Lubricants are loosely defined as chemical agents that reduce friction. In industrial applications, lubricants actually do more than just reduce friction. Lubricants can address a variety of issues found in machinery of all types, which work on many surfaces and in various types of motion.
Given the wide variety of lubricants, finding the right coating systems answer for your application can be complex. Here we will address the major types of industrial lubricants available.
Common Types of Lubricants
When thinking of lubricants, most people think of oil or grease, the type that is used to reduce friction and enhance motion in their automobile. We still may get an “oil, filter and lube” for our cars but the types of oil and grease necessary for today’s coating systems are vastly different from what Henry Ford used a century ago.
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Oils can be synthetic, vegetable or mineral based, or a combination of these, depending on the application. Synthetic oils are used in extreme conditions like synthetic motor oil, while a vegetable oil base might be used in an environmental application, ie – using canola oil in cooking.
Additives
Additives are used in lubricants to enhance or suppress certain properties in a given lubricant to achieve certain coating systems goals. A dispersant additive, found in engine oil, will keep particulates clumped to be removed by a filter. Another additive is a viscosity index improver, which is used for applications in extreme temperatures (from hot to cold) that bind or unravel accordingly to improve the flow of the lubricant. Additives, however, deplete, so the volume of oil must be renewed.
Film Lubricants
Coating Systems uses additives that are films which protect against corrosion and contamination in a system. Lubricants can also transport contaminants for removal or serve to control temperature by absorbing heat and carrying it away to be dissipated.
There are two types of full-film lubrication: Elastohydrodynamic and hydrodynamic.
Hydrodynamic full-film lubricants are used when two surfaces move in a sliding motion and are separated by the film of fluid. Elastohydrodynamic lubricants are used when the surfaces being lubricated move in a rolling motion to each other and this layer is very thin.
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All surfaces have asperities, therefore the lubricating film must always be thicker than the surface asperities, resulting in the most effective protection and friction reduction.
Your Coating Systems Answers
Are you looking for an answer, such as Xylan or FEP, for your manufacturing process? Coating Systems, Inc of Harrison OH is able to custom coat your product for durability, reliability and resistance to corrosion are only a few of coating benefits. Contact us today for a free quote or sample.
