TERM PAPER

OF

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

TOPIC-CUTTING FLUIDS & LUBRICANTS

BY
Abdul Aziz

10807150

N4805A01

DIP.in ME (122)

Cutting fluid
Cutting fluid is a type of coolant and lubricant designed specifically for metalworking and
machining processes. There are various kinds of cutting fluids, which include oils, oil-water
emulsions, pastes, gels, and mists. They may be made from petroleum distillates, animal fats,
plant oils, or other raw ingredients. Depending on context and on which type of cutting fluid is
being considered, it may be referred to as cutting fluid, cutting oil, cutting compound, coolant, or
lubricant.

Most metalworking and machining processes can benefit from the use of cutting fluid, depending
on workpiece material. A common exception to this is machining cast iron or brass, which are
machined dry. Also, interrupted cuts, such as milling with carbide cutters, are usually
recommended to be used dry due to damage to the cutters caused by thermoshock.
The properties that are sought after in a good cutting fluid are the ability to:

• keep the workpiece at a stable temperature (critical when working to close tolerances).
Very warm is OK, but extremely hot or alternating hot-and-cold are avoided.
• maximize the life of the cutting tip by lubricating the working edge and reducing tip
welding.
• ensure safety for the people handling it (toxicity, bacteria, fungi) and for the environment
upon disposal.
• prevent rust on machine parts and cutters.

Contents
• introduction.of cutting fluids
• Cutting Fluid Application Strategies

• Cutting Fluid Effects in Machining

• Cutting Fluid Selection Criteria

• Cutting Fluid Maintenance and DisposalIntroduction to Cutting Fluids

• Functions
o 1.1 Cooling
o 1.2 Lubrication
• Delivery methods
• Types
o Liquids
o Pastes or gels
o Mists
o Past
• Safety concerns
• Degradation

Introduction to Cutting Fluids

Cutting fluids are used in metal machining for a variety of reasons such as improving tool life,
reducing workpiece thermal deformation, improving surface finish and flushing away chips from
the cutting zone. Practically all cutt ing fluids presently in use fall into one of four categories:

• Straight oils
• Soluble oils
• Semisynthetic fluids
• Synthetic fluids
Straight oils are non-emulsifiable and are used in machining operations in an undiluted form.
They are composed of a base mineral or petroleum oil and often contains polar lubricants such as
fats, vegetable oils and esters as well as extreme pressure additives such as Chlorine, Sulphur
and Phosphorus. Straight oils provide the best lubrication and the poorest cooling characteristics
among cutting fluids.

Synthetic Fluids contain no petroleum or mineral oil base and instead are formulated from
alkaline inorganic and organic compounds along with additives for corrosion inhibition. They are
generally used in a diluted form (usual concent ration = 3 to 10%). Synthetic fluids often provide
the best cooling performance among all cutting fluids.

Soluble Oil Fluids form an emulsion when mixed with water. The concentrate consists of a base
mineral oil and emulsifiers to help produce a stable emulsion. They are used in a diluted form
(usual concentration = 3 to 10%) and provide good lubrication and heat transfer performance.
They are widely used in industry and are the least expensive among all cutting fluids.

Semi-synthetic fluids are esentially combination of synthetic and soluble oil fluids and have
characteristics common to both types. The cost and heat transfer performance of semi-synthetic
fluids lie between those of synthetic and sol uble oil fluids.

Cutting Fluid Application Strategies:

The principal methods of cutting fluid application include:

• Flood Application of Fluid:

a flood of cutting fluid is applied on the workpiece

• Jet Application of Fluid:

a jet of cutting fluid is applied on the workpiece directed at the cutting zone
• Mist Application of Fluid:

cutting fluid is atomised by a jet of air and the mist is directed at the cutting
zone
Cutting Fluid Effects in Machining
The primary functions of cutting fluids in machining are :

• Lubricating the cutting process primarily at low cutting speeds

• Cooling the workpiece primarily at high cutting speeds
• Flushing chips away from the cutting zone

Secondary functions include:

• Corossion protection of the machined surface

• enabling part handling by cooling the hot surface

Process effects of using cutting fluids in machining include:

• Longer Tool Life

• Reduced Thermal Deformation of Workpiece
• Better Surface Finish (in some applications)
• Ease of Chip and Swarf handling
 Cutting Fluid Selection
Criteria

The principal criteria for selection of a cutting fluid for a given machining
operation are:

• Process performance :
o Heat transfer performance
o Lubrication performance
o Chip flushing
o Fluid mist generation
o Fluid carry-off in chips
o Corrosion inhibition
o Fluid stability (for emulsions)
• Cost Performance
• Environmental Performance
• Health Hazard Performance
 Cutting Fluid Maintenance and Disposal
•
Cutting fluid maintenance involves checking the concentration of soluble oil emulsions
(using refractometers), pH (using a pH meter), the quantity of tramp oil (hydraulic oil
leaking into the cutting fluid system) and the quantity of particulates in the f luid. Action
taken to maintain the fluid includes adding make-up concentrate or water, skimming of
tramp oil, adding biocides to prevent bacterial growth and filtering the particulates by
centrifuging:
 The cutting fluid within a coolant system degrades with time due to bacterial
growth and contamination with tramp oil and fine metal swarf from the machining
operation. When it becomes uneconomical to maintain the fluid by regular make-up
operations it is dumped. Prior to letting the fluid flow into a sewer system, it should be
treated to bring the fluid composition to safe disposal levels.

Functions
Cooling

Metal cutting operations involve generation of heat due to friction between the tool and the
pieces and due to energy lost deforming the material. The surrounding air alone is a rather poor
coolant for the cutting tool, because the rate of heat transfer is low. Ambient-air cooling is
adequate for light cuts with periods of rest in between, such as are typical in maintenance, repair
and operations (MRO) work or hobbyist contexts. However, for heavy cuts and constant use,
such as in production work, more heat is produced per time period than ambient-air cooling can
remove. It is not acceptable to introduce long idle periods into the cycle time to allow the air-
cooling of the tool to "catch up" when the heat-removal can instead be accomplished with a flood
of liquid, which can "keep up" with the heat generation.

Delivery methods
Every conceivable method of applying cutting fluid (e.g., flooding, spraying, dripping, misting,
brushing) can be used, with the best choice depending on the application and the equipment
available. For many metal cutting applications the ideal has long been high-pressure, high-
volume pumping to force a stream of fluid directly into the tool-chip interface, with walls around
the machine to contain the splatter and a sump to catch, filter, and recirculate the fluid. This type
of system is commonly employed, especially in manufacturing. It is often not a practical option
for MRO or hobbyist metalcutting, where smaller, simpler machine tools are used. Fortunately it
is also not necessary in those applications, where heavy cuts, aggressive speeds and feeds, and
constant, all-day cutting are not vital.

In cutting-edge, high-volume, high-capital mass production environments such as automotive

parts, the flooding paradigm has recently been toppled from the pedestal of the single ideal by a
new method called minimal quantity of lubricant (MQL), in which aerosols, delivered with
precise targeting of location and timing, replace flooding.

Types
Liquids

There are generally three types of liquids: mineral, semi-synthetic, and synthetic. Semi-synthetic
and synthetic cutting fluids try to blend the best properties of oil into the best properties of water.
They basically achieve this by allowing oil to emulsify into water. Some of these properties are:
rust inhibition, tolerance of a wide range of water hardness (maintain pH stability around 9 to
10), ability to work with many metals, resist thermal breakdown, and environmental safety.[1]

Water is a great conductor of heat but has drawbacks as a cutting fluid. It boils easily, promotes
rusting of machine parts, and does not lubricate well. Therefore, other ingredients are necessary
to create an optimal cutting fluid.

Mineral oils, which are petroleum-based, began in the late 19th century. They vary from the
thick, dark, sulfur-rich cutting oils used in heavy industry to light, clear oils.

Semi-synthetic coolants are an emulsion or microemulsion of water with mineral oil. They began
in the 1930s. A typical CNC usually uses emulsified coolant, which consists of a small amount
of oil emulsified into a larger amount of water through the use of a detergent.

Synthetic coolants originated in the late 1950s and are usually water-based.

A hand-held refractometer is used to determine the mix ratio (also called concentration) of water
soluble coolants. Numerous other test equipment are used to determine such things as acidity,
and amount of conductivity.

Others include:

• Kerosene, rubbing alcohol, and 3-In-One Oil often give good results when working on
aluminium.
• WD-40
• Dielectric fluid is the cutting fluid used in Electrical discharge machines (EDMs). It is
usually deionized water or a high-flash-point kerosene. Intense heat is generated by the
cutting action of the electrode (or wire) and the fluid is used to stabilise the temperature
of the workpiece, along with flushing any eroded particles from the immediate work area.
The dielectric fluid is nonconductive.
 • Liquid- (water- or petroleum oil-) cooled water tables are used with the plasma arc
cutting (PAC) process.

Pastes or gels

Cutting fluid may also take the form of a paste or gel when used for some applications, in
particular hand operations such as drilling and tapping.

Mists

Some cutting fluids are used in mist (aerosol) form, although breathing such a lubricant in mist
form is a severe and immediate health hazard.

Past

• In 19th-century machining practice, it was not uncommon to use plain water. This was
simply a practical expedient to keep the cutter cool, regardless of whether it provided any
lubrication at the cutting edge–chip interface. When one considers that high-speed steel
(HSS) had not been developed yet, the need to cool the tool becomes all the more
apparent. (HSS retains its hardness at high temperatures; other carbon tool steels do not.)
An improvement was soda water, which better inhibited the rusting of machine slides.
These options are generally not used today because better options are available.
• Lard was very popular in the past.[2] It is used infrequently today, because of the wide
variety of other options, but it is still an option.
• Old machine shop training texts speak of using red lead and white lead, often mixed into
lard or lard oil. This practice is obsolete due to the toxicity of lead.
• From the mid-20th century to the 1990s, 1,1,1-trichloroethane was used as an additive to
make some cutting fluids more effective. In shop-floor slang it was referred to as "one-
one-one". It has been phased out because of its ozone-depleting and central nervous
system-depressing properties.

Safety concerns
Cutting fluids have been associated with skin rashes, dermatitis, esophagitis, lung disease, and
cancer. These problems result from either toxicity or bacterial or fungal contamination.

Metalworking fluids often contain substances such as biocides, corrosion inhibitors, metal fines,
tramp oils, and biological contaminants. Inhalation of cutting fluid aerosols may cause irritation
of the throat, nose, and lungs and has been associated with chronic bronchitis, asthma,
hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), and worsening of pre-existing respiratory problems. Skin
exposure may result from touching contaminated surfaces, handling parts and equipment,
splashing fluids, and aerosol mist settling on the skin. Skin contact with cutting fluids may cause
allergic contact dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, and occupational ("oil") acne.[3]
Safer formulations provide a natural resistance to tramp oils allowing improved filtration
separation without removing the base additive package. Ventilation, splash guards on machines,
and personal protective equipment can mitigate hazards related to cutting fluids.[4]

Bacterial growth is predominant in semi-synthetic and synthetic fluids. Tramp oil along with
human hair or skin oil are some of the debris during cutting which accumulates and forms a layer
on the top of the liquid, anaerobic bacteria proliferate due to a number of factors. An early sign
of the need for replacement is the "Monday-morning smell" (due to lack of usage from Friday to
Monday). Antiseptics are sometimes added to the fluid to kill bacteria. Such use must be
balanced against whether the antiseptics will harm the cutting performance, workers' health, or
the environment. Maintaining as low a fluid temperature as practical will slow the growth of
microorganisms.[4]

Degradation
Cutting fluids degrade over time due to contaminates entering the lubrication system. A common
type of degradation is the formation of tramp oil, also known as sump oil, which is unwanted oil
that has mixed with cutting fluid. It originates as lubrication oil that seeps out from the slideways
and washes into the coolant mixture, as the protective film with which a steel supplier coats bar
stock to prevent rusting, or as hydraulic oil leaks. In extreme cases it can be seen as a film or skin
on the surface of the coolant or as floating drops of oil.

Skimmers are used to separate the tramp oil from the coolant. These are typically slowly rotating
vertical discs that are partially submerged below the coolant level in the main reservoir. As the
disc rotates the tramp oil clings to each side of the disc to be scraped off by two wipers, before
the disc passes back through the coolant. The wipers are in the form a channel that then redirects
the tramp oil to a container where it is collected for disposal. Floating weir skimmers are also
used in these situation where temperature or the amount of oil on the water becomes excessive.

Since the introduction of CNC additives, the tramp oil in these systems can be managed more
effectively through a continuous separation effect. The tramp oil accumulation separates from
the aqueous or oil based coolant and can be easily removed with an absorbent.

Old, used cutting fluid must be disposed of when it is fetid or chemically degraded and has lost
its usefulness. As with used motor oil or other wastes, its impact on the environment should be
mitigated. Legislation and regulation specify how this mitigation should be achieved. Modern
cutting fluid disposal involves techniques such as ultrafiltration using polymeric or ceramic
membranes which concentrates the suspended and emulsified oil phase.
LUBRICANTS

A lubricant (sometimes referred to as "lube") is a substance (often a liquid) introduced between

two moving surfaces to reduce the friction between them, improving efficiency and reducing
wear. It may also have the function of dissolving or transporting foreign particles and of
distributing heat. A lubricant's ability to lubricate moving parts and reduce friction is the
property known as lubricity.

One of the single largest applications for lubricants, in the form of motor oil, is protecting the
internal combustion engines in motor vehicles and powered equipment.

Typically lubricants contain 90% base oil (most often petroleum fractions, called mineral oils)
and less than 10% additives. Vegetable oils or synthetic liquids such as hydrogenated
polyolefins, esters, silicones, fluorocarbons and many others are sometimes used as base oils.
Additives deliver reduced friction and wear, increased viscosity, improved viscosity index,
resistance to corrosion and oxidation, aging or contamination, etc.

Lubricants such as 2-cycle oil are added to fuels like gasoline which has low lubricity. Sulfur
impurities in fuels also provide some lubrication properties, which has to be taken in account
when switching to a low-sulfur diesel; biodiesel is a popular diesel fuel additive providing
additional lubricity.

Non-liquid lubricants include grease, powders (dry graphite, PTFE, Molybdenum disulfide,
tungsten disulfide, etc.), teflon tape used in plumbing, air cushion and others. Dry lubricants such
as graphite, molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide also offer lubrication at temperatures
(up to 350 °C) higher than liquid and oil-based lubricants are able to operate. Limited interest has
been shown in low friction properties of compacted oxide glaze layers formed at several hundred
degrees Celsius in metallic sliding systems, however, practical use is still many years away due
to their physically unstable nature.

Another approach to reducing friction and wear is to use bearings such as ball bearings, roller
bearings or air bearings, which in turn require internal lubrication themselves, or to use sound, in
the case of acoustic lubrication.

In addition to industrial applications, lubricants are used for many other purposes. Other uses
include cooking (oils and fats in use in frying pans, in baking to prevent food sticking), bio-
medical applications on humans (e.g. lubricants for artificial joints), ultrasound examination,
internal examinations for males and females, and the use of personal lubricant for sexual
purposes.
Contents
• 1 Purpose
o 1.1 Keep moving parts apart
o 1.2 Reduce friction
o 1.3 Transfer heat
• 2 History
• 3 General composition
• 4 Types of lubricants
o 4.1 Base oil groups
 4.1.1 Vegetable (natural) oils and other naturally derived
lubricants
 4.1.2 Synthetic oils
• 5 Solid lubricants
o 5.1 Teflon or PTFE
o 5.2 Inorganic solids
o 5.3 Metal/alloy
• 6 Other relevant phenomena
o 6.1 'Glaze' formation (high temperature wear)
• 7 Additives
• 8 Application by fluid types
o 8.1 Other lubricants
o 8.2 Lanolin
o 8.3 Water
• 9 Marketing

Purpose
Lubricants perform the following key functions.

• Keep moving parts apart

 • Reduce friction
• Transfer heat
• Carry away contaminants & debris
• Transmit power
• Protect against wear
• Prevent corrosion
• Seal for gases
• Stop the risk of smoke and fire of objects

Keep moving parts apart

Lubricants are typically used to separate moving parts in a system. This has the benefit of
reducing friction and surface fatigue together with reduced heat generation, operating noise and
vibrations. Lubricants achieve this by several ways. The most common is by forming a physical
barrier i.e. a thin layer of lubricant separates the moving parts. This is termed hydrodynamic
lubrication. In cases of high surface pressures or temperatures the fluid film is much thinner and
some of the forces are transmitted between the surfaces through

Reduce friction

Typically the lubricant-to-surface friction is much less than surface-to-surface friction in a

system without any lubrication. Thus use of a lubricant reduces the overall system friction.
Reduced friction has the benefit of reducing heat generation and reduced formation of wear
particles as well as improved efficiency. Lubricants may contain additives known as friction
modifiers that chemically bind to metal surfaces to reduce surface friction even when there is
insufficient bulk lubricant present for hydrodynamic lubrication, e.g. protecting the valve train in
a car engine at startup.

Transfer heat

Both gas and liquid lubricants can transfer heat. However, liquid lubricants are much more
effective on account of their high specific heat capacity. Typically the liquid lubricant is
constantly circulated to and from a cooler part of the system, although lubricants may be used to
warm as well as to cool when a regulated temperature is required. This circulating flow also
determines the amount of heat that is carried away in any given unit of time. High flow systems
can carry away a lot of heat and have the additional benefit of reducing the thermal stress on the
lubricant. Thus lower cost liquid lubricants may be used. The primary drawback is that high
flows typically require larger sumps and bigger cooling units. A secondary drawback is that a
high flow system that relies on the flow rate to protect the lubricant from thermal stress is
susceptible to catastrophic failure during sudden system shut downs. An automotive oil-cooled
turbocharger is a typical example. Turbochargers get red hot during operation and the oil that is
cooling them only survives as its residence time in the system is very short i.e. high flow rate. If
the system is shut down suddenly (pulling into a service area after a high speed drive and
stopping the engine) the oil that is in the turbo charger immediately oxidizes and will clog the oil
ways with deposits. Over time these deposits can completely block the oil ways, reducing the
cooling with the result that the turbo charger experiences total failure typically with seized
bearings. Non-flowing lubricants such as greases & pastes are not effective at heat transfer
although they do contribute by reducing the generation of heat in the first place.

Romans used rags dipped in animal fat to lubricate wagon wheels; however the science of
lubrication (tribology) really only took off with the industrial revolution in the nineteenth
century.

Types of lubricants

In 1999, an estimated 37,300,000 tons of lubricants were consumed worldwide.[1] The majority
was for automobiles, but other industrial, marine, and metal work applications are also big
consumers of lubricants. Although air and other gas-based lubricants are known, e.g. in fluid
bearings), liquid and solid lubricants dominate the market, especially the former. Although
generally lubricants are based on one type of base oil or another, it is quite possible to use
mixtures of the base oils to meet performance requirements.

Base oil groups

Mineral oil term is used to encompass lubricating base oil derived from crude oil. The American
Petroleum Institute (API) designates several types of lubricant base oil identified[2] as:

• Group I – Saturates <90% and/or sulfur >0.03%, and Society of Automotive

Engineers (SAE) viscosity index (VI) of 80 to 120

Manufactured by solvent extraction, solvent or catalytic dewaxing, and

hydro-finishing processes. Common Group I base oil are 150SN (solvent
neutral), 500SN, and 150BS (brightstok)

• Group II – Saturates over 90% and sulfur under 0.03%, and SAE viscosity
index of 80 to 120

Manufactured by hydrocracking and solvent or catalytic dewaxing processes.

Group II base oil has superior anti-oxidation properties since virtually all
hydrocarbon molecules are saturated. It has water-white color.

• Group III – Saturates > 90%, sulfur <0.03%, and SAE viscosity index over 120

Manufactured by special processes such as isohydromerization. Can be

manufactured from base oil or slax wax from dewaxing process.

• Group IV – Polyalphaolefins (PAO)

• Group V – All others not included above

Such as naphthenics, PAG, esters, etc.

 In North America, Groups III, IV and V are now described as synthetic
lubricants, with group III frequently described as synthesised hydrocarbons,
or SHCs. In Europe, only Groups IV and V may be classed as synthetics.

The lubricant industry commonly extends this group terminology to include:

• Group I+ with a Viscosity Index of 103–108

• Group II+ with a Viscosity Index of 113–119
• Group III+ with a Viscosity Index of at least 140

Can also be classified into three categories depending on the prevailing compositions:

• Paraffinic
• Naphthenic
• Aromatic

While lubricants for use in internal combustion engines may solely consist of
one of the above-mentioned oil groups, it is not desirable in practice.
Additives to reduce oxidation and improve lubrication are added to the final
product. The main constituent of such lubricant product is called the base oil,
base stock. While it is advantageous to have a high-grade base oil in a
lubricant, proper selection of the lubricant additives is equally as important.
Thus some poorly selected formulation of PAO lubricant may not last as long
as more expensive formulation of Group III+ lubricant.

Vegetable (natural) oils and other naturally derived lubricants

These are primarily triglyceride esters derived from plants and animals. For lubricant base oil use
the vegetable derived materials are preferred. Common ones include high oleic canola oil, castor
oil, palm oil, sunflower seed oil and rapeseed oil from vegetable, and Tall oil from animal
sources. Many vegetable oils are often hydrolyzed to yield the acids which are subsequently
combined selectively to form specialist synthetic esters. Other naturally derived lubricants
include lanolin (wool grease, a natural water repellent).

Whale oil was an historically important lubricant, with some uses up to the latter part of the 20th
century as a friction modifier additive for automatic transmission fluid.[3]

Synthetic oils

• Polyalpha-olefin (PAO)
• Synthetic esters
• Polyalkylene glycols (PAG)
• Phosphate esters
• Alkylated naphthalenes (AN)
• Silicate esters
• Ionic fluids
Solid lubricants

Teflon or PTFE

Teflon(PTFE) is typically used as a coating layer on, for example, cooking utensils to provide a
non-stick surface. Its usable temperature range up to 350°C and chemical inertness make it a
useful additive in special greases. Under extreme pressures, teflon powder or solids is of little
value as it is soft and flows away from the area of contact. Ceramic or metal or alloy lubricants
must be used then.

Inorganic solids

Graphite, hexagonal boron nitride, molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide are examples of
materials that can be used as solid lubricants, often to very high temperature. The use of some
such materials is sometimes restricted by their poor resistance to oxidation (e.g., molybdenum
disulfide can only be used up to 350°C in air, but 1100°C in reducing environments).

Metal/alloy

Metal alloys, composites and pure metals can be used as grease additives or the sole constituents
of sliding surfaces and bearings. Cadmium and Gold are used for plating surfaces which gives
them good corrosion resistance and sliding properties, Lead, Tin, Zinc alloys and various Bronze
alloys are used as sliding bearings, or their powder can be used to lubricate sliding surfaces
alone, or as additives to greases.

Additives
Main article: Oil additive
A large number of additives are used to impart performance characteristics to the lubricants. The
main families of additives are:

• Antioxidants
• Detergents
• Anti-wear
• Metal deactivators
• Corrosion inhibitors, Rust inhibitors
• Friction modifiers
• Extreme Pressure
• Anti-foaming agents
• Viscosity index improvers
• Demulsifying/Emulsifying
• Stickiness improver, provide adhesive property towards tool surface (in
metalworking)
• Complexing agent (in case of greases)

Note that many of the basic chemical compounds used as detergents (example: calcium
sulfonate) serve the purpose of the first seven items in the list as well. Usually it is not
economically or technically feasible to use a single do-it-all additive compound. Oils for hypoid
gear lubrication will contain high content of EP additives. Grease lubricants may contain large
amount of solid particle friction modifiers, such as graphite, molybdenum sulfide, etc.

Application by fluid types

• Automotive
o Engine oils
 Petrol (Gasoline) engine oils
 Diesel engine oils
o Automatic transmission fluid
o Gearbox fluids
o Brake fluids
o Hydraulic fluids
• Tractor (one lubricant for all systems)
o Universal Tractor Transmission Oil – UTTO
o Super Tractor Oil Universal – STOU – includes engine
• Other motors
o 2-stroke engine oils
• Industrial
o Hydraulic oils
o Air compressor oils
o Gas Compressor oils
o Gear oils
o Bearing and circulating system oils
o Refrigerator compressor oils
o Steam and gas turbine oils
• Aviation
o Gas turbine engine oils
 o Piston engine oils
• Marine
o Crosshead cylinder oils
o Crosshead Crankcase oils
o Trunk piston engine oils
o Stern tube lubricants

Other lubricants

Lanolin

A natural water repellent, lanolin is derived from sheep wool grease, and is an alternative to the
more common petro-chemical based lubricants. This lubricant is also a corrosion inhibitor,
protecting against rust, salts, and acids.

Water

Water can be used on its own, or as a major component in combination with one of the other
base oils. Commonly used in engineering processes, such as milling and lathe turning.

Marketing
The global lubricant market is generally competitive with numerous manufacturers and
marketers. Overall the western market may be considered mature with a flat to declining overall
volumes while there is strong growth in the emerging economies. The lubricant marketers
generally pursue one or more of the following strategies when pursuing business.

• Specification:

The lubricant is said to meet a certain specification. In the consumer market, this is often
supported by a logo, symbol or words that inform the consumer that the lubricant marketer has
obtained independent verification of conformance to the specification. Examples of these include
the API’s donut logo or the NSF tick mark. The most widely perceived is SAE viscosity
specification, like SAE 10W-40. Lubricity specifications are institute and manufacturer based. In
the U.S. institute: API S for petrol engines, API C for diesel engines. For 2007 the current specs
are API SM and API CJ-4. Higher second letter marks better oil properties, like lower engine
wear supported by tests. In EU the ACEA specifications are used. There are classes A, B, C, E
with number following the letter. Japan introduced the JASO specification for motorbike
engines. In the industrial market place the specification may take the form of a legal contract to
supply a conforming fluid or purchasers may choose to buy on the basis of a manufacturers own
published specification.

• Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) approval:

Specifications often denote a minimum acceptable performance levels. Thus many equipment
manufacturers add on their own particular requirements or tighten the tolerance on a general
specification to meet their particular needs (or doing a different set of tests or using
different/own testbed engine). This gives the lubricant marketer an avenue to differentiate their
product by designing it to meet an OEM specification. Often, the OEM carries out extensive
testing and maintains an active list of approved products. This is a powerful marketing tool in the
lubricant marketplace. Text on the back of the motor oil label usually has a list of conformity to
some OEM specifications, such as MB, MAN, Volvo, Cummins, VW, BMW or others.
Manufactures may have vastly different specifications for the range of engines they make; one
may not be completely suitable for some other.

• Performance:

The lubricant marketer claims benefits for the customer based on the superior performance of the
lubricant. Such marketing is supported by glamorous advertising, sponsorships of typically
sporting events and endorsements. Unfortunately broad performance claims are common in the
consumer marketplace, which are difficult or impossible for a typical consumer to verify. In the
B2B market place the marketer is normally expected to show data that supports the claims, hence
reducing the use of broad claims. Increasing performance, reducing wear and fuel consumption
is also aim of the later API, ACEA and car manufacturer oil specifications, so lubricant
marketers can back their claims by doing extensive (and expensive) testing.

• Longevity:

The marketer claims that their lubricant maintains its performance over a longer period of time.
For example in the consumer market, a typical motor oil change interval is around the 3,000–
6,000 miles (4,828–9,656 km). The lubricant marketer may offer a lubricant that lasts for
12,000 miles (19,312 km) or more to convince a user to pay a premium. Typically, the consumer
would need to check or balance the longer life and any warranties offered by the lubricant
manufacturer with the possible loss of equipment manufacturer warranties by not following its
schedule. Many car and engine manufacturers support extended drain intervals, but request
extended drain interval certified oil used in that case; and sometimes a special oil filter. Example:
In older Mercedes-Benz engines and in truck engines one can use engine oil MB 228.1 for basic
drain interval. Engine oils conforming with higher specification MB 228.3 may be used twice as
long, oil of MB 228.5 specification 3x longer. Note that the oil drain interval is valid for new
engine with fuel conforming car manufacturer specification. When using lower grade fuel, or
worn engine the oil change interval has to shorten accordingly. In general oils approved for
extended use are of higher specification and reduce wear. In the industrial market place the
longevity is generally measured in time units and the lubricant marketer can suffer large financial
penalties if their claims are not substantiated.

• Efficiency:

The lubricant marketer claims improved equipment efficiency when compared to rival products
or technologies, the claim is usually valid when comparing lubricant of higher specification with
previous grade. Typically the efficiency is proved by showing a reduction in energy costs to
operate the system. Guaranteeing improved efficiency is the goal of some oil test specifications
such as API CI-4 Plus for diesel engines. Some car/engine manufacturers also specifically
request certain higher efficiency level for lubricants for extended drain intervals.
 • Operational tolerance:

The lubricant is claimed to cope with specific operational environment needs. Some common
environments include dry, wet, cold, hot, fire risk, high load, high or low speed, chemical
compatibility, atmospheric compatibility, pressure or vacuum and various combinations. The
usual thermal characteristics is outlined with SAE viscosity given for 100°C, like SAE 30, SAE
40. For low temperature viscosity the SAE xxW mark is used. Both markings can be combined
together to form a SAE 0W-60 for example. Viscosity index (VI) marks viscosity change with
temperature, with higher VI numbers being more temperature stable.

• Economy:

The marketer offers a lubricant at a lower cost than rivals either in the same grade or a similar
one that will fill the purpose for lesser price. (Stationary installations with short drain intervals.)
Alternative may be offering a more expensive lubricant and promise return in lower wear,
specific fuel consumption or longer drain intervals. (Expensive machinery, un-affordable
downtimes.)

• Environment friendly:

The lubricant is said to be environmentally friendly. Typically this is supported by qualifying

statements or conformance to generally accepted approvals. Several organizations, typically
government sponsored, exist globally to qualify and approve such lubricants by evaluating their
potential for environmental harm. Typically, the lubricant manufacturer is allowed to indicate
such approval by showing some special mark. Examples include the German “Blue Angel”,
European “Daisy” Eco label, Global Eco-Label “GEN mark”, Nordic, “White Swan”, Japanese
“Earth friendly mark”; USA “Green Seal”, Canadian “Environmental Choice”, Chinese “Huan”,
Singapore “Green Label” and the French “NF Environment mark”.

• Composition:

The marketer claims novel composition of the lubricant which improves some tangible
performance over its rivals. Typically the technology is protected via formal patents or other
intellectual property protection mechanism to prevent rivals from copying. Lot of claims in this
area are simple marketing buzzwords, since most of them are related to a manufacturer specific
process naming (which achieves similar results than other ones) but the competition is prohibited
from using a trademark.

• Quality:

The marketer claims broad superior quality of its lubricant with no factual evidence. The quality
is “proven” by references to famous brand, sporting figure, racing team, some professional
endorsement or some similar subjective claim. All motor oil labels wear mark similar to "of
outstanding quality" or "quality additives," the actual comparative evidence is always lacking.