installation spaces.
