11/01/2016 by Richard
It is easy to assume that buying the most expensive lubricants on the market will give you an advantage and ensure that your machinery is in tip-top condition. This can be quite true in many circumstances. However, it is fair to say that you do not always need to buy the most expensive product to get the best results.
When it comes to buying machinery lubricants, it is always a mistake to buy a product on one factor alone, whether that is price or something else entirely. Machinery lubricant may be one of the most affordable parts of running a machine-based business, but it is also a vital component to ensuring that your operation runs smoothly.
As a result, you should always look at the bigger picture and take everything into consideration before choosing lubricants, whether they are manufactured by Shell, Mobil, Fuchs, or another company.
Compatibility
Before purchasing any lubricant, you absolutely must do your homework to determine which product will work best in your equipment in terms of performance, life expectancy etc. It is usually the case that equipment manufacturers will be able to advise you on such matters, but an experienced employee should have something to add to the discussion too.
Handling
When thinking about the cost of lubricants, you will also need to factor in the way in which it is stored, because no matter how cheap or expensive a lubricant may be, it will not last long or perform to the best of its ability if it is not stored in a manner that will protect it from contaminants.
At present, the best way to store industrial lubricants is in a facility which is cool, clean and dry. It is also recommended that you use labelled storage containers to cut down on unintended contamination.
Fixing problems
When a machinery problem is experienced, many companies try to place a sticking plaster over the issue by forking out for a higher quality lubricant, and although this can solve the problem in some instances, it is often the case that the problem will reoccur because it has an underlying problem that needs fixing.
There is no use buying the best lubricants out there if your machinery is in poor shape – it will be a waste of money and efforts.
So, while there is certainly a place for high cost, high quality lubricants, they are not always essential, and they are certainly not always the answer to your machinery issues.
You may also interested in:
How to find an equivalent lubricant for a discontinued oil
If the lubricant you use has become tough to source or suddenly been discontinued, finding an equivalent is the action required. Unfortunately, “equivalent” is among the most misused terms in
Are custom blended lubricants better than branded lubricants?
Lubricants play a critical role in keeping equipment running correctly. Multi-purpose products, they create a robust film over the surfaces of moving parts, working closely with others to ensure they