Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), as an important solid lubricant, is widely used in lubrication, mainly because of its excellent performance under extreme conditions, including high temperature, high pressure, high speed, and corrosive environments.
Robots are known as the pearls on the top of the manufacturing crown. Because of factors such as rising labor costs, production efficiency, and quality improvement, the global industrial robot industry has developed rapidly and grown in recent years. The world's leading manufacturing countries have realized that only by mastering robot technology can they seize the commanding heights of high-end intelligent manufacturing. According to the International Fe deration of Robotics (IFR), by 2030, 1.5 million new industrial robots will be used in factories around the world, of which more than 40% will be in the Chinese market. China has become the world's largest consumer of industrial robots. However, there is still a big gap between China's robot industry and the international advanced level, especially in some professional fields, such as robot lubrication.
While developing rapidly, robots also face certain difficulties, among which lubrication is a major difficulty. It is reported that about 80% of the parts of industrial robots are damaged due to friction and wear. Lubricating oil/grease is the key to reducing friction and wear, and its importance is self-evident. However, because lubricating oil/grease accounts for a very small proportion of the entire robot body cost, enterprises need to pay more attention to it in the early stage, which greatly increases the maintenance cost of robots in the later stage.
As a special kind of industrial mechanical equipment, industrial robots need professional lubrication to assist. The performance, economy, and service life requirements of grease in different working environments are different, so the requirements for grease are also different. At present, robots are usually lubricated with grease, and less and less lubrication is achieved with lubricating oil. The main reason is that once the seal of the robot reducer ages, the oil will leak, while grease has low requirements for sealing and is not easy to leak. In general, the threshold for robot lubrication does not come from technology but from the research, development, and production of upstream reducers, mainly concentrated in RV reducers.
From the perspective of the development of the robot field, the 1980s-1990s was the stage when robots began to be used on a large scale, and it was also the beginning of robot lubrication becoming a focus of people. After decades of development, whether in the fields of reducers, industrial robot bodies, or industrial robot OEMs, lubrication has already had a lot of supporting applications.
Specifically, the current technical routes for lubrication in the field of industrial robots mainly include lubricating oil and grease.
It is reported that lubricating oil has better cooling ability, can automatically flow and mix inside the equipment, can prevent local oxidation, and is easier to replace year-on-year;
Grease has stronger adhesion, can effectively reduce the risk of unlubricated friction at startup, has a lower risk of leakage, and has a longer service life than lubricating oil.
Application of molybdenum disulfide in lubrication
Lubrication under high temperature and high-pressure environment: Molybdenum disulfide can maintain lubrication performance at temperatures up to 1300°C and is suitable for bearings, gears, and sliding parts in engines, turbines, high-temperature furnaces, and other high-temperature equipment.
Heavy load and shock load: In mechanical equipment subjected to heavy loads and shock loads, such as mining equipment, construction machinery, and transmission systems of heavy vehicles, molybdenum disulfide grease can provide the necessary anti-wear protection and extend component life.
Precision instruments and high-speed equipment: Due to their low coefficient of friction and great wear resistance, molybdenum disulfide lubricants are suitable for precision instruments, high-speed motors, precision gears, and micro motors in electronic equipment, reducing wear and improving efficiency.
Corrosive environments: In chemical processing, marine engineering, and the oil industry, the chemical stability of molybdenum disulfide makes it an ideal choice for combating corrosion and wear.
Aerospace: In the aerospace industry, molybdenum disulfide is used for the lubrication of aircraft landing gear, aircraft components and satellite components to cope with extreme temperature changes and vacuum environments.
Automotive industry: In the automotive field, molybdenum disulfide lubricants are used in engine components, transmission systems, brake systems, and chassis components to reduce friction, enhance fuel efficiency, and extend the service life of parts.
Military applications: Due to its reliability in extreme conditions, molybdenum disulfide is also used in military equipment such as tanks, armored vehicles, and weapon systems.
Everyday consumer products: In smaller-scale applications, molybdenum disulfide is also commonly used in bicycle chains, door locks, sports equipment, etc., to reduce friction and improve durability.
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