What is a servo press?

A servo press uses servo motors for precise force and position control during forming operations.

How do I calculate servo press tonnage?

Use our free tonnage calculator at servopress.club/tonnage-calculator.html

Servo Press Lubrication System Maintenance: Centralized vs Manual

admin

Lubrication is the single most important factor in servo press longevity. A well-maintained lubrication system can extend gib and bearing life by 3-5x compared to inadequate lubrication.

## Centralized Lubrication Systems

Most modern servo presses use centralized lubrication (CL) systems that automatically deliver oil to all lubrication points on a timed cycle.

**System components:**
- Reservoir (typically 2-5L capacity)
- Pump (electric or press-driven)
- Distribution manifold
- Metering units (one per lubrication point)
- Pressure switch (confirms delivery)

**Maintenance schedule:**
- Daily: check oil level in reservoir, verify pump cycles during press operation
- Weekly: check pressure switch function —press should fault if lube pressure not reached
- Monthly: inspect all lube lines for kinks or leaks
- Annually: clean reservoir, replace filter, check metering unit output volumes

## Common Lubrication Faults

**Lube pressure alarm (most common):**
1. Check oil level —low level is the #1 cause
2. Check pump operation —listen for pump cycling sound
3. Check pressure switch setpoint —typically 0.3-0.5 MPa
4. Inspect distribution lines for blockage

**Gib wear despite adequate lube:**
- Check metering unit output —use graduated cylinder to measure actual delivery
- Verify lube point locations match press manual —some presses have hidden lube points
- Check oil viscosity —wrong viscosity oil will not flow through metering units

## Oil Specification

Most servo press manufacturers specify:
- Gib and slide ways: ISO VG 68 or VG 100 way oil (with anti-stick additives)
- Gearbox (if present): ISO VG 220 gear oil
- Bearings: NLGI 2 lithium grease (for grease-lubricated bearings)

**Never mix oil types** —way oil and gear oil have different additive packages that can react.

raj_maintenance

Centralized wins every time for production presses. Manual lubrication depends on the operator remembering to do it —and they forget. We tracked manual lube compliance before switching to centralized: operators hit about 70% of the scheduled lube points. The other 30% were slowly destroying bearings. Centralized system paid for itself in 8 months.

carlos_stamping

The ROI on centralized lubrication: system cost $4,500 installed. Annual savings: $2,200 in reduced bearing replacements + $1,800 in reduced operator time (no more manual greasing) + $3,000 in avoided unplanned downtime. Payback: 8 months. One of the best investments we've made.