Until about fifteen years ago, a reduction or multiplication gearbox was generally a robust machine, often oversized with a large oil sump.
Nowadays, exasperated production needs alongside profit margins shrinking have meant that even seemingly simple machines need to be completely reshaped to obtain smaller dimensions, higher transmission ratios, and lower lubricant amounts.
A gearbox has become much more stressed than ever before, with very high specific loads and operating temperatures.
The lubricant’s lifespan has generally got shorter, but this does not preserve the gearbox from damage.
Only an oil analysis program that keeps wear metals trend under strict control (by RDE spectrometry), paying special attention to ISO 4406 contamination code and proper lubricant viscosity can protect the gearbox from unexpected breakdowns and allow to optimize lubricant management.