What are the effects of high or low oil level on the performance of XWD cycloidal pinwheel reducer

1、 The impact of low oil level

When the internal lubricating oil of the reducer is insufficient, an effective protective oil film cannot be formed on the surface of the moving parts, which can cause a series of problems:

Intensifying wear and damage: Lack of oil can lead to increased friction between key components such as cycloidal gears, needle gear housings, and bearings. Long term operation can cause component annealing, bonding, wear, and even deformation, seriously reducing component accuracy and service life.

Decreased equipment efficiency: Internal friction increases, requiring the gearbox to consume more energy to complete the same task, resulting in a decrease in transmission efficiency.

Abnormal noise and vibration: Due to the lack of buffering and shock-absorbing effect of lubricating oil, the friction sound of internal parts will become very obvious, producing abnormal noise, and the vibration of the equipment will also increase, affecting the smoothness of operation.

Abnormal temperature rise: The large amount of heat generated by friction cannot be effectively carried away by lubricating oil, resulting in a sharp increase in the overall temperature of the gearbox. In severe cases, it may cause equipment to jam or even burn out the motor.

2、 The impact of high oil level

When the refueling amount exceeds the prescribed upper limit, it will also bring many adverse consequences:

Rising oil temperature and oil degradation: Excessive oil level can cause gears and other components to vigorously stir the lubricating oil during operation, generating a large amount of stirring heat and leading to an increase in oil temperature. High temperature will cause the viscosity of lubricating oil to decrease, the oil film to become thinner, accelerate the oxidation and deterioration of the oil, and the lubrication and heat dissipation capabilities will decrease accordingly.

Increased risk of seal leakage: the oil is prone to foam after being agitated violently, and at the same time, the internal pressure of the reducer will rise. This will significantly increase the risk of leakage in sealing parts such as ventilation plugs and oil seals, resulting in waste of lubricating oil and environmental pollution.

Power loss and energy efficiency reduction: The oil stirring process itself consumes additional power, and the measured power loss can reach up to about 3% of the rated power, resulting in a decrease in equipment energy efficiency.

Operational stability is affected: Fluctuations in oil temperature and internal pressure may affect the stability of the gearbox's output speed and torque.

3、 Correct oil level standard

To ensure the normal operation of the XWD cycloidal pinwheel reducer, the oil level should be strictly controlled:

Horizontal installation: The oil level should be maintained at the centerline position of the sight glass (oil gauge) or between the upper and lower limit scales.

Vertical installation: The oil level should reach about 20mm below the output shaft bearing or 2/3 of the oil window to ensure that the upper bearing can also be fully lubricated.

Inspection suggestion: It is best to inspect the gearbox after it has been shut down and cooled to 40-45 ℃ to avoid misjudgment caused by excessively high hot oil level.