How to Pump Grease with a Cordless Screwdriver
It’s not often we come across a new idea for a maintenance-related product; they’re usually existing product upgrades with additional features. But Lutz Pumpen out of Wertheim, Germany, has come up with something called the Lutz Lube Drive to simplify the greasing process.
“Although operators know the benefits of regular maintenance, centralized lubrication systems can still be filled improperly, which leads to unexpected and costly failures," says Andreas Rössler, sales manager at Lutz Pumpen.
Learn how grease affects ownership costs
There is also the laziness factor when it comes to greasing. I wish I had a dollar for every OEM product manager who’s told me, “The easier a machine is to maintain, the more likely the maintenance will be done.”
According to Rössler, one of the reasons why lubrication is an unpleasant task is that the technical aids to make it more convenient are often missing.
For example, he says it is still common practice to fill grease from above with a spatula, hand pumps, or pneumatic pumps from containers into centralized lubrication systems.
“Filling this by hand is a laborious undertaking, and pneumatic connections are usually not available and very bulky,” Rössler says.
The Lutz Lube Drive is an eccentric screw pump tube that can be driven by a cordless screwdriver.
"This makes pumping grease much more relaxed, without the user having to transport a system with a heavy and expensive pneumatic motor,” Rössler says.
How it works
Place the eccentric screw pump tube, which is made of steel, in a container with a capacity of 10 to 60 kg of grease. Then place a cordless screwdriver with bit holder on the pump tube and start pumping.
The cordless screwdriver drives a metal rotor that feeds the grease evenly and gently from the container, through a hose, and into the central lubrication system. The delivery volume is up to 2 kg/min.
Lutz says the system is suitable for all commercially available greases up to NLGI-2.
About the Author
Frank Raczon
Raczon’s writing career spans nearly 25 years, including magazine publishing and public relations work with some of the industry’s major equipment manufacturers. He has won numerous awards in his career, including nods from the Construction Writers Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and BtoB magazine. He is responsible for the magazine's Buying Files.