The purpose of a lubricant is to reduce the amount of friction between two surfaces. In some cases, the base oil in the oil or grease may not have enough lubricity to perform this function sufficiently. The component metallurgy may also require special chemistry. For example, with worm gears, traditional extreme-pressure or anti-wear additives often are too chemically aggressive for the softer yellow metals. In this situation, friction modifiers are added to increase the oil’s lubricity.
I recently came across an oil called ISOFORM 900 in the metal-forming process. Can you describe its physical properties and its equivalent use?”
many industrialized countries have regulations restricting noise levels in the workplace. The high-power density and corresponding high noise emission of hydraulic components cause industrial hydraulic systems to be the target of efforts to reduce mean noise levels.
“Could you suggest if and how I can reduce the viscosity of a mineral oil? For example, I have an oil with a viscosity grade of 68 and want to change it to a viscosity grade of 32. I know one way is to mix it with the same grade of oil from the same producer of a lower viscosity. Some have suggested mixing it with fuel.”
Constant progress is part of life. We may rail against it at times, but we can’t stop it. And, it manifests itself in many different ways.
In engineering, we’ve grown accustomed to machines and their component parts becoming stronger, lighter, cheaper, smaller, more powerful and more efficient.
