From "Tribology Data Handbook"

Whenever a proactive maintenance strategy is applied, three steps are necessary to ensure that its benefits are achieved. Because proactive maintenance, by definition, involves continuous monitoring and controlling of machine failure root causes, the first step is simply to set a target, or standard, associated with each root cause.

In oil analysis, root causes of greatest importance relate to fluid contamination (particles, moisture, heat, coolant, etc.) and additive degradation. However, the process of defining precise and challenging targets (for example, high cleanliness) is only the first step. Control of the fluid's conditions within these targets must then be achieved and sustained. This is the second step and often includes an audit of how fluids become contaminated and then systematically eliminating these entry points. Better filtration and the use of separators are often required.

The third step is the vital action element of providing the feedback loop of an oil analysis program. When exceptions occur (for example, over target results) remedial actions can then be immediately commissioned. Using the proactive maintenance strategy, contamination control becomes a disciplined activity of monitoring and controlling high fluid cleanliness, not a crude activity of trending dirt levels.

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"What is meant by the oil viscosity of a grease?"

We can think of greases as thickened lubricating oils. The part of the lubricating grease that actually performs the work in the loaded bearing is the oil in the grease, not the thickener in the grease. The truth is that they work hand in hand, but the determining factor in a grease's ability to support a load is the oil viscosity. In the supplier's Product Data Sheet, the oil viscosity is listed just below the grease NLGI rating. For highly loaded equipment, it is generally wise to use grease with heavy base oils. In high-speed equipment, it is generally wise to use greases with moderate viscosity oils.

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