What I Found Out About E-Lubes

I wouldn't necessarily use the word 'assault' to describe some of the feedback I received from my e-lubes commentary last month. I would, however, say that there are some overly zealous independent lubricant distributors out there who have strong opinions about the lubes they sell.

I wanted to know where our readers were buying lubricants on the Web and how they liked the process. Many lube e-tailer customers wrote and expressed that buying lubes online has saved them time, money and generally works well. For example, Chris Knaus with Otscon Inc. wrote:

"The determining factor for our company to purchase online oil products was the ability to quickly and efficiently locate and evaluate product sources. This alleviated the lengthy process of phone calls, travel and supplier visits. As a safety device supplier for the automotive world, quality, performance and on-time delivery is a must, all of which were provided by the Web-based buying experience."

I had to chuckle when I read one e-mail in which an independent dealer felt he had to slam online lube sales to justify his "superior" product:

"If you save 30 percent on the cost of the lube, is it possible for you to lose 60 percent on the long-term durability and operating cost of the equipment?"

My thoughts are that if you've done your homework and have detailed lubricant specifications for your applications, you will make smart purchases, online or not.

Just a year ago, I could easily name at least half-a-dozen companies that were selling or auctioning industrial lubes on the Web. Now, after an extensive search, I find only three:

www.lubeplanet.com
www.gulflubes.com
www.amsoil.com

If you are familiar with these companies, you know that they are as different as different can be. If you are disappointed that your supplier isn't on the list, let him know. After all, demand drives supply, right?

Mike Ramsey
mramsey@noria.com

Book Bits

From "Machinery Failure Analysis and Troubleshooting":

A rather large number of factors influences lubricating oil degradation and, consequently, pump bearing life. If your centrifugal pumps are equipped with rolling element bearings, there is little doubt that medium viscosity turbine oils (ISO Grade 68) will perform better than the lighter oils originally specified by many pump manufacturers. But by far, the most frequent cause of lube-oil-related failure incidents is water and dirt contamination. With only 20 ppm water in pure mineral oil, bearing surface and rolling element fatigue life is reduced by an incredible 48 percent. Although the fatigue life reduction is less pronounced with inhibited lubricants, there are always compelling reasons to exclude dirt and water from pump bearing housings. Lip seals are a poor choice for centrifugal pump installations demanding high reliability. Face seals represent superior, "hermetic" sealing and should be given serious consideration.

Click here for more information about "Machinery Failure Analysis and Troubleshooting".

Today's Tip

• Create a lube panel located in a convenient location on or near the machine so that hard to reach grease fittings can be centrally located using line extensions. This makes greasing the machine faster and more convenient for the operator or lube tech doing the PM - a "PM that is Made Quick and Easy is a PM that gets done." (Tip submitted by Karl A. Parrott Sr., Total Productive Maintenance Coordinator, Timken Super Precision)

Each tip published will earn the sender $25. Click here to submit your tip.

Q & A

"Can you filter out oxidation and if so what is the best method? I have heard that oxidation is a permanent chemical change and cannot be filtered out."

Figuratively oxidation can be filtered, that is, it can be slowed or reduced through proactive maintenance practices (cleaner, dryer, cooler, etc.).

In reality, oxidation cannot be filtered because oxidation is a chemical aging process driven by catalysts such as high temperature, water, air, metals (in the form of wear debris and contamination) and other contaminants such as fuels and process chemicals. Hence minimizing the ingress of these will reduce or significantly slow the oxidation rate of the oil resulting in longer lubricant life.

However, by-products of oxidation such as acids and fine polar insolubles can be removed by the use of advanced separation technologies such as electrostatic separators, ion-exchange resins, and activated alumina. Additionally, dense absorbent depth-media (compressed cellulose, etc.) such as commonly used on by-pass and off-line filters, can be effective at removing sludge and oxide insolubles. Because oxidation is auto-catalytic, the removal of oxides can help slow further oxidation.

Once these by-products have been scavenged from the oil, the antioxidants will have likely been depleted. In many cases, the antioxidant can be reconstructed on the guidance of your lubricant supplier. A bleed and feed is sometimes recommended to refresh additives. Of course, once the oxidation process reaches a certain advanced stage, the oil's properties may be too severely impaired to continue in service.

Jim Fitch, Noria Corporation