How does a grease gun work?

The grease gun is used in manufacturing factories, automobiles, machinery, etc. It is a commonly used tool in workshops and manufacturing plants. Since it is very useful and handy, it would be better to know how it works, it’s elements, and other applications. Multiple kinds of grease guns are used in most of the supervision divisions which is heading towards improper output measurement. Let us discuss measuring the output to ensure that the grease output is measured correctly. Let’s also discuss the components, the general disorder in a grease gun, the warnings of faulty greasing volume, etc. This article “How does a grease gun work?” will also highlight the best techniques or methods to use a grease gun tool.

The different kinds of Grease Guns

There are basically three different kinds of grease guns which can be categorized as: by Air, by Hand tool and Electricity. The manual or hand-powered grease gun can be designed with a pistol grip or a lever. The power advantages of these different kinds of grease guns depend on the appliance in which it is used, the personal choice of lubrication mechanics. Another important factor is the consideration for how the grease must be loaded if it is by cartridge, bulk, or suction fill.

Manual (Lever) – It is an ordinary kind of grease gun that can supply around 1.28 grams of grease for each pump. The grease is forced through an opening by using the hand pump.

Manual (Pistol Grip) – This grease gun permits you to make use of a very common one-handed pumping technique. 0.86 grams per pump is provided in this Manual or Pistol Grip.

Pneumatic (Pistol Grip)- This makes use of the air-filled gun by a hose. With the use of each trigger, a positive change is being activated.

Battery (Pistol Grip) – This works basically for the pneumatic grease guns amount. It supports low voltage and has the benefit of being cordless.

It is notable that the grease is being utilized as a lubricant as it holds into the moving surfaces of the machinery. The oil is not being leaked out in this process. In the grease-lubricated machines, the filling and refilling of grease must be performed in a different way from oil lubricating machinery. That’s the reason why the lubricating mechanics must be aware of the correct method of managing and operating a grease gun.  It enables the durability of the grease gun. If the grease guns are often over greased or under greased, the life of the machinery can be affected. The grease gun comes with the ideal connection adapter like the hydraulic coupler which is usually convenient to use. There are different kinds of the adapter. The 90-degree adapter is best for adjusting in confined places which needs a 90-degree fold. The needle end adapter gives a narrow and exact quantity of grease for packed areas. A three-jaw swivel coupler gives diverse locking positions for various equipment.

The Machine health hazards related to Grease Guns

The manual grease gun which is exposed to high pressure can transmit about two thousand to fifteen thousand psi. If more pressure is applied when greasing, it will cause harm to the bearing seals. Other warnings of increased grease in pressure include damaged bearing seals, broken bearing shields, environmental and safety problems, the grease being pushed into the electronic motor windings, etc. To get rid of the long term health issues for the machinery, continually regreasing is essential. If it is not being regreased frequently or left for too long, it can give rise to problems like lubricant starvation, grease contamination, wear, and tear, etc. When the frequency is very short, it can cause environmental and safety issues along with excessive usage of grease.

The best practices of Grease Guns

• It calculates the exact amount of grease that is required for the lubricating of bearings.
• To flush out the remaining old grease and to lower the risk of pressure on the bearing it will use a duct plug at the relief port.
• Extra care is taken when the grease is being loaded to the grease gun, to make sure that the waste particles do not enter in.
• If cartridges are used be careful when the metal lid is being opened, to ensure no metal slivers are being passed or mixed with the grease.
• Mark the grease gun to ensure how much quantity must be charged. Choose the correct type of grease to charge. Otherwise, it can lead to bearing failure.
• The dispensing nozzle must be clean. Before attaching the dispensing nozzle to the grease fitting, suck a small quantity of grease out from the nozzle and retain the cleanliness.
• Store the grease guns in a cool, clean, and dry area positioning horizontally to avoid the oil pouring out from the grease.

The composition and use of grease gun

• The lever is used in hand pumping the grease taking it out from the barrel and transferring it to the tube or flexible hose.
• The barrel is the outer covering which supplies the grease tube with grease from its bulk storage.
• The trigger and handle functions similar to the lever, by hand pumping the grease from the barrel to the tube or hose.
• The grease cartridge or grease tube is filled with grease that can be refilled if the grease gets consumed.
• The connector of the hydraulic coupler is the connection point that holds the hose or the tube which is fixed at the tip of the grease gun.  
• The injection point for the grease by using the filler pump is the filler nipple.
• After the fresh grease has been filled in the grease gun, the air release nipple will release the built-in air.
• The pressure is being provided to the plunder by the spring.
• When the grease gets over, the plunder will provide constant pressure to the end of the grease tube.  

Final Words:

The above article has provided detailed information about the different kinds of grease gun and how does a grease gun works. The use of a grease gun in various fields and also its correct measuring of input.