Gulf Western Oil (GWO) has been supplying lubricant solutions to recycling plants for over 30 years, and as such have been able to develop purpose-built products for various applications within the sector.
A major emphasis of the solutions GWO provides for recycling plants has been on reducing the downtime of machinery by creating longer lasting, higher load bearing products. The intention is to enable the services Australia’s recycling plants are now expected to provide, protecting machine life at the plants, as well as saving clients their money over the course of the year.
The Gulf Western Biodraulic range is a series of hydraulic fluids designed to operate best under high operating temperatures and extended service applications, according to GWO’s Queensland State Manager, Christopher Bright.
The fluids are intended to replace anti-wear, mineral oil-based hydraulic fluids used in hazardous and environmentally sensitive hydraulic applications, offering high performance levels. They enhance the overall hydraulic system operation due to the inherent high level of thermal stability and resistance to oxidation.
The range provides superior oxidation resistance, allowing longer service life, and a high natural viscosity index that ensures “stay in grade viscosity” due to increased resistance to shear down in high-stress applications.
The range also has fire resistant properties, which means if a combustible situation occurs and there is a hydraulic leak, the chance of potential damage to machinery is reduced.
“Imagine a car being crushed, there’s fuel in the line constantly triggering small flames. If you have a line blow on a hydraulic system, a flame could ultimately cause a fire,” explains Bright.
Top Dog® Indestructible, is a heavy-duty diesel engine oil containing what Bright describes as “an indestructible additive technology designed to protect high-powered, turbo-charged heavy-duty diesel engines.”
The unique formulation contains performance enhancing and superior wear protection technology that exceeds the requirements of the current lubricant specifications. This allows improved efficiencies, while reducing downtimes within their mixed fleets.
Bright explains that Top Dog® Indestructible was designed specifically to alleviate downtime for machinery. “It has the capabilities to last significantly longer so you’re not needing to stop the machine to change the oil so much,” he says.
“It allows for the kind of longevity that saves you from having to change the oil out every 250 hours like standard market offerings,” Inenco Group’s National Product Manager for Lubricants, Steve Keown comments.
“GWO’s longer lasting hydraulic fluids really reduce machinery downtime which, it cannot be emphasised enough, is crucial in this industry.”
In fact, GWO have a specific product within the range, which is designed to last 6,000 hours of hydraulic fluid life and, like Top Dog® Indestructible, is three times longer than standard offerings on the market in its range.
The product range, Superdraulic Indestructible, is the first of its kind within the Australian market to offer a 6,000-hour oil life. Formulated with full synthetic base oil technology, the latest ultra-sheer stable viscosity modifiers and enhanced levels of anti-wear and antioxidants, Superdraulic Indestructible offers protection for hydraulic systems operating in severe conditions.
Superdraulic Hi Temp is another range of premium grade, high viscosity index, anti-wear hydraulic oils. The range has been formulated specifically for use in hydraulic power or control systems, either mobile or stationary, which are subject to temperature extremes, or are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature.
Due to the superior wear and corrosion protection of the range, it will improve the equipment life of plant machinery. Fluid life is also longer than standard, due to enhanced chemical and thermal stability.
Another feature of the range which Bright says makes recycling plant operators happy is the excellent filterability of the range even when contaminated, thereby preventing filter blockages. This eliminates the need for filter replacement costs and downtime.
One of the most important features of GWO products for recycling plants is that they are environmentally sound.
“If you’ve got a machine that blows a hydraulic hose and the oil ends up on the ground, well if its GWO’s biodegradable hydraulic fluid, you don’t end up contaminating that area,” says Bright.
