Preventive Lubrication for Swiss-Type Lathes – Keep Precision and Longevity Always Online

The purpose is to keep all key friction pairs—guideways, ball screws, spindles and tool turrets—under a continuous, intact oil film through proactive, measured and timed lubrication. This prevents fretting, corrosion and overheating, avoiding the gradual loss of accuracy and unexpected stoppages that hidden damage can cause.

Lubrication Points and Methods
• Guideways and ball screws – automatic or manual replenishment of lithium-based grease or dedicated slideway oil on a fixed schedule; run the axes slowly after application to spread the film evenly.
• Spindle system – use circulating oil at lower speeds and micro-mist or MQL at higher speeds, replacing the fluid according to a calendar or condition-based interval.
• Tool turret and live-tool units – service the gear box with appropriate gear oil and inject long-life synthetic grease into live-tool bearings at predefined intervals.
• Hydraulics and workholding – keep the hydraulic fluid clean and sealed, and apply a thin film of silicone grease to cylinder seals to prevent dry running.

Lubricant Selection
Choose lithium EP grease for slideways, low-foaming synthetic spindle oil for the main spindle, and compatible cutting fluids that double as corrosion inhibitors for the machine’s exposed surfaces.

Implementation and Monitoring
Create a visible lubrication chart listing every point, lubricant type, interval and responsible person. Add sensors to detect low oil pressure or flow and feed alerts to the maintenance system. Take periodic oil samples for analysis to spot abnormal wear particles before damage spreads.

In short, integrating “timed, measured and qualified” preventive lubrication into daily routines keeps the lathe locked at micron-level accuracy and drives unexpected failures to near zero.