Industries where industrial fluids are used extensively
- Mining and ore processing
- Wood product manufacturing and lumber mills
- Steel and aluminum rolling mills
- Metal smelting
- Steam, gas and electric turbine
- Ship steering rooms
- Paper and pulp processing
- Electrical transformers
Importance of industrial fluids
Machineries and equipment have moving parts that require lubrication. Even if lubrication is provided by some products like Teflon or graphite, parts like small electrical motor bearings make use of oil and greases as lubricants. As the complexity of the machine increases, the more that it needs industrial fluids like lubricants and metal process oils. Lubricating oils that are used today range from clear, very thin oils for delicate instruments to the thick, tar-like oils for large gears such as those found in steel mills. Oils with very specific requirements are used for hydraulic systems and to lubricate large computer-operated machine tools that are found in the aerospace industry.
How to make a choice for industrial lubricants
In the choice for industrial lubricants, it is important to follow manufacturer’s instructions on the right type of lubricant that can be used. Since technology is fast evolving, it is important to be on constant lookout for new kinds of industrial fluids and their uses. One of the ways to know whether your industrial fluids no longer meets requirements is the oil analysis program that will track from the samples if there are issues like contamination from dirt, water and particles. Through the analysis, you can determine the levels of degradation and whether you need to change the industrial fluids.
Water is not a good lubricant but it can easily find its way into the system from wet environments. There are some systems that cannot tolerate even a slight amount of water however, there are systems with higher tolerances for water and can operate normally even with a specified amount. Your choice for industrial lubricant will depend on the tolerance of the system. During the analysis, the presence of metal can be detected, including what types of metal and its amount. The choice of industrial fluids also depends upon tolerance of the particular type of lubricant. A good filtration system will reduce the necessary time between lubricant changes due to metal contamination. It is important to pay attention in contamination of your industrial fluids to save you from costs, headaches and production downtime.