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Switch Plate Lubricant Certified As Biodegradable
The Kluberbio ALO 32-4000 switch plate lubricant from Kluber Rail has achieved OECD 301 B certification as a rapidly biodegradable rail-track lubricant. After 28 days, the biodegradability was showing results as high as 83.7 per cent, which is 23.7 per cent higher than the specified required 60 per cent in accordance with the OECD 301 B test.
This rapidly biodegradable lubricant is environmentally friendly and also saves on costs, according to the company. Kluberbio ALO 32-4000 is a solvent-free fluid grease that, when applied to the surface, forms a thin long-lasting lubricating film on the slide plates with a service temperature range of -40C to +80C. Following five years of rigorous testing, which included more than 3,500 cycles per test for more than 80 hours with 30 minutes of rain simulation using 27 litres of water at 60C to simulate an increased wet environment, with a load of 450N, the surfaces were consistently covered with sufficient lubricating film with excellent corrosion protection.
Throughout the temperature range of -35C to +80C, the friction force remained constant between 150N and 250N. In comparison to a typical non-Kluber switch plate lubricant, the results under the same test conditions showed a friction force ranging from 100N (at 25C) to 400N (at -11C). The test of the non-Kluber product failed because of excessive friction forces at -25C. In addition to the temperature limitations, this material also showed corrosion issues throughout the tests. Such a failure could prove catastrophic should the regular maintenance intervals of the plates lapse, according to Kluber. The Kluber switch plate lubricant offers high reliability and safety, extended re-lubrication intervals to two or three times those of previously used switch plate lubricants and lower lubricant consumption, according to test results. Kluberbio ALO 32-4000 was designed as a sprayable lubricant. Maintenance engineers no longer have to bend over to brush on the grease; they simply use a spray gun instead.
