The new Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH chain lubricant technology from Klüber Lubrication India is a true-blue example of “Thinking of tomorrow, today”. The solution caters to the needs of a constantly evolving and highly demanding customer base; and it stems from the fact that this innovation helps in creating a more sustainable future. Hitendra Bhargava, CEO & Member – Regional Management Board, Asia Pacific, Klüber Lubrication India, gives detailed insights into the new first-fill chain lubricant Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH – a technological leap in the chain manufacturing process – and its impact on a sustainable tomorrow. Here’s the report from N. Balasubramanian and Sarada Vishnubhatla
Be it a small but high-precision timing chain in the engine, a motorcycle drive chain, or a leaf chain, Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH revolutionizes the entire chain manufacturing process in a cost-effective and sustainable manner.
Being primarily a technology company, Klüber Lubrication, has created this solution as a multi-fold concept to better chain lubrication and improve the production process. The aim is to increase product performance for customers by offering an effective lubricant which protects the chain. The new lubricant gives longevity while improving tightness, since chains tend to elongate due to wear with use over time.
Sustainable impact: Better chain protection, reducing wastage
“One of our customers’ challenges: They were using an application process where lubricant wastage was very high”, explains Hitendra Bhargava. “The chains had to be taken out of the continuous production line and dipped into heated wax bath tanks for the application of the lubricant.” When wax is heated continuously, it evaporates leading to losses which cannot be quantified. On prolonged heating the residual wax in the bath is no longer fit for use, which contributes to further losses. “Over time, the tanks get layered with the wax residue taking up almost 30 percent of its capacity”, says Bhargava. A clearly unsatisfying situation.
“It was a deep understanding of the customer’s process challenges that made us think differently and come up with a solution that not only brings better performance to the chain but also helps the customer to redesign their application process and become more efficient, sustainable and profitable.”
Building efficiency
The new Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH, developed to match the specific needs of our customer, successfully meets these challenges; the product can be sprayed on to the chain links in a continuous production process. Alternatively, the customer has the option to apply it through a cold-dip process. Bhargava is convinced: “The possibility of having a continuous production of the chains makes it a game changing innovation for the chain manufacturing industry.”
Contributing to health and safety of workers
The new lubricant reduces occupational hazards for the workforce. Like most hydrocarbons, waxes emit carcinogenic fumes when heated, which inevitably get inhaled by the workers. Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH requires neither heating nor fuel and hence protects the health and safety of the workers. “This solution also reduces the need for a large workforce, saves electricity for the customer as the entire heating and dipping process can be eliminated”, he summarizes.
Enhanced capacity through automation
The automation process newly implemented with the use of Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH has enabled the customer to set up a fully automated chain assembly and lubrication line, which was not possible earlier. This fully automated process can increase the production capacity significantly and can enhance the productivity and profitability of the chain manufacturer.
Excellent wear and surface protection
What makes Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH exhibit the good adhesion of a wax-like product is the Solid Lube Integrated Base Fluid (SLIBF) Technology used in the product. This technology helps the lubricant to retain a single morphology while providing excellent wear protection, adhesion and load carrying capability.
Klüber Lubrication consistently tests its products several times before releasing them into the market. During extensive testing in the lab and in the field, the product demonstrated excellent reduction in wear resulting in about 15 percent less elongation than the most advanced wax-based lubricants. Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH also exhibited 200 percent better corrosion resistance properties when compared to traditional wax-based products. The chain manufacturer also conducted an aggressive acid resistance test on the lubricated chains, where the product showed more than 20 percent improvement in surface protection when compared to the best wax-based lubricant.
Bhargava comments: “It is a technology for tomorrow and our R&D has built this solution keeping in mind the intangible benefits. This will work towards changing the way the industry looks at the initial lubrication of chains.”
Sustainability: A key responsibility at Klüber Lubrication
The product contributes to the general target of Klüber Lubrication: “Our constant effort is to reduce our footprint and increase our handprint for a sustainable tomorrow”. Hitendra Bhargava explains: “With our footprint-reducing activities, at Klüber Lubrication, we are making a constant effort to reduce material usage, energy consumption, water consumption, wastage and emissions. We are cognizant of the environmental footprint through the entire product cycle, i.e. from sourcing to the end of life of the product. We avoid ‘substances of high concern’ to maintain global standards.” The handprint-improving activities at Klüber Lubrication help our customers achieve their sustainability goals. The specialty lubricants help them reduce raw material consumption, decrease wear and wastage, and increase production with less energy. Very often they also help to improve the H&S conditions – for the benefit of our customers’ employees and the environment.
Around the world, Klüber Lubrication works toward actively contributing to all the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN). Klüber Lubrication India Pvt Ltd also meets other ‘sustainability parameters’. Our manufacturing plant at Mysore has generated more than half of its energy requirement from its own solar power panels over the last few years.
The successful introduction of Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH for chain lubrication adds to the sustainability initiatives taken by the customer to reduce their impact on the environment, in terms of lubricant consumption reduction as well as lower energy consumption. In one particular chain manufacturing plant, about nine wax tanks which consume about 125 kWH/day of electricity for each tank, can now be switched off once the wax is completely replaced by Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH.
Market appearance
The Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH chain lubricant was developed and tested in collaboration with one of India’s largest chain manufacturers.
Says Bhargava about the USP of the technology: “It can withstand extremely harsh environments ensuring wear protection of the chain. And we believe that this is what will give us the market leadership in the chain lubrication business in the coming years.”
Besides this new solution, the company continues to offer conventional wax-based chain lubricants, where it commands a place of pride in both the primary market and the aftermarket.
India – driving Asia Pacific growth
For global automotive companies, the triad of India, Vietnam and Indonesia in Asia Pacific are the three most important countries. India is a highly promising market especially with the central government’s focus on ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’. Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH also has a potential market in countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia, where the 2-wheeler market segment is huge.
Bhargava concludes: “There are multiple things that are at work here, in India. With the government planning to scrap old vehicles to clean up the environment and also coming up with relevant policies, India is primed to become a global hub for automobiles. With our new solution Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH we want to contribute to India’s growth story in a truly sustainable manner.”
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Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH has demonstrated excellent reduction in wear resulting in about 15% less elongation than the most advanced wax-based lubricants. The product also has exhibited 200% better corrosion resistance properties when compared to traditional wax-based products. One particular chain manufacturer has also conducted an aggressive acid resistance test on the lubricated chains, where the product has shown more than 20% improvement in surface protection when compared to the best wax-based lubricant.
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Philosophy: Working for and with the customer
As an industry leader in specialty lubricants, Klüber Lubrication designs its business processes responsibly, keeping them centred on the society and the environment. The philosophy ‘Thinking of tomorrow, today’ has guided the company since its inception. It has not only helped Klüber Lubrication to develop technologically advanced and intelligent solutions but also to think and act responsibly in such a manner that future generations also would have a world similar or better than today. The new Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH technology is a case in point.
Klüber Lubrication is a customer-centric company. “It has always been our endeavor to partner with our customers to develop game-changing technologies for the future,” says Hitendra Bhargava. “The close partnership with our customers and markets helps us predict future trends. Our strong R&D teams are empowered to think out of the box so that our new products provide huge value to the customers and also help them to be more sustainable. It is this deep understanding of the market and the high technological advantage that make us deliver tomorrow’s technologies today.”
“Klüberoil CA 1-320 BH is also the result of such a partnership,” asserts Bhargava. “The customer was looking forward to a first-fill lubricant that gives better wear and corrosion protection.”