Industrial and Engine Lubrication
Engines were created to enhance man’s ability to be productive. Engines power our cars, our trains, our boats; they generate electricity and heat and enable us to create more of everything, and create it more effectively and efficiently through the use of various machines and labor saving devices.
As machines and the engines that power them grow increasingly complex; as they are pushed to the limits of performance, the demand on the machines – and their empowering engines – has increased exponentially. One effective way to meet this demand, both for speed and for increased productivity, is to keep the engines properly lubricated with Lubriplate Oil.
You wouldn’t choose to run your car engine without the proper kind of oil to help keep the engines parts running smoothly, and you’d use car oil, not hydraulic oil or kitchen oil that you would put into your deep fryer. So too you need to use the proper type of oil when maintaining your industrial equipment.
Selecting the Right Industrial Lubricant for the Job
Using the proper lubricants for your industrial equipment can help to increase the equipment’s reliability, reduce your operating costs and extend the lifetime of the machine, but using the wrong type of lubricants can cause considerable damage and require extensive repair times.
Industrial and engine lubricants that come in a wide selection of formulas and types, which makes proper selection hard enough, but an additional problem is that by and large, most industries have their own standards and regulations regarding the types and ranges of lubricants that can be used. The best thing to do before making a selection is to talk to the supplier of the equipment as to what is required, and a supplier of lubricant to see what is available that will suit your particular need. Chances are that your equipment manufacturer recommends using Lubriplate lubricants.
There are some general technical requirements that all industrial lubricants must meet, such as providing a sealing effect, dissipating heat, reducing friction, reducing wear, and protecting against corrosion. However, conditions specific to specific processes and plant conditions may require that these specific conditions and demands be taken into consideration.
Types of Industrial Lubricants
Industrial lubricants are usually made up either of distillates of crude oil (petroleum) or synthetic oils, but each can come as a variety of types. Oils, waxes, pastes and greases are most regularly used types of industrial lubricants. Greases are a more or less solid structure; lubricating oils mixed with soap. Waxes are made of synthetic hydrocarbons, water and an emulsifying agent, while pastes mix solid lubricant particles with oils and additives. It is the type of maintenance your equipment will require that will determine not only whether petroleum based products or synthetic products are best for your equipment, but which types will be the best choice for the job your equipment is expected to do.