News Center

04

2020

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01

Management of Woodworking Bearing Use

Wood grapples for excavators can be categorized into mechanical wood grapples, rotary hydraulic wood grapples, and non-rotary hydraulic wood grapples. The mechanical wood grapple for excavators is driven by the excavator’s bucket cylinder and does not require any additional hydraulic blocks or piping. The 360° rotary hydraulic wood grapple requires the addition of two sets of hydraulic valve blocks and piping to the excavator for control. The non-rotary hydraulic wood grapple necessitates the installation of a single set of hydraulic valve blocks and piping on the excavator for control.


  Log grapples for excavators can be categorized into mechanical log grapples, rotary hydraulic log grapples, and non-rotary hydraulic log grapples. Mechanical excavator log grapples are driven by the excavator’s bucket cylinder and do not require additional hydraulic blocks or piping. Rotary hydraulic log grapples, which can rotate 360°, necessitate the installation of two sets of hydraulic valve blocks and piping on the excavator for control. Non-rotary hydraulic log grapples, on the other hand, require only one set of hydraulic valve blocks and piping to be installed on the excavator for control.

  For a rotary wood grapple to perform its rotating operations, the supporting role of bearings is indispensable. So, what are the requirements for using bearings in wood grapples?

  1. Pay attention to cleanliness. The working environment for handling bearings often contains a lot of airborne dust. Even tiny particles of dust—too small to be visible to the naked eye—can enter the bearing and significantly increase wear, vibration, and noise. Therefore, the area where bearings are assembled and disassembled must be kept extremely clean. For precision bearings, it is best to carry out assembly and disassembly operations in a specially designed cleanroom. All tools, cleaning oils, and lubricants used by the operator during assembly and disassembly should also be kept thoroughly clean.

  2. Prevent bearing corrosion. Bearings exposed to acidic air are prone to rusting and discoloration. Use gloves and cotton swabs to wipe the bearings, shafts, and housings clean.

  With the continuous improvement and enhancement of grapple product performance, these devices are now widely used in the agricultural loading industry, forestry harvesting industry, port and terminal freight yards, warehousing and material-handling equipment, papermaking industry, wood industry, forest-paper industry, engineered wood panel industry, straw-to-energy industry, cotton and linen industry, materials recycling industry, as well as in dredging, salvage, and emergency rescue operations.

  As a critically important component in log grapples, bearings must receive extra attention. When bearing wear becomes severe, they should be replaced promptly. Additionally, regular cleaning and preventive measures against rusting are essential.