Queensland cane farmer John Muscat no longer needs to worry about machine lubrication thanks to an automated setup from JSG Industrial Systems
Ensuring every point of a machine is properly greased is a vital part of daily maintenance for many agricultural contractors.
It is not an especially glamorous task but both the reliability benefits of doing it correctly and the consequences of not doing so can be significant.
This means incorporating proper machinery lubrication into processes can easily be overlooked.
But North Queensland sugar cane farmer and contractor John Muscat has found an easy solution – in the form of a Lincoln Quicklub system from JSG Industrial Systems.
This automated system means the lubrication of Muscat’s harvester takes care of itself, resulting in both reduced maintenance at the end of a long working day, and a much more cost-effective and simpler regular machine service.
Muscat estimates he puts about 1,200 hours per year on the harvester, and when the time came to invest in a new machine – it was also time to invest in its longevity.
“This is the first machine I have bought with a greasing system on it,” Muscat says.
“We decided to go with the Lincoln system, and very happy that we did.
“I know that through the day while the machine is working, all the points that need grease are being greased at the right time.
“We spend 10 to 12 hours a day in the machine and at the end of the day servicing is so much quicker.”
Muscat bought his new system through JSG Industrial Systems and dealt with Emmanuel Sasi throughout the process, including regular check-ins after the purchase.
It was on Sasi’s suggestion that Muscat opted for an automatic system, which was a concept the cane farmer only had “some idea about” before receiving some demonstration kits.
Seeing it in action prompted Muscat’s move from manual to automatic lubrication – and JSG was able to provide something perfectly suited to his needs.
“It is a 100 per cent customised and highly engineered product,” Sasi says.
“Depending on the machines and the models, we modify options for each customer. “Customer preference is the main thing – they are the one paying the money, and every farmer has knowledge about their machines and which areas they want to concentrate on.”
Sasi says Muscat is a good case study in the benefits of properly lubricating expensive machinery.
“Often operators are very tired at the end of a shift, and they can sometimes defer their greasing for the next day,” he says.
“At the end of the season they incur significant costs to change all the bushes and bearings.
“John saved lots of time every day with the automatic system and after the season, one year later, they went for a service and it showed most of the bushes and bearings are in a perfect condition with no need to change them.”
Beyond the problems associated with not greasing machinery, Sasi says that manual greasing can result in overgreasing, which creates its own issues.
“Some people overgrease until they see the grease come through the cavities,” he says.
“They keep greasing until it is packed with the grease, and when it runs for a couple of hours it can overheat and damage bearings.
“This greasing system is giving a precise volume of grease at a timely interval.”
Another important aspect of Muscat’s new system is the way it has been installed.
It is “tucked out of the way”, he says, which also means there is no risk of cane rubbing against the side of his harvester and potentially knocking the Lincoln system off.
This is one of the many reasons why he is happy with the decision to purchase an automatic system – and is considering adding similar systems to other farm machinery.
“I’m very happy with how the guys installed everything. It’s very neat, very professional,” he says.
“There was no welding carried out at all on the machine. It was just a few holes were drilled and tapped.
“I haven’t had a fault so far and I’m happy we went ahead and made the investment.
“We’ve got a few more implements and tractors on our farm that we might go ahead and do as well, just for peace of mind. It’s something that would be worth looking at if you’re deciding to make large investments on machinery, just to make sure everything is lubricated and greased at the right time.”
To find out more about the Lincoln Quicklub system and JSG Industrial Systems’ entire range of lubrication solutions, visit www.jsgindustrial.com