For heavy machinery, lubricant is an essential component to ensure consistent performance and protection of the various engine components.
But which lubricant should you choose?
Hand on heart, our recommendation is a synthetic lubricant because they are the best.
Keep reading to find out why that is.
What Is A Synthetic Lubricant?
A synthetic lubricant is a specially formulated lubricating oil that is designed for use in compressors, engines, transmissions, hydraulics, blowers, chains and other food-grade applications.
These kinds of high performance machines create pretty extreme operating conditions. Synthetic lubricants are specifically engineered to meet the unique demands and operating conditions in compressors and other machinery.
They play a crucial role in reducing friction, dissipating heat, and ensuring your machinery is always operating efficiently and reliably. Basically, a synthetic lubricant does the hard yards so that you don’t experience any issues that might impact your productivity or output.
The Difference Between Synthetic And Mineral-Based Lubricants
Oil is oil, right? Wrong! Synthetic and mineral-based oils are quite different in their composition and use. These are the key differences:
- Composition: Because synthetic lubricants are formulated using chemically engineered base ingredients, they can be customised to have precise properties and tailored characteristics that will be consistent every time. Whereas mineral oils are derived from naturally occurring crude oil which can differ and vary, making the final product unpredictable.
- Temperature Stability: Synthetic lubricants have the ability to perform effectively over a wide range of temperatures, including the extreme heat of a compressor. They are also less prone to thermal breakdown at that high heat than their mineral counterparts, maximising performance and lubrication efficiency.
- Viscosity Control: The viscosity of an oil is very important in high performance machines. That’s why synthetic lubricants are ideal as they maintain their desired viscosity across a broad temperature range, unlike mineral varieties which can fluctuate. Constant viscosity allows for consistent lubrication every time.
- Environmentally Friendly: Ironically, synthetic lubricants can actually be better for the environment than mineral varieties. That’s because many are formulated with reduced emissions and biodegradability, unlike the large environmental footprint of mineral oils which have a greater tendency to produce emissions and waste.
Why Are Synthetic Lubricants The Best?
When it comes to machinery, synthetic lubricants are often thought to outperform mineral varieties for several reasons. We’ve eluded to a couple of the reasons already, but here’s the full explanation:
Consistency
Because synthetic lubricants are made to a specific formulation each time they are produced, you know exactly what you are going to get every time. This means you can rely on consistent performance and productivity whenever you use them.
Their consistency includes temperature stability, meaning they operate effectively at higher temperatures without breaking down or thinning out. That’s critical for maintaining a high performance from your machinery. They will also maintain their viscosity and lubricating properties in both extremely hot and cold conditions, ensuring consistent protection for all moving parts.
Productivity
Unwanted friction within your machinery can be bad news for your productivity. Luckily, synthetic lubricants typically have low friction coefficients, resulting in less friction-related energy losses. With less friction, you’ll experience improved fuel efficiency and reduced wear and tear on your engine components, resulting in better productivity.
Due to their formulation, synthetic lubricants generally have a longer service life than mineral oils, along with extended oil change intervals. Because you are doing more with less oil, it can lead to significant cost savings and reduced maintenance downtime.
Better Performance
As we have already mentioned, synthetic lubricants excel in extreme conditions such as high RPMs, heavy loads and turbocharged engines. They offer consistent lubrication and superior protection against wear and tear in these demanding environments.
Synthetic lubricants are less prone to oxidation, meaning less sludge formation and a reduction of deposits in your machinery engines. They also have resistance to contaminants like dirt and dust. Both of these things result in cleaner and more efficient engine operation.
Finally, synthetic lubricants have low volatility, meaning they are less prone to evaporation in those extreme temperature conditions. This ensures they continue to lubricate for the long term.
How To Choose The Right Lubricant
Choosing the right lubricant is vital for the efficient operation of your compressor or high performance machinery. Unfortunately, there are a lot of varieties available, so there is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Because of this, there are a number of things to consider when choosing your lubricant. If you aren’t sure what you need, the best thing is to chat with one of our expert team members. That way, you know you will get the best and most compatible lubricant available.
For a start, you want to come armed with the model and serial number for your compressor. That way, our team can understand any specific needs your compressor has. Different compressors have different viscosity needs, so we want to make sure you select the right lubricant to avoid issues with your compressor. It’s also helpful to know what type of oil you are currently using so that we can ensure compatibility.
High performance oil is always the best choice, which is lucky because that’s all we stock! Browse our range online now or get in touch with our team for their expertise and recommendations.
