Case Study: Washing Machine Gears

Household appliances make our everyday lives easier—when they work. We rely on our appliances for everything, from keeping our food fresh to keeping our clothes clean. When appliances shut down or malfunction, it becomes a major inconvenience in consumers lives and can cost manufacturers big in warranty claims. Design engineers must carefully design and select their components with reliability in mind to avoid these recalls and uphold the manufacturer's reputation. A washing machine is one of many appliances that customers rely upon to complete their everyday tasks.

Uh-Oh - Failure Time

Washing machines and other appliances that operate at high loads often require lubricants to protect gears and other components from friction and wear. When properly selected, lubricants can also reduce noise, control motion, and protect against corrosion. But not all lubricants are created equal. A leading appliance manufacturer came to Nye after they noticed that the lubricant used in their gear assembly was leaking into the interior of their top-loading washing machine. This manufacturer needed Nye to replace the existing competitor’s lubricant with a water-resistant grease.

Nye to the Rescue

Luckily, Nye offers several grease selections for appliance lubrication. To accommodate the customer’s needs, Nye suggested they use Instrument Grease 794A, a clay thickened, medium viscosity, ester-blend grease. This grease has good water resistance and is often recommended for high-load applications such as these. Additionally, this grease has excellent wide temperature performance from -20 to 150°C to withstand the high temperatures created in a high-load environment.