Lubricant grease plays a critical role in ensuring smooth machinery operation and protecting equipment from excessive wear and damage. However, many companies make poor decisions when selecting grease for their machines, often due to limited technical knowledge or cost driven choices. These mistakes may include using the wrong grease type, ignoring operating temperature ranges, or failing to consider load and environmental conditions.
As a result, equipment can experience premature failure, increased friction, and accelerated component wear. This not only raises maintenance and repair costs but can also lead to unexpected production stoppages that disrupt business operations.
By understanding these common lubrication mistakes, businesses can take proactive steps to improve equipment reliability, extend machinery lifespan, and avoid unnecessary downtime. Proper grease selection and informed lubrication practices ultimately support efficient operations, consistent productivity, and long-term profitability.
Most purchasing departments would only ensure that the grease they use is the cheapest. Cost control is important, but picking grease based on price usually fails. Inexpensive greases might lack required additives or use poor base oils that degrade easily during use.
Greases that require frequent replenishment or cause equipment impairment are much more expensive in the long term than high-quality greases. The costs of equipment downtime, regreasing labor, and repairs quickly surpass any savings from them. A single bearing failure may incur thousands in repair costs and wasted time.
Knowledgeable companies had to consider the grease as part of the total cost of ownership, not just the purchase price. Quality grease that lasts twice as long without failures provides better value, even though it is more expensive to buy. Divide the real cost of application frequency and equipment protection.
Other companies aim to simplify maintenance by ensuring that all equipment uses the same type of grease. Although this method appears effective, other machines require various kinds of lubricants. Greases used in high-speed bearings are not the same as those used in slow, heavy-load bearings.
Using the wrong type of grease leads to various issues. Low-speed grease later developed can settle in high-speed bearings. Grease, which is of heavy-duty, cannot be so rigid that it may not be precise in equipment. Every incompatibility decreases the life and performance of the equipment.
Have a limited stock of specialized greases to meet equipment needs. To cover the entire range of applications, most facilities require only three to five types of grease. This is a good choice of lubrication that is not too complicated.
Each grease has certain temperature limits within which it works well. When these limits are exceeded, grease is split, oxidized, or expelled from bearings. Low temperatures make grease too hard to lubricate adequately.
Hot equipment requires grease that is suitable for high temperatures. Normal greases degrade easily at temperatures above the quotient. Base oil separates from the thickener, leaving dry soap, which destroys bearings.
The low temperatures make the grease stiff, preventing it from being distributed using bearings. Cold storage or outdoor equipment also requires low-temperature, non-hardening grease. Equipment that is loaded with hard grease damages components instantly.
To check the equipment, set the operating temperatures and grease selection. Both standard and extreme conditions should be included in the evaluation. Machinery that has temperature changes requires grease that covers the entire range.
Grease contains additives that address specific load pressures. Light-duty greases are not formulated with such additives and cannot withstand heavy-duty applications.
Machines such as crushers, mixers, and bearings under load produce high-intensity pressures. They need greases containing EP additives that create protective layers that eliminate contact between metals during stressful situations.
Light-duty grease should not be used in heavy-duty applications because it wears out quickly. Components from scoring, spalling, and premature failures. The replacement cost of damaged parts is much higher than the cost of choosing the right greases.
Speed influences grease selection. Friction generates heat from high-speed equipment. The grease should be able to dissipate this heat and have protective films at high surface velocities.
Highly thermally stable synthetic greases are required for high-speed bearings. The liquidity also enables an even distribution without much churning. The thick greases cause excessive friction and excessive heat in fast-rotating bearings.
Thickener greases reduce friction for slow-moving equipment. Less costly mineral-based products can be used in these applications. Under speed decreases the level of heat and permits heavier consistencies.
The various types of greases usually have conflicting thickeners or base oils. Combining incompatible greases can trigger chemical reactions that degrade lubrication. The mixture can be hard, separate, or fluid, and it can lose its protective properties.
Mixing also occurs during equipment servicing, where workers introduce new grease without removing the old. It also happens when firms change grease brands without cleaning equipment. The mixing of various greases by maintenance staff on the same equipment will pose a problem.
Make a policy on when to change greases. Clean off all the old grease before you put on the new types. Wrap the grease guns with labels to avoid mixing. Always wash bearings when changing grease types.
Machines contacting chemicals, solvents, or process liquids need resistant grease chemicals. Standard greases melt or are broken down upon coming into contact with incompatible substances. This exposes the equipment to the environment, leading to rapid breakdown.
Grease used under wet conditions should be waterproof. Marine equipment, food processing, and outdoor machinery are constantly exposed to moisture. Normal greases are water-soluble and remove the protection.
Dusty places require grease, which shields against particle pollution. Tacky formulations help to exclude abrasive particles in bearings. These protective features are applicable in mining, agriculture, and construction equipment.
An NLGI number from 000 (very soft) to 6 (very hard) rates the consistency of greases. Most are applied with NLGI 2, which has a consistency comparable to peanut butter. Various pieces of equipment require different levels of consistency to work well.
Thick grease must be used in vertical shafts and linkages to avoid dripping. Components are unprotected because the thin grease is running off. Most vertical applications use NLGI grades 2 or 3.
Tight clearance precision bearings require easy-flowing grease. NLGI 1 or 0 grades are superior to filled areas. Greasy lubrication does not penetrate and results in lubrication starvation.
Open grease containers accumulate moisture, dirt, and debris. Grease that has been contaminated and put into equipment damages instantly. Even minute particles are abrasive, increasing wear.
Oil separation occurs when grease is stored in hot places. A cold storage can contain grease that is too thick to pump. The two extremes reduce the grease's quality before use.
Seal grease containers when not in use. Keep in mild temperature environments and dry places. Use grease within the manufacturer's shelf life. Stale grease is deprived of additives and protection.
The maintenance staff usually has no training on the grease selection and use. They might not know the unnecessary reasons why certain greases are required when using particular equipment. This lack of knowledge leads to incorrect replacements and errors in applications.
Excessive and inadequate greasing is bad. Excessive grease produces excessive heat by churning. Insufficient amounts result in uncovered elements. Good practice demands learning and training.
Manufacturers of equipment determine the type of grease to use through testing and engineering studies. These suggestions will maintain optimal operating conditions and maximize the equipment's life. This is because negligence in specification results in the nullification of warranties.
Replacing alternative greases without adequate verification of their equivalency is risky. Products can be similar and yet have other additives or formulas. These variations may damage the equipment.
Whenever choosing grease, always begin with the specifications of producers. In the event of substitutions, ensure full compatibility. Consult on lubricant suppliers to identify suitable alternative products.
Many plants lack mechanisms to monitor the destination of grease. They get whatever grease is available rather than products. Such randomness leads to mixing issues and incorrect applications.
Regreasing intervals that are not documented are missed or done more than once. In both cases, equipment is damaged. Lubrication starvation will result from missed intervals. Excessive grease wastes product and damages seals.
Develop precise lubrication plans for equipment. Write the right product and interval on each grease point. Keep the records of the amounts and grease applications. Such documentation helps avoid mistakes and enables analysis.
Synthetic greases have better performance under harsh conditions. They have a broader temperature distribution, they are long-lasting, and offer protection compared to those based on minerals. Although costlier in the short run, they can be more valuable.
Synthetic greases are useful for high-temperature applications, extreme cold, high speeds, and prolonged regreasing. The expensive equipment used in severe environments warrants it by lowering failures and extending the lifespan.
Estimate the benefits of certain longer drain intervals and longer downtimes. Many critical applications can afford to switch to synthetic greases despite the increased product cost. The enhanced reliability usually compensates for the investments.
Companies are tempted to seize all available resources during an emergency. This has a sense of urgency that leads to poor decisions that cause long-term problems. Proper selection allows time to be taken to avoid problems in the future.
Checks the requirements of research equipment. Check technical data sheets of several suppliers. Look at the product specifications and compare them, not to what the company claims its product is. Experimental greases should be tested on low-cost equipment and then widely implemented.
Establish contacts with informed lubricant distributors. They are skilled in making complicated choices. Suppliers who deliver quality supplies provide technical support and training for problem-solving.
When choosing the lubricant grease, several important factors must be carefully evaluated to ensure optimal equipment performance. These factors include operating temperature, load conditions, speed, environmental exposure, and the type of machinery being used. Selecting a grease that matches these conditions helps reduce friction, minimize wear, and prevent premature component failure.
Companies that follow a structured approach to understanding their lubrication requirements gain a strong competitive advantage, as properly lubricated equipment operates more reliably and efficiently. This reliability directly contributes to lower maintenance frequency, reduced downtime, and extended equipment lifespan.
Although the process of selecting the right grease may require additional time and technical assessment at the beginning, this effort is quickly justified. Over time, the correct choice of lubricant grease results in consistent performance, improved safety, and years of smooth, trouble-free operation, ultimately leading to significant long-term cost savings.
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