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How does one know which lubricant is the best fit for a given application? Typically, it
is as simple as searching through a maintenance manual and selecting a product from the QPL (qualified product list). Unfortunately, this solution may not always provide optimum lubrication for a given gear set, or maximum efficiency in managing lubricant inventory. While some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) provide generic specifications that consider pertinent parameters, others give only a general specification that may not even consider operating temperatures. It is therefore important for the individuals responsible for selecting lubricants to posses a fundamental understanding of how to specify lubricants for gearing. In addition to understanding and being able to interpret the specifications given by equipment manufacturers, it is important to understand why, and be able to make changes when necessary. When selecting lubricants for industrial gearing, numerous factors must be considered beyond simply selecting a product from the maintenance manuals QPL, including product availability, operating conditions, the preferred lubricant brand and product consolidation efforts. Proper lubricant selection is a cornerstone of any excellent lubrication program. A good understanding of this allows the lubrication engineer to maximize machinery reliability under normal conditions, as well as use lubricant specification as a problem solver in abnormal conditions.
Selection Criteria
In order to choose the best lubricant for a gear set, the following criteria must be addressed: Viscosity Often referred to as the most important property of a lubricating oil. Additives The additive package used in the lubricant will determine the lubricants general category and affects various key performance properties under operating conditions. Base Oil Type The type of base oil used should be determined by the operating conditions, gear type and other factors.
Viscosity
Choosing an appropriate viscosity grade is usually as simple as finding the recommendation in a components maintenance manual. Unfortunately, the manual does not always exist or the machine operates outside the conditions for which the OEMs recommendations were made. Therefore, it is important to understand the methods for
viscosity selection and the factors that affect the requirement. The viscosity for a gear lubricant is primarily chosen to provide a desired film thickness between interacting surfaces at a given speed and load. Because it is difficult to determine the load for most viscosity selection methods, the load is assumed and the determining factor becomes speed. One of the most common methods for determining viscosity is the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and AGMA (American Gear Manufacturers Association) standard ANSI/AGMA 9005-E02. In this method, assumptions are made concerning the load, viscosity index and the pressure-viscosity coefficient of the lubricant. The chart in Figure 1 is applicable to spur, helical and beveled enclosed gear sets. Other charts exist for worm gears and open gearing. To use this method, the type of gear set, gear geometry, operating temperature and the speed of the slow speed gear must be determined. After calculating the pitch-line velocity of the slowest gear in the unit, the required viscosity grade can be read from the chart using the highest likely operating temperature of the unit. It is important to note that this method assumes the viscosity temperature relationship of the lubricant (viscosity index = 90). If the VI of the lubricant deviates from this value, additional tables for oils with VI = 120 and 160 are included, or a viscosity-temperature plot can be used to interpolate the appropriate ISO viscosity grade.
Figure 1 (click here to enlarge) Although several common methods for gear lubricant viscosity grade selection are available, most should return similar values.
make this determination, the selection is somewhat subjective. Many equipment manufacturers will specify a viscosity requirement and leave this decision to the end user. Others will choose to be conservative and specify EP lubricants for the applications. It is therefore important to understand the general conditions that affect this requirement.
be corrosive to machine surfaces, especially at high temperatures. This type of additive may also be corrosive to yellow metals and should not be used in applications with components made of these materials, such as worm gears.
Selecting lubricants for industrial gearing is similar in most applications. There is no specific property or value to create a good specification. To identify the best choice for a given application, the right viscosity, base oil and type of lubricant must be selected and the appropriate performance properties evaluated. For more information on this topic, please see the references listed below.
References