Industrial lubricants offer long-lasting protection from extreme temperatures, shock loads, heavy wear, corrosion and oxidation. They help reduce forced machine downtime and maintenance costs to maximize operational efficiency and profitability.
From a drilling rig to a gas compressor, industrial lubricants improve equipment performance by reducing friction, heat, and wear, minimizing energy consumption and extending machinery life.
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Reliability
Industrial lubricants reduce friction, heat, wear, and corrosion between moving parts in machinery. This allows the equipment to function smoothly and increase efficiency while reducing maintenance costs. They also reduce downtime, increase productivity, and extend machine life.
Mineral and synthetic oils are the most commonly used lubricants, with mineral-based oil being the most popular. However, petroleum-based fluids contain impurities such as nitrogen, phosphor, and sulfur that can interfere with lubrication. Many lubricants are formulated with additives to compensate for these impurities.
Other lubricants are bio-based and are made from renewable resources. These products have low toxicity and are environmentally friendly. They are a good choice for applications where the environment is a consideration, such as chemical manufacturing.
Efficiency
The use of high-quality industrial lubricants can offer several benefits to equipment operators. They can help reduce friction between machinery components, extend equipment life, and reduce downtime due to unplanned breakdowns.
The type of lubricant selected depends on the operating conditions and equipment type. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for lubricant type and viscosity grade, which can be found in the equipment manual. Regular oil analysis can also ensure that the correct lubricant is used in your machinery.
High-quality lubricants from reputable lubricant supplier VA are also long-lasting and provide exceptional protection. They can inhibit metal-to-metal contact wear and provide resistance to corrosion. They can also improve performance and endurance, reduce foam generation, and protect against deposit and sludge formation. This is particularly critical for highly loaded applications such as compressors, valves, and actuators. Special extended-pressure (EP) lubricants are specifically formulated to inhibit the metal-to-metal contact wear of extremely loaded gears. This type of lubricant can also withstand higher temperatures than mineral-based lubricants.
Durability
Lubricants are designed to protect your machinery from damage, wear and tear, and mechanical failure caused by extreme working conditions, heavy or shock loads, abrasion, heat, cold, water, corrosion, oxidation, and more. This ensures your equipment functions properly all year round and allows you to meet your production and productivity goals.
Industrial lubricants minimize friction between the moving components of your machinery by creating a fluid film between them. This reduces the shear stress, minimizing friction, wear and abrasion. It also improves heat control, preventing the accumulation of excess heat that can damage components.
Lubricants specially formulated for chemical manufacturing applications can lengthen the lifespan of your machines and their lubricant, increase the speed of machine work rates, reduce energy consumption, and provide enhanced operational reliability. These benefits are only possible if you use the correct lubricant for your equipment and machinery. So, ensure you follow the lubrication procedures recommended by your machinery manufacturer.
Safety
The right industrial lubricants can enhance equipment performance, minimize wear, and extend machinery lifecycles. However, improper handling or applying lubricants can lead to contamination or degradation.
The food processing industry requires special lubricants to reduce the friction between various components of machinery used for preparing and packing foods. The demand for food-grade lubricants has been growing due to several factors, including increased investment in process automation, changing consumer tastes, and low crude oil prices.
Different lubricants have different physical and chemical properties, which vary according to the environment and operating conditions. For example, a lubricant’s viscosity plays an important role in forming a protective film between moving parts, while additives provide additional functions such as anti-corrosion. The original equipment manufacturer should specify the type of lubricant selected. The lubricant should also meet the requirements of the relevant regulatory frameworks.