Lubrication

Lubricants Explored

Are you struggling with unexpected machinery breakdowns, and is frequent maintenance eating into your operating budget and causing frustrating downtime?

Well, here the single greatest threat to your industrial equipment is friction, which causes components to overheat, seize up, and fail prematurely.

As here every minute really is a key, especially if your machinery stands idle, as you are not just losing production, you are facing expensive emergency repairs, replacement costs for major components, and potential contract penalties all at the same time.

As a result, ignoring proper lubrication means guaranteed short lifespan and reduced efficiency for every moving part you own.

To help you solve this problem, we have put together this comprehensive Lubrication guide to give you the definitive solution for. We have the application you have at hand.

As we offer a full range of high-performance oils, greases, and specialised fluids all of which have been engineered to form a strong protective film, and effectively eliminate friction and heat from building up that also safeguard your assets at the same time, and help you get the maximum uptime possible as it does so.

Then, if you are still not sure in any way, our helpful customer service team is on hand to answer any questions you may have before you buy as well.

So explore the categories to find the exact lubricant and dispensing equipment you need to make sure you have the best performance, cut your maintenance costs, and dramatically extend the working life of your valuable equipment.

What Are Industrial Lubricants ?

Definition: Technically, lubricants work by creating a protective film - either a boundary film, a mixed film, or a full hydrodynamic film - that physically separates the solid surfaces. They then typically consist of a base oil (which can either be mineral, synthetic, or semi-synthetic) combined with performance-enhancing additives.

These additives then provide you with properties like corrosion resistance, oxidation stability, detergency, and high Extreme Pressure (EP) resistance, allowing the fluid to withstand intense loads and temperatures common in industrial machinery as a result.

All in all, the primary functions of these types of lubricants are friction control, heat transfer, contamination suspension, and wear prevention, all of which are essential for your machinery's longevity.

Why Lubrication Matters, The Basics

Effective lubrication achieves three primary goals:

Friction Reduction

This is the most important function as it helps to create a thin film (or 'boundary') between your moving parts, so it stops metal-to-metal contact, saving you energy and wear as an end result.

Heat Dissipation

Friction, as you will know, creates heat. Oils, especially, help to carry this heat away from the area, helping to provide you with cooling.

Corrosion Prevention

Lubricants often contain additives that will then form a protective barrier, preventing moisture and oxygen from causing rust and corrosion on precision components, extending their lifespan and their uptime as a result.

How to Choose The Type You Need?

The choice between the primary lubricant types - oils and greases - will depend entirely on your application at hand.

For instance, here oils are fluid and are generally used where high speed, heat dissipation, or easy circulation is required, such as in gearboxes or hydraulic systems.

Greases, on the other hand, are semi-solid and are typically used for slower-moving parts or where a lubricant needs to stay in place for a long time, such as in bearings or sealed joints, for instance.

Specialised Lubricating Oils

As you can see above, the category of lubricating oils is highly specific, as different machines have vastly different needs.

Consequently, using the wrong oil can be just as damaging as using none at all.

But which oil should you use and when?
Well, here you have a number of options depending on your needs. For instance:

Hydraulic Oils

Hydraulic oils are the lifeblood of hydraulic systems, as their main job is to transfer power efficiently within machinery like presses, lifts, and excavators.

As a result, they must resist compression and maintain stable viscosity (thickness) across varying temperatures here.

Due to this, many high-quality Hydraulic Oils often include anti-wear additives to help protect the pumps and valves, which rely on very tight tolerances.

Gear Oils

Found in gearboxes and transmissions, Gear Oils have to handle extremely high pressures and 'shock loads' as gears mesh and separate.

Due to this, they are formulated with Extreme Pressure (EP) additives, which prevent the oil film from breaking down even under immense force, safeguarding the teeth of the gears from pitting and premature failure as well.

Slideway and Spindle Oils

These are precision lubricants for specific machine tools. As a result, they both have different roles, such as:

Slideway Oils

Slideway oils are needed to create a smooth, accurate movement of machine tool slides (or 'ways').

Due to this, they are designed to prevent 'stick-slip' (a jerky motion that degrades precision) and must be highly resistant to being washed away by cutting fluids.

Spindle Oils

For ultra-high-speed bearings, such as those found in machine spindles. These require very light, low-viscosity Spindle oils to minimise heat generation caused by fluid friction, ensuring maximum speed and precision.

Engine and Compressor Oils

While often considered general-purpose, these oils are highly engineered.

Due to this, you will find them split into two core types, engine oils and compressor oils.

Engine Oils

These are then used to lubricate the moving parts of petrol or diesel engines, and they must manage extreme heat, combustion by-products, and maintain consistent performance over long service intervals as well.

Compressor Oils

These oils are then more specific to air compressors and must be resistant to oxidation and the formation of carbon deposits as a result, which can severely impact your compressor's performance and safety if not.

Greases and Application Equipment

Greases are then essentially oils thickened with a soap base (the 'thickener') to make them semi-solid.

As a result of this, they are rated by their stiffness, known as the NLGI Grade, and provide you with a strong seal and long-term lubrication for moving parts that are difficult to access regularly.

You will also find that this category includes everything from simple Multi-Purpose Greases (often lithium-based) to high-performance, specialised formulas like those for high-temperature applications as well.

Greese Applicators

To get the grease where it needs to go safely and accurately, you need the right tools, and this is where Grease Guns & Pumps really come into their own. As these allow for measured and controlled injection of grease into fittings (often called 'nipples' or 'zerk fittings') on bearings and other machinery points.

They also make sure that the lubricant is applied cleanly, minimising waste and contamination as a result as well.

Maintenance Fluids

Alongside the main lubricants, every workshop and site requires a stock of complementary Maintenance Fluids, as these are really needed to help you with your preparation, cleaning, and protection.

For instance, here you have a few options, such as:

Anti-Seize Compounds

These are then applied to threads, bolts, and pipework to prevent seizing, and making future disassembly much easier - which is just a huge time-saver.

Corrosion Preventatives

These are then sprays or fluids that create a temporary barrier to protect your metal parts from rust during storage or transport, especially.

Penetrating Sprays

Used to loosen rusted or seized components, and are often described as 'releasing fluids'.

Lubrication Applicators

Finally, the importance of safe and responsible lubricant handling cannot be overstated, as these tools help you with your lubrication management and come in a number of types, from Drain Pans, Cans, Funnels & Jugs.

So Are Industrial Lubricants Right For You?

As you can see, industrial lubricants offer you a comprehensive inventory that is designed to support the operational integrity of your equipment.

From the lowest viscosity spindle oil to the most durable industrial grease and the necessary accessories to manage them all, effective lubrication is truly the simplest and most cost-effective way that you can make sure that your machinery performs reliably, day in and day out, let's face it.

Contact Customer Support

However, if you are still not sure about which is the correct lubricant for you, or you need help, then for further product information, please contact our team, and we will be happy to help you understand which ones are perfect for you and your team.