Corrosion Does Its Work While the Machine Sleeps
Mothballing is more than throwing a tarpaulin over a machine. An idle asset faces a slow, relentless attack: humid air condenses on cold steel overnight, water films form at the vapour-metal interface, and bearings, bores, ways and electrical windings corrode without anyone watching. Sealed bearings dry out, rubber perishes, and a motor left damp fails its insulation test the day someone tries to recommission it. The longer the layup and the more humid the location, the more a casual approach costs, because the damage is cumulative and hidden until the asset is needed.
BENZ applies the recognised layup discipline. Surfaces and internals are treated with VCI, which volatilises to reach equilibrium in enclosed spaces and forms a protective film at both the vapour-metal and water-metal interface; desiccant and, for sealed enclosures or larger envelopes, adsorption dehumidifiers hold the air dry; casings and lubrication systems are filled or dosed with the correct preservative; motor brushes are lifted from commutators and slip rings; and openings are sealed. Then it is monitored: humidity is checked on a defined schedule, chemical controls are verified periodically, and rotating equipment is exercised so bearings do not take a set, with every check recorded.