Graphics2u
New Member
Any one know what type of grease should be used on the rail that the carriage rolls on? It has some on it when new but it is wearing off and collecting dirt.
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Grease on Mutoh??
- Thread starter Graphics2u
- Start date
Checkers
New Member
I would check the owners manual before you put anything on it. Most, if not all, of the printers and plotters I've worked on didn't need anything other than a clean surface.
Some lubricants, like grease or oil can do more harm than good, and spraying silicon anywhere near substrates can be a disaster! Just ask anyone who's worked in a paint shop.
Checkers
Some lubricants, like grease or oil can do more harm than good, and spraying silicon anywhere near substrates can be a disaster! Just ask anyone who's worked in a paint shop.
Checkers
Compilla
New Member
I have worked on this machines for over 3 years and I always use silicon grase never had an issue,
:Welcome:
Graphics2u
New Member
When new it had some sort of light colored grease on the rail the printheads roll on. That has gradually disappeared with cleaning and other maintenance. Now it sounds louder when it is printing and I just didn't want to wear any parts out. I have a maintenance manual and haven't found anything yet. It might be there just can't locate it.
Thanks for the input.
Most of the printers use square linear rail like Hiwin, THK and similar. Most if not all the information above is not correct.
Basically to understand how the rails have to be lubricated is RTFM.
Here is a link to a Hiwin lubrication manual
IIn short - Never use WD40, Lubricants containing MoS2 or graphite must not be used.
Rails could be oil or grease lubricated and probably most printers will use grease, as oil usually is used in a CNC machine where speeds matter and there is an oil feeding system. Once the carriage is loaded with grease, it would take quite long time to need again grease. In fact i know of some printers that probably have carriages with additional lubrication as per manual it says never to be lubricated.
The manual says:
"Grease lubrication . For grease lubrication, we recommend greases in accordance with DIN 51825 of consistency class NLGI 2 as specified by DIN 51818. For normal loads, standard greases with the designation " – K1K“ are sufficient"
In other words any normal lithium grease not loaded with particles will be alright
If you don't have a grease gun and don't know how to do it, use a sponge and from time to time grease VERY LIGHTLY the rails. Carriages have lips similar to head cleaning vipers so all excessive grease will be wiped and eventually fall on top of the print, that's why no excess is good.
That's it. And if you have time to fiddle and read the Hiwin manual, then FYI the printer applications are probably Low Speed and Very Light Preload, so you figure from there what is needed.
Hope that clears once and for all the rails lubrication.
Basically to understand how the rails have to be lubricated is RTFM.
Here is a link to a Hiwin lubrication manual
IIn short - Never use WD40, Lubricants containing MoS2 or graphite must not be used.
Rails could be oil or grease lubricated and probably most printers will use grease, as oil usually is used in a CNC machine where speeds matter and there is an oil feeding system. Once the carriage is loaded with grease, it would take quite long time to need again grease. In fact i know of some printers that probably have carriages with additional lubrication as per manual it says never to be lubricated.
The manual says:
"Grease lubrication . For grease lubrication, we recommend greases in accordance with DIN 51825 of consistency class NLGI 2 as specified by DIN 51818. For normal loads, standard greases with the designation " – K1K“ are sufficient"
In other words any normal lithium grease not loaded with particles will be alright
If you don't have a grease gun and don't know how to do it, use a sponge and from time to time grease VERY LIGHTLY the rails. Carriages have lips similar to head cleaning vipers so all excessive grease will be wiped and eventually fall on top of the print, that's why no excess is good.
That's it. And if you have time to fiddle and read the Hiwin manual, then FYI the printer applications are probably Low Speed and Very Light Preload, so you figure from there what is needed.
Hope that clears once and for all the rails lubrication.
Johnny Best
Active Member
K-Y jelly on the rails of my Mutoh and it loves me for that.
FatCat
New Member
Mutoh states that a monthly PM is considered normal maintenance on any VJ printer. Anyone who owns a VJ printer should do this if you want your printer to continue printing the way it should. We clean all the grease from the rails using a rag or cloth with a little bit of alchol on it. Then re-apply Mutoh white grease to the rails - just a light coating - you really don't want to see white, work it in and then manually run the carriage back and forth.
NOTE: In the winter when it's colder, I switch to 3-in-1 oil or a fishing reel type oil because in our shop it tends to stay colder due to the block walls and concrete floor.
NOTE: In the winter when it's colder, I switch to 3-in-1 oil or a fishing reel type oil because in our shop it tends to stay colder due to the block walls and concrete floor.
Solventinkjet
DIY Printer Fixing Guide
I've used Super Lube brand synthetic grease for over 10 years in the field. No issues. Make sure to clean the rail with alcohol before applying the grease and make sure it's a very thin layer. You don't want grease splattering all over the encoder strip.