Selecting industrial lubricants effectively often require a careful balancing act between budget, application and quality. To help users achieve and maintain balance while choosing the best lubricant for their requirements, products from top brands like Millers, Valvoline and CPI Fluid Engineering carry specific certifications.
From cutting oil and coolant to food safe solutions used in manufacturing, industrial grade lubricants offer certifications that call out to their performance levels, safety compliance and quality control while stating their suitability for specific uses and operating requirements. Examples include NSF International standards covering products safe for contact with consumables, American Petroleum Institute (API) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) approvals proving performance and International Organisation of Standards (ISO) certificates that cite manufacturing quality.
In the next sections, we’ll take a closer look at the certifications to watch out for when purchasing industrial lubricants.
Food grade and hygiene certification
When lubricants are used to maintain equipment operating in industries like food and beverage manufacturing and the production medicines, incidental contact can occur. As a result, to stay compliant with health and safety regulations, companies must use lubricants certified as food safe.
The accepted standard covering incidental food contact is NSF H1. These lubricants must be nontoxic, odourless, tasteless and safe for human consumption. Another certificate for food grade lubricants is ISO 21469 which is globally accepted in countries like Brazil and China and represents the highest safety standard available for food-grade lubricants. It ensures lubricants are safe, hygienic and manufactured according to best practices.
If lubricants, cleaning & degreasing solutions and rust preventative products make direct contact with consumables (like those used to maintain and protect equipment such as meat hooks, grills and trays), an NSF H3 certificate is shown on appropriate products.
Further certification is included on lubricants for the food industry to show that they meet specific religious requirements, like being registered as Kosher or Halal.
General industrial and quality control
Lubricant certifications also exist that showcase that a manufacturer provides products that are consistently of high quality. Lubricant users should look out for ISO 9001 which affirms that manufacturers have a Quality Management System in place. In applications where sustainability is a concern, an ISO 14001certification proves effective environmental management. Finally, ISO 17025 is designed to certifies that labs that test lubricants have achieved global standards for competence.
Performance and industry specifications
Today there are several institutions, organisations and equipment makers setting standards for different lubricants.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) defines whether a lubricating oil meets the specific performance standards for engines as well as industrial applications. For instance, CK-4 is a specification for heavy-duty diesel engine oil. It was introduced back in 2016, and indicates that lubricants offer shear stability, oxidation resistance and aeration control.
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) approvals are awarded to lubricants by specific manufacturers like Vickers, Cummins and Caterpillar. In many cases, using lubricants with an OEM approval is critical to keep equipment under warranty. CAT Engine Crankcase fluid 3 (ECF-3) is a specification from Caterpillar for high-performance engines with diesel particulate filters.
DIN standards are quality rules and technical specifications developed by the German Institute for Standardisation Deutsches Institut für Normung) they are often necessary for hydraulic oil (DIN 51524) and gear oil (DIN 51517). The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) also provides specifications for lubricants serving gears.
The National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) registers grease products informing users of their performance levels and consistency.
Environmental conditions and specialised applications
Products marked as “Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants” (EAL) are designed to meet specific legislation and sustainability standards. They prove compliancy with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Vessel General Permit regulations and are often engineered with biodegradability.
In Europe, ATEX is a directive that covers equipment and lubricants that will be used in a potentially explosive atmosphere like a chemical plant or refinery. Lubricants carrying this certification are formulated to prevent ignition.
What to check when purchasing lubricants to ensure suitability
Before adding a new lubricant to inventory, users should run through several checks. When buying in volume, requesting a Certificate of Analysis (COA) and verify each individual batch is advised. Products carrying a H1 registration should be confirmed as current by checking they are listed in the NSF White Book.
The viscosity grade of a lubricant is critical. Make sure that lubricants ordered match equipment requirements. Lastly, when checking OEM approvals, it’s worth remembering for machinery under warranty to always use OEM approved lubricants that are approved and that meet specifications.
