Mobil Centaur XHP™ 461 heavy-duty grease helps Indiana steel mill improve equipment reliability*

Continuous caster

Steel mill

Indiana, United States

Situation

A steel manufacturer operates continuous casters at its Indiana plant. Lubricated with a lithium complex mill grease, the foot rolls of the mill’s continuous casters were experiencing high temperature bleed and water washout, resulting in frequent locked rolls and regular production delays. In an effort to improve equipment reliability, the company approached ExxonMobil engineers to determine a lubricant solution capable of reducing failures and extending regreasing intervals.

Recommendation

ExxonMobil engineers recommended the company make the transition to Mobil Centaur XHP™ 461 heavy-duty grease. Formulated with advanced calcium sulfonate thickener technology, Mobil Centaur XHP 461 grease is specifically designed to meet the demanding lubrication requirements of steel mill equipment, providing excellent high temperature oil bleed control and outstanding resistance to water. In addition, ExxonMobil engineers recommended a survey of the grease systems to understand current feed rates and calculate total cost savings.

Result

After transitioning to Mobil Centaur XHP 461 heavy-duty grease, the company reported improved reliability through an immediate decrease in foot roll lockups, with the grease performing up to 10 hours in the foot rolls without resupply. The company also reported a 62 percent reduction in feed rates, resulting in reduced grease consumption. In addition, Mobil Centaur XHP 461 has helped reduce equipment failure and maintenance intervals, decreasing employee-equipment interaction and lowering operating costs. This reduction in maintenance downtime and improved equipment reliability has generated a company-estimated annual savings of US $445,220.

*This Proof of Performance is based on the experience of a single customer. Actual results can vary depending upon the type of equipment used and its maintenance, operating conditions and environment, and any prior lubricant used.