Grease

What is Grease?

By definition, grease is a semi-solid lubricant made by thickeners, base oils and additives. The essential function of both lubricants, oils and greases, is to decrease friction and wear.

Types

Greases are mainly divided into three main types as:

• Aluminum-based greases
• Calcium-based greases
• Lithium-based greases

Properties

1. Penetration and Consistency: Consistency, expressed as the distance that a standard needle or cone penetrates vertically into a sample of the grease.
2. Dropping Point: The temperature at which the first drop of liquid separates when grease is heated under prescribed conditions.
3. Texture: The texture of grease is observed when a small portion of it is pressed together and then slowly, drawn apart. Texture can describe as: Buttery, Long Fibers, Short Fibers, Stringy, and so on.
4. Color: The color of grease is related to the components, so it could not be a sign of grease quality.
5.  Filler: Any substance such as talc, mica or various powders which may be added to greases, but isn’t considered as being primarily intended to enhance the lubricating properties of the grease.
6. Resistance to softening room temperature: The resistance to softening room temperature is the property of grease, which shows its service life in ambient temperature.
7. Water resistance: The resistance of a lubricating grease to adverse effects to the addition of water to the lubricant system.
8. Pumpability: Is the flow characteristic of grease that permit satisfactory delivery from lines, nozzles and subsequent lubrication of moving components.
9. Incompatibility: When a mixture of two greases shows physical properties or service performances which are markedly inferior to those of either of the greases before mixing, they are incompatible. Performance or properties inferior to one of the products and superior to the other may not be due to incompatibility.

Lubricating greases have a number of advantages over lubricating fluids:

• Less frequent applications are required
• Easier to handle
• Dripping are nearly eliminated by sealing characteristic of grease
• More efficiently in high temperature and pressure
• Better surface adherence
• Simple designing of lubrication systems

Applications

• Rolling elements and plain bearing
• Electric motors bearing
• Compressors and pumps
• Machine tools conveyor belts
• General lubrication where an EP grease is appropriate
• Heavy duty bearings and general industrial lubrication
• Heavy duty plain and rolling element bearings