Lubricants are specifically formulated to answer a range of challenges. They reduce friction and heat, extend machine and equipment life, boost productivity, and enhance performance.

Liquid lubricants typically consist of oil base stock, thickeners, and functional additives to improve performance. Additive functions include anti-foaming, anti-oxidation, and corrosion prevention. They also control viscosity at varying temperatures.

Friction

Friction is a force that resists the relative motion of surfaces in contact. In technical systems, friction generates energy loss, heat and wear. To reduce friction in a tribological system, a lubricant must be used. 

The primary function of industrial lubricants is to reduce friction between surfaces that are in relative motion. They do this by creating a thin film of lubrication between the surfaces. Industrial lubricants can also act as sealants, coolants, heat transfer agents, corrosion preventatives, and their lubricating role. They can be liquid or solid and are available in various formulations, including mineral, synthetic/semi-synthetic, and vegetable oils. They may contain additives that increase their performance or extend their life. In some cases, they are designed for boundary lubrication regimes where the lubricating fluid is in contact with the asperities of the mating surfaces but not enough to reduce the frictional resistance.

Temperature

The primary function of industrial lubricant is to reduce friction between surfaces. However, the many different types of lubricants perform additional duties that help keep machinery functioning in various applications and environments.

Depending on their formulation, lubricants can eliminate heat and wear debris, transfer force, transport foreign materials, or even supply additives into the contact area to enhance performance. They can be liquid, solid, or gaseous (air).

When selecting an industrial lubricant Richmond VA, choosing one that meets the manufacturer’s recommendations is essential for your equipment. But it’s just as important to understand how the lubricant’s viscosity will change based on temperature and other environmental conditions. This will prevent your lubricant from becoming ineffective when you operate your equipment at lower temperatures or higher speeds. The proper lubricant can keep your machinery working better and longer.

Wear

Industrial lubricants protect machinery from the damaging effects of friction and wear. These products may also include anti-corrosive or oxidation inhibitors to extend the product’s life and minimize maintenance costs.

The type of lubricant used depends on the application and operating environment. For example, the lubricant must withstand extreme temperatures and pressures. It must also be able to flow into tight spaces to lubricate components adequately.

Lubricants can be liquid (oil), solid (graphite, molybdenum disulfide), gaseous (air), or semisolid (grease). They control friction and wear, eliminate heat and wear debris, transmit power, seal, and calm. They can be formulated with different additives and bases to meet specific performance requirements such as temperature, load, speed, or friction. Industrial lubricants are also categorized by their viscosity index and pour point. The former indicates how much the formulation’s viscosity changes with temperature and is essential when using gravity lubricators. The latter indicates the temperature at which the lubricant will begin to form wax crystals that clog filters.

Viscosity

A physical measure of a fluid’s internal friction, viscosity is an essential lubricant characteristic. It determines the force required to overcome fluid film friction in a lubricant, measured in poise or centipoise units (1 P = 100 cP).

Most liquid lubricants maintain a constant viscosity regardless of the pace at which they are forced to flow. These are known as Newtonian fluids, based on Sir Isaac Newton’s law of fluid mechanics. Some fluids, however, have a thixotropic or rheopectic behavior and change their viscosity as they are subjected to shear and high pressure.

A rheometer helps to measure these characteristics of lubricants, which is essential in selecting the proper lubricant for your application. Using the correct lubricant means less maintenance, fewer breakdowns, and lower overall maintenance costs.