“Is it necessary to use the manufacturer's recommended lubricant for motor lubrication?”

Neglecting the manufacturer's recommendations for any piece of equipment may lead to potential failures of the machinery. Of course, there are several factors that contribute to this such as environmental conditions, load, speed and temperature.

A healthy motor lubrication is about following the recommended procedures as per the instructions specified by your manufacturer. And, the role of oil lubricators can be overlooked. They make it easier to pump oil from a reservoir and fed into the air flow, a drop at a time. They are built using a regulating screw on the top which controls the amount of oil that is being pumped out within a specific timeframe. Your manufacturer might have provided you with the guidelines to use a certain type of oil lubricator that fits best to the recommended lubricant. If not, ask an expert before giving it a try.

Whenever a new machine or a new component is installed, the very first thing to be addressed is what type of lubricant to use. Generally, the equipment will be provided with a recommendation from the manufacturer. While this might be slightly unclear, it can provide critical viscosity information.

Base oil viscosity is one of the most essential properties manufacturers consider when making recommendations for a lubricant. The lubricant should be decided taking into account several factors, such as speed, load and environment temperatures. While you are right to choose a lubricant that is recommended by the manufacturer, keep in mind that the working conditions where the machine is operating might be different from those specified/tested by the manufacturer.

The base oil is a key factor. Group I base oils are some of the inexpensive base oils available on the market and are refined through an easy refining process. Group II base oils are typically manufactured by hydrocracking and are being used tremendously in the current applications. They are more lucid and have superior antioxidation properties. Group III base oils are rigorously hydrocracked. They are also defined as synthesized hydrocarbons and are designed to obtain a purer base oil. Group IV base oils are polyalphaolefins (PAOs). These synthetic base oils are produced using the process of synthesizing. Group V base oils include all other base oils, for example, polyalkylene glycols (PAGs), phosphate esters, etc. These oils are sometimes amalgamated with other base stocks to improve oil properties.

Another aspect to be considered is additive packages. Additives usually play three crucial roles – they enhance the base oil with antioxidants, foam agents, and corrosion inhibitors; they work to control your base oil properties with pour-point depressants and viscosity index improvers; and to provide new properties to the base oil using extreme-pressure additives, metal de-activators and detergents.

Using the appropriate lubricant with a compatible oil lubricator is imperative for precise motor lubrication and to maintain the motor bearing performance. It is best to stick to the manufacturer's recommendations when selecting the most appropriate lubricant for your machinery. Not paying enough attention to this may lead to bearing failures and shortened bearing life.