LUBE_70 23/11/2005 23:05 Page 11

NO.43
n UEIL and
ipp.
MULTIGRADE OIL & VISCOSITY INDEX IMPROVERS
er address, This is an extremely important concept which, to my experience, most VISCOSITY INDEX
d his close maintenance personnel either are not aware of or not bothered to Viscosity Index (VI) is an empirical parameter. It denotes the extent of change
led him to understand. However, these concepts must be understood very thoroughly in
association in viscosity of the oil over a given temperature range. Viscosity @400C &
some as an order to implement effective maintenance practices. viscosity @ 1000C must be determined to calculate the VI of any oil. A low VI
Ltd for the In view of this, an attempt has been made to highlight these concepts as means the change in viscosity of the oil with temperature is high. A high VI
presidency. clearly as possible with a view to providing a deep insight into the topic. number indicates a relatively small change in viscosity with temperature.
mal period This rate of change of viscosity with temperature also depends on the base oil.
changeover VISCOSITY This change for paraffin base oils is relatively less than that for napthenic base
ociation is
A detailed discussion of viscosity is beyond the scope of this topic. However, we stock. Some synthetic base oils are even more superior to paraffin base oils in
elm during
must recall that viscosity is the resistance to flow at certain temperature. this respect.
It is simply a measure of the thickness of the oil. Generally, thin oil has a low Figure.1
viscosity and thick oil has a high viscosity. This definition of viscosity is normally
referred to as Kinematic Viscosity. The CGS unit of viscosity is 1cm2sec -1. This is
also called 1 stoke (st). The SI unit of kinematic viscosity is 1m2sec-1. Normally
the unit centistokes - cSt is used for practical purposes. This means that 1cSt =
Multigrade oil
10 -2 st = 1mm2sec -1.

GRADES OF OIL
Grade of oil is defined either in terms of performance category (performance
Viscocity

of the oil inside the engine) or in terms of viscosity classification (viscosity of

the oil).
American Petroleum Institute (API) is the authority who does this
certification. Let us consider following grades of oil: CE, CF4, CG4, CH4 and CI4. Monograde oil
Here, ‘C’ stands for commercial, F, G, H etc. in alphabetical order indicates
superiority in performance of the oil in four (4) stroke engine. API CE was in
Start Running
the market till 1980. Then it was superceded by CF4 which continued upto
early 1990. Subsequently, CG4 and CH4 became the major players up to 2001
or so which were finally superceded by CI4. CI4 is currently the highest grade Temperature
oil in the market. This continuous thrive for improvement in the performance
of the oil is absolutely necessary to cater to the needs of more and more
stringent performance of the engine. From Figure.1, it is obvious that the red line is the viscosity-temperature graph
Society of Automotive engineers (SAE) is the agency who does the for a monograde oil, whereas, the blue line is that for a multigrade oil.
classification in terms of viscosity. So SAE only performs viscosity classification. So, if one looks at the VI numbers of different oils, he must observe that VI
Let us consider the two oils: SAE 20W40 & SAE 30. SAE 20W40 has two parts: numbers are larger for multigrade oils than those for monograde oils.
20W & 40, whereas, SAE 30 has only one part, 30. So, SAE 20W40 is generally
VISCOSITY INDEX IMPROVERS
termed as a multigrade oil and SAE 30 as a monograde oil.
The VI parameter is improved by deliberately adding some chemicals known as
Multigrade oils are designed to function under wide temperature variations. additives. Many additives are used in any lubricating oil. One of these additives
Here, ‘W’ stands for winter. There are two numbers on the left and right side is VI improvers (VII). These additives are basically organic polymers precisely
of ‘W’. The number at left with suffix ’W’ indicates the performance of the oil blended with the base oil to improve the viscosity-temperature characteristics
at low temperature and the number at the right side of ‘W’ indicates the of the lubricant. These polymers are soluble in the base oil. Their molecular
performance at higher temperature. The rule is smaller the number lower the weight varies from 10 3 to 10 6. These polymer molecules swell in the oil.The
viscosity and greater the number higher the viscosity. Now, it is clear that SAE increase in viscosity of the polymer is directly dependent on extent of swelling
5W oil has a lower viscosity than SAE 10W oil and so on. of the polymer by the oil. This swelling increases with the increase in molecular
At this stage can we assess the feasibility of using SAE 10W30 in summer weight of the polymer. These polymers are in the form of a long chain and
season? Yes, we can. The oil tends to be thin in summer because of high remain tightly coiled and suspended in the oil at low temperature. As the
ambient temperature. If this thinning effect is not properly taken care of, then temperature increases the coil unfolds, volume increases as a result of
adequate film thickness will not be provided and there is every possibility of expansion and the oil gradually becomes thick. This means that thinning effect
metal-to-metal contact between the components heading towards premature of the oil is nullified at higher temperature by the addition of VI improvers.
failure. Therefore, a more viscous oil like SAE 10W40 or SAE 15W40 should be Some of these polymers are shown in Figure 2.
preferred. Better component protection can be offered because of higher These polymers basically tend to improve the viscosity-temperature property
viscosity of these oils. However, in spite of the above discussion, lubricant of the lubricant as shown in FIG.1. The loss of viscosity with temperature is less
selection must be done very scrupulously and original equipment manufacture pronounced compared to a monograde oil. These polymers are found to be
must be ardently involved in this matter. more effective with the increase in molecular weight. However, it is also true
But how do these multigrade oils function? To understand this we must that these high molecular weight polymers breakdown under high shear
understand the following terms: Viscosity Index & Viscosity Index Improvers stress. Hence, a performance balance must be very carefully sought out in
(Continued on Page II)

NO. 43 • DECEMBER 2005 I

LUBE_70 23/11/2005 23:06 Page 12

(Continued from Page I)

selecting these polymers. A very high or very low molecular weight polymer References for further reading
may not be the most suitable candidate. www.rsportscars.co./eng/article_/engine-oil R
MULTIGRADE OILS
Let us assume that we have a SAE10W oil. The polymer additives discussed
www.rheology-online.com/TechCentre/UnderStressRate.htm
www.advanceautoparts.com/howtos_tips/automedia_html/ccr/ H
above are very precisely and carefully blended with the oil. At low ccr20010101ov_print.com RohMax ha
temperature the viscosity of the oil will remain unchanged (because the www.castrol.com high perf
polymer remains coiled), whereas, at high temperature it flows like a 30W (or www.chevron.com formulatio
improveme
a 40W) oil. Now we have made a 10W30 (or a 10W40) multigrade oil. This www.amsoil.com
means that this oil will offer protection over an extended temperature range. Maximum
www.engineoilspecs.com the result o
CONCLUSION www.automotivearticles.com experts at
to requests
Viscosity is one of the most important concepts (perhaps most important) with www.mobil1.com
and hydrau
respect to lubrication and its diverse applications. Unfortunately, maintenance Brad Rake, Practical Oil Analysis Magazine, May-June, 2001 for increas
people normally are reluctant to go deep into this slippery subject. This is one www.lubrizol.com operations
of the reasons that root cause failure analysis or applied failure analysis is not MEHF pro
www.ae92gts.com/oil1.html
adequately carried out in most organisations. When a machine fails, it is very mechanica
easy to say that the machine failed due to bad oil. But does it really make any www.unofficialbmw.com/all/misc/all_syn_oil.html and to red
sense? What exactly has happened? Is it due to contaminated oil? Is it due to www.machinerylubrication.com/ article_detail.asp pressure/hi
degradation of fluid’s physical properties? Is it due to viscosity loss? Nobody bestsyntheticoil.com/dealers/amsoil/whatdoesoildo.shtml The resul
advantages
bothers to go into such detail. And the result is repetitive failures occur www.worldwise.com/recmotoil1.html reduced ne
affecting the bottom line of the organisation. faq.f650.com/FAQs/OILFAQ.htm productivit
The author, therefore, makes an attempt to explain these concepts as clearly http://www.synlube.com/viscosit.htm significant
as possible. People working in this area detect the problem quickly and easily a correspo
http://www.natrib.com/appnotes/app20.htm equipment
once the understanding is clear. Once the cause of failure is properly
http://www.cambridgeapplied.com/articlesText/kine_vs_absolute.htm improved p
diagnosed, repetitive failures might be avoided.
http://65.194.234.234/learning_center/category_article.asp?articleid=428&relat pumps can
Figure 2 of power
edbookgroup=PowerGen
using a sta
Mukherjee, D (2005) LUBE, published by British Lubricants Federation
“This new
Troyer, D. and J. Fitch (1999) Oil Analysis Basics. Noria Publishing, Tulsa, deliver imp
CH 3 CH 3 OK, USA. equipment
Leugner, L. (2000) The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication. performan
Maintenance Technology International, Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada productivit
H 2C H 2C
Fitch, E. (1992) Proactive Maintenance for Mechanical Systems. FES, Inc., Technolog
Stillwater, OK, USA. A wide var
COO Et CH 3 Low perfor
Dr D Mukherjee low price,
x x
Biographical Profile accept min
Polymethacrylates Polyisobutylenes will want t
Dr. Debasish Mukherjee
Date of birth: 27/08/1955 price of
productivit
Education: reducing th
• Graduation with Chemistry Honours in 1976 and MEHF
H 2C CH 2 HC CH 2
from Burdwan University.
The hydrau
x y • Post graduation in pure Chemistry from IIT of differen
CH 3
(Indian Institute of Technology), Kharagpur in manufactu
Copolymer from ethylene & propylene
1978. • Stra
• Doctorate from IIT Kharagpur in 1985. • HM
Service: • Eng
CH CH 2 CH 2 H C = CH CH 2 • Worked as a post doctoral fellow in University of Salford, Manchester in • HV m
1986-87.
• Spec
• Worked as a Senior Research Fellow in IIT Kharagpur in sponsored
• Mul
projects from 1987-91. met
• Worked in British Oxygen India (BOC India Ltd.) from 1991-98. • Auto
x y
• From 1999 to present date working in TIL (Tractors India Ltd, Caterpillar • *ME
Copolymer from styrene & butadiene dealer in India) as a manager of oil analysis lab.
All of these
Publications: overall c
27 papers have been published. 22 papers are in international journals of productivit
repute which include research papers, review articles, teaching modules, temperatur
a fluid tha
articles in international conferences and magazines.
OEMs.

NO. 43 • DECEMBER 2005 II NO. 4

 LUBE_70 24/11/2005 22:19 Page 13

ROHMAX MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY

HYDRAULIC FLUID TECHNOLOGY
RohMax have announced the launch of a new
high performance level in hydraulic fluid
formulation technology that provides significant
improvements in hydraulic pump efficiency.
Maximum Efficiency Hydraulic Fluid, or MEHF, is
the result of extensive research by the oil additive
experts at RohMax. It was developed in response
to requests from equipment builders, oil blenders
and hydraulic equipment owners and operators
for increased levels of performance, fuel and
operations efficiency.
MEHF products are formulated to minimise
mechanical energy losses at low temperatures
and to reduce internal pump leakage under high
pressure/high temperature operating conditions.
The resulting improvement provides many
advantages to the equipment operator, including
reduced need for auxiliary cooling and improved
productivity. The primary advantage of MEHF is
significant energy savings per unit of work, with
a corresponding reduction in energy costs. For
equipment manufacturers, MEHF delivers
m improved pump efficiency, meaning that smaller
=428&relat pumps can be used to supply equivalent amounts
of power when compared with larger pumps
using a standard fluid.
on
“This new level of product performance will MEHF technology represents a new option for the hydraulic fluid marketer to
ulsa, deliver improved energy efficiency, which is especially relevant in mobile meet these challenges, and also a clear mechanism to differentiate these
equipment,” explained Doug Placek of RohMax. Placek said, “this new high specialty fluids in the marketplace. Fluids formulated to meet the MEHF
n. performance fluid level will not only reduce downtime, but also maximise performance level will deliver value to everyone in the industry. Equipment
anada productivity and cut operating costs.” operators get improved productivity and cost savings, equipment builders can
Technology Details improve performance and reduce vehicle emissions, and oil marketers will find
Inc., increased demand in the valuable specialty fluids segment.
A wide variety of hydraulic fluid product options are commercially available.
Low performance, low technology options can be provided to the market at a MEHF products are formulated to minimize mechanical energy losses at low
low price, if the customer is focused on the purchase price of the oil and will temperature, and also reduce internal pump leakage under high pressure/high
accept minimum performance levels. Educated and sophisticated customers temperature operating conditions. The resulting improvement in pump
will want to consider the total cost of operation, which includes the purchase efficiency over the entire temperature operating range provides many
price of the oil, life of their equipment, maintenance costs, and productivity benefits to the equipment operator, including:
productivity. Optimising the quality, volume, and pace of production while • Energy savings per unit work of 5% or more, with a corresponding
reducing the total cost of operation requires the use of the latest technology, reduction in energy costs.
and MEHF has been designed to help. • Increased hydraulic power and reproducible equipment performance
The hydraulic fluid manufacturer, marketer, and distributor promote a number over a wider temperature range.
of different fluids to satisfy the requirements established by the pump • Improved start-up performance at lower temperatures
manufacturer and equipment builder. The list of product options includes:
• Reduced need for auxiliary cooling.
• Straight mineral base oils
• Reduced risk of overheating and consequent equipment shutdown
• HM monograde oil
• Elimination of seasonal oil change-outs.
• Engine oils used as hydraulic fluids
hester in Selecting a hydraulic fluid with the proper viscosity is critical in order to obtain
• HV multigrade oil optimum system response and guarantee long-term performance. A fluid with
• Specialty oils - synthetic, fire resistant, insulating too high a viscosity at low temperature will not provide the necessary flow to
red avoid pump cavitation. A fluid with a low viscosity at the highest operating
• Multipurpose oils for combined use in hydraulics, gears,
metalworking, etc. temperature will result in poor volumetric efficiency and, in some cases, in
pump seizure.
• Automatic transmission fluids used as hydraulic fluids
aterpillar To learn more about MEHF specifications, development and other
• *MEHF – Maximum Efficiency Hydraulic Fluid* performance data, visit the link below
All of these fluids can ”work”, but do they enable the operator to reduce the
overall cost of operations while improving performance and
journals of productivity? Hydraulic fluids must endure the burden of increasing
g modules, temperature and pressures in current system designs. The operator must select LINK
a fluid that suits the needs of both new and old equipment from multiple www.mehf.com
OEMs.

II NO. 43 • DECEMBER 2005 III

LUBE_70 24/11/2005 22:20 Page 14

UKL

UKLA Aw
The UKLA
and last tim
President,
on within
UEIL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE Board.
Simon Bra
MEETS AT FEDERCHIMICA, MILAN Employee o
candidates
The second meeting of 2005 for the UEIL Health and Environment Committee in this programme which is also being observed by the UK’s Health and Safety highly com
took place at Federchimica, Milan, Italy in early October. Federchimica have Executive. Claire Presc
taken a very active role in this UEIL group over recent years as they have a Martyn Wa
Boric Acid - The Committee agreed to take a consistent stance to this issue
particularly close association with the Italian Metalworking Fluid Industry. joining with the UKLA Stewardship Group in a ‘no label’ approach. VSI will A UKLA S
Matteo Aglio hosted the meeting on behalf of Federchimica in his first meeting discuss with their members to determine if they will join this approach or lobby President,
since replacing the recently promoted Giuseppe Abello from the same for a minimising effect. to the orga
organisation. the London
The Committee also agreed to set up its first group task force to consider how Visit. David
Chairman of the Committee, Robert Stubbs of Polartech Ltd, welcomed the it might obviate specific aspects of REACh that could affect member companies
members of the committee and was particularly pleased to also welcome guest particularly those manufacturing metalworking fluids.
visitors from the UKLA Metalworking Fluid Product Stewardship Group and The meeting concluded with a discussion of the approach that the UEIL
from the German organisation, VSI. Committee will take through into 2006. This included an increased usage of the
There was another strong attendance at the meeting with the main topics UEIL web site to provide member companies with appropriate information, a
including: stronger and closer relationship with UKLA Stewardship Group and the VSI and
closer links to the current issues in North America, through ILMA. It was agreed
REACh - Following on from the extensive lobbying activities of UEIL with that Chairman, Stubbs, would present the detail of the issues and the overall
respect to this issue, the H and E committee are now examining ways in which strategy at the UEIL General Assembly in Rome at the end of October.
the Group can assist member companies to eventually implement the
The next meeting of the UEIL Health and Environment Committee will take
legislation.
place in January 2006 in the UK. If you would like more information about the
Formaldehyde - Consideration of the potential effects that might arise within UEIL Health and Environment Committee, please visit the web site at
the biocides industry should the carcinogen classification of formaldehyde www.ueil.org. Alternatively if you would like to join the next meeting, please
increase in severity. It is likely that a joint position paper will be created in contact Robert Stubbs.
conjunction with the UKLA Stewardship Group. R.Stubbs
LINK
ILMA issues - Significant concern was expressed with respect to the NTP testing Chairman, UEIL Health and
programme on watermix metalworking fluids currently being initiated in North Environment Committee, [email protected]
America. A number of International UEIL / ILMA members have an involvement 10th November 2005.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD

LUBRICATION AND GOOD LUBRICANTS
Jim Fitch, Noria Corporation
I have learned that excellence in lubrication is just as difficult to realise as it is lubrication - just like you can’t use money to tame unruly maintenance culture.
rare to find. The reasons for this are many. One simple explanation is the field Lubricants of high science and quality, at any price, cannot forgive the
of lubrication is a specialty that takes education and years of experience to maintenance practitioner for not knowing how much, how often and by what
master - like most professions. Companies employ professionals with specialised method. No one is born with such insight.
skills indeed (computer science, finance, marketing, etc.), but how often have Purchasing good lubricants requires only money. Best-fitting the type and
you heard of a recruiter going to a college campus to interview and hire quality of lubricants to the reliability needs of machinery is a science, not a
lubrication professionals? I’ve never heard of this. Likewise, I know of no purchasing function. But the science of good lubrication goes way beyond the
colleges or universities in North America with degree programmes in optimum selection of lubricants. It’s also a mantra of vigilance. It’s tending to
lubrication. No wonder excellence in lubrication is so rare. Do you sense an the details perpetually. It’s constant improvement and constant learning.
opportunity here? Its currency is reliability at the lowest cost. It optimises not maximises. It is
Lacking real knowledge in lubrication, companies must still make lubrication measurement-driven and deploys oil analysis to make risk-informed decisions.
decisions. Decisions often seem straightforward on the surface, but below this Bad lubrication cuts deep into business operating profits. It risks lost
surface, they are plagued with pitfalls that can cost companies dearly. Many are production, ties up valuable resources and, in some cases, imperils human life.
lured into making bad decisions due to pressures imposed by overzealous Those who don’t understand the causes of bad lubrication are condemned to
vendors or by management’s cost-cutting directives. For instance, those with repeat them. Instead, develop a culture that fosters learning and an
lubrication knowledge know that saving money by buying cheap oil is almost unwavering drive to achieve excellence in lubrication.
always a false economy. On the other extreme, buying quality oil to remedy bad
lubrication is also a false economy. Sadly, many companies fail to make the Although rare… it is achievable.
important distinction between good lubricants and good lubrication. Yet, it is
this distinction that defines whether or not we are on a trajectory to lubrication
LINK
excellence.
www.noria.com
Good lubrication requires knowledge, initiative and persistence. It’s proactive,
not reactive and certainly not passive. You cannot buy your way into good

NO. 43 • DECEMBER 2005 IV