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Author: mandr-lard

To understand how greases work you must first understand what components make up a grease. The three primary components of grease are: OIL 80-95% THICKENER 5-20% ADDITIVES 0-10% With oil being the largest component in a grease, the viscosity and type of oil is very important. Just as you pick an oil for an application you should also understand the oil component for a grease application because it is the oil that provides the lubrication needed in an application.
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What is micropitting? Micropitting is a surface fatigue phenomenon mainly observed in gears but can also occur in rolling element bearings. Micropitting causes destructive wear that can occur within the first few hours of operation. If left uncontrolled, significant equipment failures may occur. While many factors can contribute to the generation of micropitting, surface roughness and lubricant selection are key factors. Micropitting is not a new phenomenon. It has become much more prominent as gearbox design has evolved with the use of case hardened or carburized gears. Gearbox technology has achieved significant reductions in gearbox size while increasing power throughput capability. This has required all design components, including the gear oil, to improve their performance capabilities.
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The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has established a numerical code system for grading motor oils according to their viscosity characteristics. SAE viscosity gradings gradings include the following from low to high viscosity: 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 include the following, from low to high viscosity: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 or 60. The numbers 0, 5, 10, 15 and 25 are suffixed with the letter W, designating they are "winter" (not "weight") or cold-start viscosity, at lower temperature. The document SAE J300 defines the viscometrics related to these grades. Kinematic viscosity is graded by measuring the time it takes for a standard amount of oil to flow through a standard orifice, at standard temperatures. The longer it takes, the higher the viscosity and thus higher SAE code.
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Oil system leaks can be bad for a multitude of reasons. Two of the largest issues with leaks are the environmental impacts and the monetary loss of quality product. The below chart courtesy of ExxonMobil gives you an idea of how even small leaks left unchecked can really add up over a year’s time. One unique way of finding and pinpointing the source of stubborn leaks is by using an ultraviolet dye and a ultraviolet black light. These ultraviolet leak detection surveys can go along way in saving your product from leaking on the ground causing you much bigger issues down the road. At Lard Oil Company we believe “EVERY DROP COUNTS”. So let us help you find those pesky leaks and save you money.
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Industrial preventive maintenance utilizing automated systems is the way of the future – for safe, effective and longterm cost-savings turn to perma automatic lubrication systems. You will get the best technical solution for every lubrication point and gain more time for other important tasks.
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Over time, as companies change/upgrade equipment, it’s not uncommon for them to begin using multiple types of lubricants. This can lead to a variety of unforeseen complications. It can add complexity to inventory management practices, as well as lubricant storage and handling procedures, which can increase the risk of application errors. That’s why using high performance, multipurpose synthetic lubricants is highly recommended.
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The decision between using an oil or grease for bearing lubrication should be made only after carefully considering several factors:
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Often, as a result of space constraints, plant managers store lubricant drums outdoors. Storing drums outside is not ideal because the benefits of this space-saving solution are significantly compromised when drums are left uncovered and exposed to a number of environmental conditions that can have a negative effect on the performance of the oil, even before it begins its service-life.
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