Case Study
Pouring oil on the fire smoothes the waves - a chain oil that withstands chain temperatures in hardening furnaces up to 300 °C
A case study on the successful application of high-temperature chain oil RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 in the lubrication of conveyor chains at oven temperatures up to 300 °C at a renowned manufacturer of insulating materials
Key facts
Customer: Leading global manufacturer of glass and mineral wool insulation materials
Industry: Insulation industry
Application: Lubrication of conveyor chains in curing ovens at temperatures up to 300 °C
Location: Germany
Results: In the past, several furnace fires occurred each month due to the lubricant being used. After optimizing the process, the root cause was fully eliminated, and no oil-related furnace fires have occurred since.
Overview
Chains are used in almost every industrial sector. Because they are constantly exposed to friction and various environmental influences, regular lubrication and the use of the right chain oil are essential. Otherwise, chains can wear out more quickly, leading to increased downtime. Particularly high temperatures prevail in industrial furnaces used for the production of insulation materials. The insulation materials are conveyed through curing ovens, where they are exposed to extreme heat. The chains that drive the conveyor belts are also subjected to these high temperatures. This extreme operating environment poses significant challenges for the chain oil as well.
A renowned and globally active manufacturer of insulating materials was faced with the challenge of finding a chain oil that could withstand the extreme temperatures of up to 300 °C, while reducing oil consumption compared to a competitor's product without compromising performance. In this Case Study, we will provide a detailed insight into the challenges the customer faced and demonstrate how our high temperature chain oil RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 was successfully used and also helped to significantly reduce the incidence of furnace fires in the production of insulation materials.
Challenge
In the production of insulation materials, materials such as glass wool are conveyed through curing ovens at high temperatures on so-called slides. The conveyor chains are also exposed to the extreme heat. In addition, the increasing transition to formaldehyde-free binders is forcing the insulation industry to operate curing ovens at even higher temperatures of up to 300 °C. The chain oil, which should protect the chain from wear, must be able to withstand these conditions. Many of the high-temperature chain oils on the market are not designed for these extreme challenges. Our customer was using a chain oil from a competitor that was underperforming. The elevated temperatures caused excessive evaporation losses of the chain oil, resulting in substantially higher oil consumption. Furthermore, the chain oil formed dry varnish-like residues in this extreme heat. This resulted in inadequate lubrication of the chain links and increased chain maintenance requirements.
However, what proved particularly problematic for the customer was the recurring occurrence of fires in the curing ovens. While oven fires are not uncommon in the production of insulation materials, frequent furnace fires lead to significant production downtime, safety risks, and financial losses. All of these factors resulted in reduced efficiency and negatively impacted sustainability. The customer therefore sought an alternative chain oil capable of withstanding the extreme operating conditions in order to reduce oven fires, lower lubricant consumption while maintaining consistent performance, and ultimately improve the efficiency of the entire production process.
Can FUCHS offer a suitable chain oil that can withstand the extraordinary conditions in the production of insulation materials?
“RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 impressed the customer with its long‑lasting, outstanding performance and outperformed the competing product by a wide margin. Going forward, additional trials are planned at the manufacturer’s plants in the Americas region in order to benefit from the advantages of RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 there as well.”
Rainer Hanke, Business Development Manager, FUCHS LUBRICANTS GERMANY GmbH
Solution
RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 - a fully synthetic chain oil for extremely high temperatures up to 300 °C, specially developed for the lubrication of chains in curing ovens or drying ovens in insulation production. The high temperature chain oil RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 brings the following advantages:
- Reduced lubricant consumption and odor nuisance due to minimal evaporation loss
- Extended chain service life thanks to excellent wear protection
- Very good creeping and penetration properties
- Minimizes the risk of lubricant‑related oven fires
- High and long‑lasting flowability
- Low residue formation
- Outstanding ability to dissolve baked‑on oil residues
- Reduced energy consumption due to lower friction
Learn more about RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001
Result
The customer had been using RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 for chain lubrication over an extended period and was impressed by its performance compared to the previously used competitor product.
Since switching to RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001, there have been no oven fires attributable to the chain oil. By preventing oven fires, employees were protected from hazards, and equipment as well as insulation products were safeguarded against potential damage. As a result, the customer achieved significant cost savings while simultaneously improving occupational safety.
In addition, the customer observed that the exceptionally low evaporation tendency of RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 at these extreme temperatures led to a 52% reduction in oil consumption compared with the competitor’s chain oil.
Overall, the implementation of RENOLIN CHAINLUBE HT 7001 delivered significant benefits for the customer, including improved occupational safety, lower operating costs, and more efficient production processes.
