Industrial Lubricants

Lubricants may be solids, such as plastic beads, glass beads, nut hulls and graphite, or liquids, such as oils, synthetic fluids, glycols, modified vegetable oils, fatty-acid soaps and surfactants. A lubricant provides a protective film which allows for two touching surfaces to be separated, thus lessening the friction between them. The two major categories of lubricant are those that are organic and those that are synthetic. Specialties include: any type of industrial or power train lubricant, fuel, base stock, intermediate, additive, functional chemical, coolant, or process oil. As with other lubricants, its job is to reduce wear and friction between moving objects (like engine parts), enabling longer operation and higher efficiency. This reference summarizes current knowledge about the different materials that are added to lubricants to improve their performance characteristics.

Oil as a lubricant

Oil - A general term for a water-insoluble thick liquid that possesses lubricating properties. You may be tempted to use other types of oil you already have around your house or WD-40 or something, but many of those things are flammable and will only serve to damage your shredder or worse. In the last century, synthetic additives extended the effectiveness of age-old lubricants like oil. Emulsifying agents are sometimes added to oils for production of cutting fluids, which are to be mixed with water. The primary purpose for changing the oil, of course, is to eliminate the contaminants because in most instances the lubricant is physically and chemically fit for continued service. Due to environmental concerns, the disposal of used oils is heavily regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The groundbreaking technology of fully synthetic gasoline engine oil formulated from Di-Synthetic Protect technology with SAE 0W-40; which fuel economy follow by ILSAC GF-4 standard is an advantage.

In most complex mechanical systems, lubricants help reduce friction and protect moving parts against wear. Knowing how the behavior of lubricants can change and affect the lubricated surfaces under these conditions is becoming more important as the need for miniaturization leads to development of ever smaller components.