SELECTING PERFORMANCE GREASE: Ten Crucial Questions

Presented 4-13-2006 By Don Oldiges

Ten Crucial Questions

Principles of Selection
Manufacturer recommendations
Manufacturers usually provide a list of lubricants that meet the operating requirements for their equipment. (note that the equipment manufacturer's recommendation should not necessarily be considered the best selection.

Lubricant producer recommendations

When manufacturers recommend lubricants for their products in terms of specifications or required qualities rather than particular brand names, lubricant producers should be consulted to obtain advice on products that comply with the required specifications.

User selection
The user should follow the manufacturer's specification ensure that applicable criteria are met regardless of who makes the lubricant selection.

Ten Crucial Questions

Demands on Grease Performance

Challenging Environments Environmentally Friendly

Temperature Extremes
Heavy Loads High Speeds Long Life

Ten Crucial Questions

Performance Objectives of Grease

To remain in contact with moving surfaces and provide lubrication even under the stress of gravity, centrifugal action or pressure. To retain its properties under use conditions at all levels of shear and temperature. While performing the above, the grease must still be able to flow or be pumped where it is needed.

Ten Crucial Questions

1: Know When to Use Grease

Applications suitable for performance grease.
Machinery that is idle for long periods.

Functional Properties
Sealant to minimize leakage
Sealant to minimize contamination Rigidity holds it in place where its needed

Moving parts that are Sealed for Life

Surfaces that are exposed to extreme conditions. Extending the life of worn components.

Holds finely ground solid lubricants like moly or teflon.

Ten Crucial Questions

2: Know the Types of Grease

Grease is classified by penetration number and by type of soap or other thickener. Aluminum, conventional Aluminum, complex Calcium, conventional Calcium, anhydrous Calcium, complex Lithium, conventional Lithium, complex Polyurea Organo-clay Silicone

Ten Crucial Questions

What is Grease?
Grease
Additive Buyer
Antioxidant Antiwear Antirust Anticorrosion Extreme pressure VI Improver Tackifier Pour Point Depressant Solid Boundary Lubricants Dye

Thickener Seller
Soap
Lithium, Sodium, Barium, Calcium, Aluminum

Fluid Seller Lubricant

Petroleum Oils Polyalpha Olefins (PAO) Polybutenes Esters Polyglycols Polyethers Silicones PFPE

Non-Soap (inorganic)
Clay, Graphite, Silica Carbon Black

Non-Soap (organic) Polyurea, PTFE, Wax

Ten Crucial Questions

Grease Compatibility Chart

All greases are not created equal, caution must be exercised when replacing or refilling a grease.
Calcium 12-Hydroxy Lithium 12-Hydroxy Aluminum Complex Calcium Complex Lithium Complex Polyurea

Calcium

Lithium

Barium

Clay

Aluminum Complex
Barium Calcium Calcium 12-Hydroxy Calcium Complex Clay Lithium Lithium 12-Hydroxy Lithium Complex Polyurea

C
I I C I I B B C B

I
C I C I I I I I I

I
I C C I C C B C I

C
C C C B C C C C I

I
I I C C I I I C C

I
I C C I C I I I I

B
I C C I I C C C I

B
I B C I I C C C I

C
I C C C I C C C I

B
I I I C I I I I C

C = Usually compatible. B = Borderline compatibility (probably incompatible). I = Incompatible

Ten Crucial Questions

What Do Most People Use?

Li Complex 15%

Li Conventional 53%

2004 Global Production per NLGI Survey

Ten Crucial Questions

3: Know your Classifications

Professional societies and organizations have established classifications for oil and grease. The most widely encountered are those of the following organizations:

SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) API (American Petroleum Institute) AGMA (American Gear Manufacturers Association), ISO (International Standards Organization) NLGI (National Lubricating Grease Institute).

Ten Crucial Questions

NLGI grease classification

NLGI Number
000

ASTM Worked Penetration

445 - 475

Consistency
Semi-fluid (Ketchup)

00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

400 - 430
355 385 310 340 265 295 220 250 175 205 130 160 85 - 115

Semi-fluid
Very soft Soft

(Applesauce)
(Deli Mustard) (Tomato Paste)

Common Grease (Peanut Butter) Semi-hard Hard Very Hard Solid (Solid Shortening) (Frozen Yogurt) (Hard Butter)

(Brick Cheddar Cheese)

Ten Crucial Questions

4: Know the Typical Performance Properties of Each type of Grease

Shear Stability
Oil Separation Pumpability Max Usable Temp F Water Resistance Salt Water Resistance Rust Protection Oxidation Stability Lubricity Thermal Stability

Aluminum, conventional Aluminum, complex Calcium, conventional Calcium, anhydrous Calcium, complex Lithium, conventional Lithium, complex

175 350 200 230 350 275 350

Polyurea
Organo-clay Sodium

350
350 350

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Ten Crucial Questions

5: Know Any Special Requirements

Special Performance Requirements Federal Specs and Standards Mil Specs and Standards Food Grade Specifications ISO Standards ASTM Specifications
EXAMPLES MIL-G-3545 High Temperature Grease MIL-G-4343B Grease, Pneumatic System MIL-G-7711 GeneralEXAMPLES Purpose EP Grease Category - H1 MIL-G-18458 Lubricants - General Wire Rope Grease Incidental Contact MIL-G-21164C Category - H2 Grease, Moly Disulfide Lubricants - General No MIL-G-25760 Contact Synthetic Grease Category - H3 MIL-G-46886 Soluble Oils Silicone Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

6: Know the Grease Characteristics Required for the Application

Apparent Viscosity (non-Newtonian) Bleeding, Migration, Oil Separation Consistency, Penetration, NLGI Numbers Corrosion, Rust and Water Resistance Dropping Point Evaporation Oxidation Stability Pumpability Shear Stability Temperature effects Pressure Effects

Ten Crucial Questions

Typical Grease Tests

Test
Cone Penetration

ASTM Test Description Method

D-217 Depth a cone pushes into grease

Dropping Point
Apparent Viscosity 4 Ball Wear Evaporation Copper Corrosion Water Washout Rust Resistance Oxidation Stability

D-2265
D-1092 D-2266 D-972 D-4048 D-1264 D-1743 D-942

Temperature where grease melts

Thickness of grease Apply load until balls weld Weight loss from grease Chemical reactivity with metal Removal of grease by water Protection of iron & steels Storage stability

Ten Crucial Questions

Common Test Equipment

Penetrometer Grease Worker

Ten Crucial Questions

What is Penetration?
ASTM D-217

Penetration with respect to a lubricating grease, is the depth (in tenths of a millimeter) that a standard cone penetrates a sample of the grease under prescribed conditions of weight, time, and temperature. Penetration is a measure of consistency of a grease to determine its plasticity.

Ten Crucial Questions

Grease Shear Stability Motor-Matic Grease Worker Test

ASTM D-217-A

Shear or mechanical stability of a grease is its ability to withstand repeated working with minimum change in its structure or stability.

The shearing action in the test apparatus simulates the working of the grease in service.
The consistency is measured after 60 strokes and repeated after 10,000 or more strokes.

Ten Crucial Questions

Four Ball EP Test

ASTM D-2783

The test is the determination of the load-carrying capacity of a lubricant in kilograms applied to a system of four steel balls in the form of a tetrahedron. The results are used to evaluate the EP characteristic of the lubricant by a load scar curve and weld point.

The procedure consists of a series of 10-second runs made at preselected and successively higher loads until the welding of the four balls occurs.

Ten Crucial Questions

Simple Rotational Viscometer ("Brookfield type")

This device measures fluid viscosity at fixed rotation speeds by driving a measurement tool ("spindle"), immersed in the test fluid, through a calibrated torsion spring. Viscous drag of the fluid against the spindle causes the spring to deflect, and this deflection is correlated with torque. The calculated shear rate depends on the rotation speed, the tool geometry, and the size and shape of the sample container. Conversion factors are needed to calculate viscosity from the measured torque, and are typically pre-calibrated for specific tool and container geometries.

Viscosity Grade Comparisons

Kinematic Viscosity cSt @ 40C
2,000

Ten Crucial Questions

Saybolt Viscosity Universal Seconds @ 100F

10,000

1,000

5,000

500

3,000 2,000

300

200

1,000

100

500

50

300 200

30 100

20

10 ISO/ASTM Viscosity AGMA Grades SAE Crank Case Oils SAE Gear Oil

60

Ten Crucial Questions

7: Know how the Grease is Applied

Automatic lubricating systems Pressure Injectors Metering pump Hand operated grease applicator Cartridge Grease Gun Grease Filler Pump Brush

Ten Crucial Questions

Example of a Large Automatic Lube Application System

Ten Crucial Questions

8: Know the Packaging Required & Available

Small Containers

Cartridges

Aerosols

Pails Drums or Totes

Ten Crucial Questions

9: Know the Marketing/Supply Channel

Where do I go to get Good grease?
Performance Grease

SUPPLIER
GREASE MAKER DISTRIBUTOR PRIVATE LABELER

CO-OP/ BUYING GROUP

Ten Crucial Questions

10: Know the Life Cycle Fate

Renewable & Safe
Distribution Warehouse

Consumer

Packaged Grease

Performance Grease
Disposal Environmentally Responsible

Raw Materials

Ten Crucial Questions

QUESTIONS???

Ten Crucial Questions

Ten Crucial Questions

Anhydrous Calcium Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Bentonite Clay Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Calcium Complex Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Lithium Complex Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Lithium 12-Hydroxy Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Aluminum Complex Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Silicone Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Fluorosilicone Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Polyurea Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Fatty Acids for Grease

Ten Crucial Questions

Grease Reactions

Ten Crucial Questions

Trimer Reaction

Ten Crucial Questions

PAO 4

Ten Crucial Questions

PAO 40

Ten Crucial Questions

ExxonMobil Synthetic Oils