Knowledge Hub

Viscosity is the single most important property when selecting a lubricant.

• SAE grades (e.g. 15W-40) describe engine oil flow: the number before the W is cold-start performance, the second number is viscosity at 100°C.
• ISO VG grades (e.g. ISO 46, ISO 68) are used for hydraulic, gear and compressor oils, and reference kinematic viscosity at 40°C.
• A high viscosity index (VI) means the oil thins less as temperature rises — critical for equipment running through wide ambient swings.
• Too thin and the oil film collapses under load; too thick and you lose efficiency, generate heat and struggle on cold starts.

Performance comes from the pairing of base stock and additive chemistry.

• Group I/II mineral oils suit general duty; Group III and PAO synthetics deliver superior oxidation stability and low-temperature flow.
• Esters and synthetic blends improve film strength and biodegradability — the basis of our marine bio-lubricant ranges.
• Anti-wear (ZDDP), extreme pressure, detergent, dispersant, anti-foam and corrosion inhibitors each address a specific failure mode.
• Never top up with an unknown product: incompatible additive packages can drop out of solution and block filters.

Used oil analysis turns unplanned breakdowns into scheduled maintenance.

• Sample at consistent intervals, from the same point, with the equipment at operating temperature.
• Wear metals indicate which component is degrading — iron from gears and liners, copper from bushings, silicon from dirt ingress.
• Rising TAN, falling TBN, water content and viscosity drift signal that the oil has reached the end of its useful life.
• Trending matters more than single readings: three data points reveal a direction, one reveals nothing.

NSF H1 registration is the benchmark for lubricants used where incidental food contact is possible.

• H1 lubricants are formulated from approved base stocks and additives under FDA 21 CFR 178.3570, with a 10 ppm incidental contact limit.
• H2 products are for equipment with no possibility of contact; 3H products are direct-contact release agents.
• ISO 22000, HACCP and BRC audits expect documented lubricant registration numbers and segregated storage.
• Our INDUS-FOODSAFE range covers gear oils, hydraulic fluids, greases, chain oils, white oils and H1 aerosols.

A grease is a base oil held in a thickener — both halves must match the application.

• Lithium complex greases offer wide-temperature versatility; calcium sulphonate excels in wet and marine environments; polyurea suits sealed electric motors.
• NLGI consistency grades run from 000 (fluid) to 6 (block). NLGI 2 is the general-purpose default.
• Mixing incompatible thickeners — notably polyurea with lithium — can soften the grease and cause bearing purge and failure.
• Re-grease little and often rather than rarely and heavily; over-greasing churns and overheats bearings.

Most contamination happens before the oil ever reaches the machine.

• Store drums indoors, horizontally or under cover, to stop water pooling around the bungs and being drawn in by thermal cycling.
• Dedicate filters, funnels and transfer pumps by fluid type and colour-code them to avoid cross-contamination.
• Practise stock rotation: unopened lubricants typically have a shelf life of two to five years depending on product type.
• Used oil is a controlled waste — collect in sealed, labelled containers and dispose through a licensed recycler.