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Longer component life is the main reason to invest in an automatic lubrication system. "The owner is assured that all components are being lubricated," says Drew Cherven, manager, national accounts, Lincoln Industrial. "Daily grease lubrication can, at times, be overlooked when relying on manual point-by-point lubrication with a grease gun or even a lube truck."

With autolube systems, lubricant constantly flows to the bearings. "The machine is lubricated dynamically, while in motion, overcoming loads and allowing grease to protect all wear surfaces," says Cherven. "And that lubrication is applied in small, proportioned amounts, often every hour, replenishing used grease and purging contaminants."

Another benefit is reduced maintenance - both scheduled and unscheduled. "You don't need to spend that time greasing," says Dan Mathews, worldwide product marketing manager - mobile, Graco Inc. "And if you can prevent failures in the first place, you save time and money on unplanned maintenance."

Consider the time it takes to properly grease a piece of equipment every day. "An automatic lubrication system allows 30 to 45 minutes a day of increased productivity," says Cherven.

Normal operations, such as switching buckets, can also be simplified with the use of an autolube system. Since the coupling has been lubricated more frequently, the bucket pins are more easily removed, Mathews points out. Any greased components that need to be replaced are more easily removed, improving repair efficiency.