Are You Unsure Of Which Lubricant Is Best For Your Expensive Equipment?
Using the wrong lubricant erodes equipment reliability. Maximize equipment performance and ROI by using the correct lubricant
Understanding capacity, compatibility, and viscocity will help you choose the right lubricant and increase your equipment performance and ROI.
Selecting suitable lubricants for equipment reliability involves knowing numerous equipment performance standards, including load capacity, speed range, maintenance intervals, the oil environment, and the current equipment lifespan(age). With this information, an oil consultant or oil expert can determine the right additive package, viscosity, and base oil type that best suits your industrial machinery.
How do you make the best-informed decision when selecting lubricants?
Information and expertise are the best tools available to select the proper lubricant. Fortunately, a wealth of information is available if you know how and where to look to obtain it. Some data will be general knowledge that is readily available, some will require routine inspection, while other details can only be discovered through oil testing.
Here are some top considerations to assess when determining the right oil for your equipment.
Top Considerations When Choosing Equipment Oil
General Considerations
Let’s start at the beginning with the basics and compile some readily available information that you will want to share with your oil consultant.
First, what type of equipment are you operating? The specific model numbers can be beneficial in learning the OEM recommendation. However, OEM recommendations may not consider all the factors, especially extreme conditions.
For example, older equipment may require a higher-viscosity oil to compensate for mechanical wear and additional additives to address inherent issues like oxidization and contamination more effectively.
Considering maintenance intervals and how long oil must perform prior to replacement or service checks will help determine the lubricant required. You will need an oil that can provide extended service intervals without sacrificing performance.
The Choice Between Mineral Oil and Synthetic Oil
There are two main types of oil: mineral and synthetic. At a glance, the initial cost of synthetic oil can be a deterrent. When you look at the long-term, it becomes the economical choice. Consider the following comparison of synthetic oil and mineral oil.
| Composition/Criteria | Synthetic Oil | Mineral Oil |
|---|---|---|
| Base oil | Uniform, pure molecular structure | Derived from crude oil |
| Molecular structure | High | A complex mixture of hydrocarbons |
| Viscosity stability | Excellent | Low to moderate |
| Oxidation stability | Excellent | Moderate |
| Thermal Stability | Excellent | Poor |
| Volatility | Low - Formulated to improve performance | Moderate to high |
| Compatibility with Seals | Generally compatible with most seal materials | Generally compatible with seal materials |
| Lubricity | Good | Good |
| Additives | Maintains performance and stability at high temps. | It may can contain excessive additives. |
| Cold Temperature | Better performance at lower temperatures | Poor performance at lower temperatures |
| High temperature | Synthetic oils generally outperform mineral oils in high temps with superior thermal stability & oxidation resistance. | At high temperatures, mineral oils can break down and form deposits of sludge. |
| Environmental impact | A uniform, pure molecular structure allows synthetic oils to be biodegradable and have lower toxicity levels. | Resulting from enhanced refinement techniques and formulated with specific additives, mineral-based oil can now be biodegradable |
| Cost | Initially more expensive, less expensive long-term | Typically, less expensive initially and more expensive long-term |
For more information, please visit https://islgroup.com/royal-purple/.
Other Lubricant Selection Factors
Many other factors are involved in selecting suitable lubricants for your equipment’s reliability. Each machine environment and workload are unique to your operations. It’s also important to consider the following variables when choosing the best oil.
Add the bullet points here.
Improper Installation Or Alignment
Any misalignment leads to subpar performance and premature failure.
Excessive Loads
Overloading a gearbox’s capacity will result in sooner-than-expected gear and bearing failures.
8 Tips To Reduce Gearbox Failures Lowering The Potential For Accidents And Extending The Life Of Your Equipment!
Proper testing and maintenance will extend your gearbox performance and increase equipment reliability.
This improves the return on investment for your equipment. Reducing the need to perform gearbox maintenance can also increase safety and reduce accidents.
These 8 steps can reduce gearbox failures lowering the potential for accidents and extending the life of your equipment. They can be increase equipment uptime and improve equipment ROI.
- Insure the oil used is filtered so it’s clean and dry oil.
- Establish regular oil sampling intervals for your equipment’s oil to assess the types and levels of contamination in your system.
- Filter your oil and use best practices for cleaning safe oil storage and handling methods to avoid particulate and cross-contamination.
- Use desiccant breathers to keep contaminants from entering your reservoir.
- Monitor and maintain gearboxes’ operational temperature.
- Ensure you can easily check oil levels. Use adapter kits to make checking this easier.
- Check your gearbox alignment to ensure optimal performance.
- Do not overload your gearboxes’ by operating outside of design parameters.
As a maintenance mechanic, you must ensure that the equipment you maintain is in top condition. By understanding the causes of gearbox failure and taking steps to prevent it, you can keep your equipment running smoothly and avoid costly downtime.
Recently, one of our valued customers in Kansas wrote to us and said that by following our advice and recommendations, “they will save $500,000 every year in reduced labor, bearing failures, and lubricant purchases.” Our knowledge pays, and we provide it to you for free.
As an equipment reliability professional, you have a significant responsibility to keep your equipment running and produce the best results possible. Our case studies and coverage of emerging technologies will help you stay informed on the latest developments in the equipment reliability industry.
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