Lubricants
Lubricants, or lubes, are substances formulated to minimize friction (enhance lubricity) and dissipate heat between two moving surfaces. Lubricants also help with the movement of particles and manage heating and cooling processes. Additionally, they can serve as conductive agents to improve electrical current flow.
Quick links to Lubricants Information
The History of Lubricants
- Early History of Lubricants
- Humans have used lubricants for thousands of years, with early examples dating back to ancient Egypt. Egyptians moved pyramid blocks on oiled lumber and lubricated chariot axles with calcium soaps, as shown by artifacts from around 1400 BC. The Romans later used natural lubricants like rapeseed oil, olive oil, and animal fats.
- During the Industrial Revolution, manufacturers recognized the need for lubrication to reduce friction in metal machinery. Initially, natural oils were used, but by the 1880s, organic petroleum-based lubricants became popular after Matthew Ewing discovered lubricant oil as a residue while distilling kerosene. In 1866, with Hiram Bond Everest, he founded Vacuum Oil in Rochester, New York, which supplied lubricants for steam and internal combustion engines. Vacuum Oil engineers also developed vacuum distillation for cleaner, safer lubricants. In England, companies like Crown Oil, founded in 1928, also contributed to the industry’s growth.
- Lubricants WWII and Beyond
- During World War II, increased use of petroleum-based lubricants and rubber products in military vehicles led engineers to seek alternatives to prevent shortages. They also needed lubricants that could perform under extreme conditions. This led to the development of synthetic lubricants, which are engineered from chemical bases like silicone or esters rather than petroleum. Synthetic lubricants offer stable, predictable properties, including fire resistance and rapid cooling—qualities critical for demanding applications.
- Today, synthetic lubricants produced through chemical synthesis are widely used across aerospace, automotive, marine, and musical instrument industries. While petroleum-based lubricants remain common, synthetics are increasingly favored for their lower cost and expanded applications. Organic lubricants are still important in the automotive sector, serving as engine oils to protect moving parts and as gasoline to power engines through heat generation.
Advantages of Lubricants
Lubricants deliver efficiency and smooth operation between hard surfaces such as metals. They also protect machinery from wear and extend equipment lifespan, while helping safeguard workers who interact with these systems.
Design of Lubricants
When creating or choosing a lubricant, suppliers consider factors like minimum and maximum operating temperatures, load requirements, environmental conditions (corrosiveness, moisture, dryness), surface tension, system pressure, and more.
Based on these criteria, suppliers determine the necessary properties and type of lubricant, whether it requires a base oil or specific additives. Certain lubricants are designed for specialized applications, such as improving thermal conduction or minimizing electrical receptivity. Food processing manufacturers require non-toxic, food-grade lubricants to ensure safety if the lubricant contacts food.
Each industrial lubricant has its own oxidation and degradation characteristics and must be compatible with specific machinery, temperatures, and environments. High temperature lubricants, for instance, are engineered to perform under extreme conditions. Lubricants can be found in liquid form like lubricating oil, as semi-solids such as lubricating grease, or as dry lubricants typically made from silicone compounds.
Types of Lubricants
There are many types of lubricants, each with unique consistencies and intended uses. The following are some common examples.
- Automotive Lubricants
- Primarily oil-based or industrial grease-based, though some possess synthetic properties. Their chemistry is similar to heating oil, and they are used in transmissions, engines, seals, gears, and chassis points in vehicles. When applied to gears, they are called gear oils.
- Biodegradable Lubricants
- Made from plant or animal sources, these lubricants are commonly used in agricultural equipment. They are non-toxic and increasingly popular in settings where environmentally friendly lubricants are required, such as food, agriculture, and automotive industries.
- Compounded Lubricants
- Composed of mineral oil blended with vegetable, animal, or chemical oils to enhance specific physical or chemical qualities of the final product.
- Compressor Lubricants
- Designed for use in compressors, which convert mechanical motion into pneumatic energy.
- Conductive Lubricants
- Provide both lubrication and improved electrical or thermal conductivity between sliding surfaces, while also guarding against moisture and corrosion.
- Dry Lubricants
- Contain no liquids, instead using synthetic silicone or similar compounds resistant to oxidation and thermal breakdown. With a wide temperature range, dry lubricants can also act as sealants. They are ideal for applications where oil or grease could cause issues, such as risk of spills or contamination.
- Engine Lubricants
- Produced primarily for automotive applications, engine lubricants (or motor oils) can be organic (petroleum-based) or synthetic (chemically engineered).
- Food Grade Lubricants
- Specially formulated, extreme-pressure synthetic lubricants used in industrial machines where accidental food contact is possible. Food grade lubricants are often biodegradable and must meet strict FDA regulations. They are produced to be odorless, colorless, tasteless, and digestible for safety. Petroleum jelly is a commonly used food grade lubricant.
- Grease Lubricants
- Also called lubricant greases, these are made by thickening oils with soaps or similar agents to achieve a semi-solid or solid state.
- High Temperature Lubricants
- Formulated to perform at temperatures above the limits of regular lubricants, which may break down or oxidize under intense heat.
- Hydraulic Oils
- Used to transfer power in hydraulic systems, such as power steering, brakes, and transmissions. Hydraulic oils may be mineral- or water-based and often include additives.
- Industrial Lubricants
- A broad category of specialty lubricants designed for a wide range of industrial applications.
- Lubricating Grease
- A semi-solid lubricant formed from oil and soap. Unlike oils, greases do not drip and are used in high-pressure, high-friction settings, often applied via grease guns to machinery.
- Lubricating Oil
- A liquid lubricant that minimizes friction, prevents corrosion, reduces electrical currents, and cools machine components. Common in the automotive industry, lubricating oil is used on bearings, dies, chains, cables, spindles, pumps, rails, and gears for smoother operation and improved reliability.
- Marine Lubricants
- Specialized oil blends used for machinery on large marine vessels and ships.
- Petroleum-Based Lubricants
- Traditionally used in automotive applications, though synthetic lubricants have become more common for modern vehicles.
- Silicone Lubricants
- Can function as either dry or liquid lubricants, depending on their specific material formulation.
- Stamping Lubricants
- Lubricants applied during the metal stamping process. These range from synthetic blends to straight oils, with straight oils requiring more involved cleanup.
- Synthetic Lubricants
- Lubricants engineered through chemical synthesis rather than being refined from petroleum, providing tailored properties for demanding applications.
- Water-Based Lubricants
- Soluble in water and have a lower viscosity than oil-based lubricants, allowing them to flow more freely. Water-based lubricants are commonly incorporated into cutting fluids by manufacturers.
Industries Using Lubricants
Lubricants are vital for the efficient operation and maintenance of machines and components where multiple moving parts interact. Key industries that rely on lubricants include automotive, aerospace, marine, metal fabrication, and food and beverage processing.
In the automotive sector, lubricants are used throughout vehicle manufacturing and daily operation. They are essential for car transmissions, engines, chassis, gears, and seals, all of which contribute to optimal vehicle performance and extended lifespan. Oils and greases minimize wear on parts, reducing friction and ensuring reliability. In aerospace, industrial lubrication oils can even serve as jet fuel.
The marine industry uses oil lubricants in crosshead and trunk piston engines to power large ships. Metal fabrication industries employ lubricants extensively to manufacture metal components and products. In the food and beverage industry, lubricants reduce friction in grinders, mixers, and packaging machinery to enhance productivity and safety.
Applying and Maintaining Lubricants
Applying lubricant is a straightforward process, usually done with a tube or brush. However, it is important to know the right amount to use and the proper intervals for reapplication to maintain effectiveness and safety. Consult your equipment manufacturer for guidance on application frequency and quantity.
Regardless of your maintenance schedule, regularly check for signs of deterioration, leaks, or contamination. To ensure long-lasting performance, always operate within the lubricant’s recommended temperature ranges, load capacities, and friction conditions.
Standards and Specifications for Lubricants
Several organizations set lubricant performance and safety standards, including the American Petroleum Institute (API), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Independent Lubricant Manufacturing Association (ILMA), and National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI). Industry requirements often follow these guidelines. Lubricants intended for food contact must be food grade, while those used in military vehicles must meet military specifications. For industry-specific standards, consult with relevant industry authorities.
Finding the Right Lubricant Manufacturer
When sourcing industrial lubricants, it’s important to partner with a reputable and reliable supplier. This ensures your systems run efficiently, safely, and without interruption. To assist in your search, we provide a directory of trusted lubricant manufacturers with detailed company profiles. Access the list by scrolling to the top of this page.
Lubricant Accessories
Typical lubricant accessories include pumps, level switches, rupture indicators, broken line indicators, vent valves, zone valves, pressure sensors, relief valves, and relief indicators.
Lubricant Terms
- Abrasive Wear
- Also referred to as "cutting wear." This occurs when hard surface asperities or hard particles have embedded themselves into a soft surface.
- Adhesion
- The force or forces causing two materials, such as a lubricating grease and a metal, to stick together.
- Base
- A refined mineral oil, free of additives, used as a component in a lubricant blend.
- Bleeding
- The separation of oil from a grease structure. A certain amount of bleeding is considered desirable in greases, since this tends to provide continuous oil lubrication to bearings.
- Emulsion
- A liquid in which another immiscible liquid is suspended. Water and oil can be emulsified under certain conditions of oil type and severe agitation. Emulsifying agents are sometimes added to oils for production of cutting fluids, which are to be mixed with water.
- Fiber
- In lubricating grease, the form in which soap thickeners occur, the soaps crystallizing in threads, which are of the order of 20 or more times as long as they are thick.
- Friction
- A resistance to motion between two surfaces in contact.
- Influent
- The fluid entering a component.
- Injector
- A positive displacement (oil or grease) lubricant measuring valve that dispenses lubricant when main line pressure rises and resets when its compressed return spring forces the measuring piston back to its rest position.
- Lubricant
- Any substance used to separate two surfaces in motion and reduce the friction or wear of the surfaces.
- Miscible
- Liquids capable of forming a liquid solution or uniform mixture between themselves, e.g. gasoline and oil are miscible.
- NLGI Grade Number
- Numbers assigned by the NLGI to classify greases according to their hardness as measured by a cone penetration test.
- Monitor
- An electrical or electronic device that compares (monitors) a lubrication systems operation to a user selected time frame, or delivery rate.
- Oil
- A general term for a water-insoluble thick liquid that possesses lubricating properties.
- Petroleum
- Term applicable to crude oil and the hydrocarbon products and materials that are derived from it.
- Pumpability
- The ability of a lubricating grease to flow under pressure through the line, nozzle and fitting of a grease dispensing system at varying temperatures.
- Syneresis
- Loss of liquid lubricant from a lubricating grease due to shrinkage or rearrangement of the structure.
- Viscosity
- The measurement of a fluid's resistance to flow. It is defined as the shear stress on a fluid element divided by the rate of shear; "high viscosity" applies to a fluid which does not flow easily, "low viscosity" to a fluid, such as water, which flows easily.
