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Industrial oils play a crucial role in modern manufacturing and can be categorized into various types, including gear oils and high-temperature chain oils. They are not only essential for the lubrication and protection of mechanical components but also significantly contribute to the efficiency and lifespan of equipment. With increasing demand for sustainability, esters are becoming more important as sustainable base oils.

Gear Oils

There is a wide range of gear types that, despite many differences and characteristics, share a fundamental commonality: Gear oils are required to lubricate the spaces between individual gears and components to reduce friction and minimize wear.

The base oil requirements are quite similar as well. It should exhibit good thermal stability across a wide temperature range, good ageing behaviour, effective wear protection, and favourable viscosity-temperature behaviour. Additionally, it must ensure that the finished lubricant prevents corrosion and cools the system by removing heat generated from friction with the gear oil.

To meet these demands, saturated polyol or complex esters can be used. We particularly recommend the following products from the LIGALUB series, which are excellent as base oils for this application:

LIGALUB L 105, saturated complex ester of ISO VG 100
LIGALUB L 112, saturated complex ester of ISO VG 220
LIGALUB L 108, saturated complex ester of ISO VG 320
 

High-Temperature Chain Oils

In industry, conveyor chains, conveyor rollers or drive belts are often used in continuous ovens, dryers or pressing lines. Chains are also used in other areas, for example, to drive machines. Typically, these chains are exposed to harsh conditions. In addition to high temperatures and sudden temperature changes, they must also withstand heavy loads from corrosive contaminants.

To reduce wear and keep deposits to a minimum, chain oils are used. The requirements for the base oil are high, especially in the field of high-temperature chain oils. If the base oil does not provide sufficient heat stability, evaporation or decomposition can lead to the chain running dry or sticky deposits forming. Therefore, the base oil should not only have very good thermal and oxidative stability but also a low evaporation loss. Additionally, good hydrolytic stability and effective wear protection are required.

For high-temperature applications, fully saturated esters are used as the main component, as they also facilitate the wetting process alongside the mentioned requirements. This year, we have developed a new product, LIGALUB 43 PE, a saturated polyol ester of ISO VG 150, which meets the high demands for this application. Furthermore, several new products in the viscosity classes 320, 460, 680, and 1200 are currently in development, which are also well-suited for use in high-temperature chain oils. If you are interested in these development products, our product manager Nadine Flügel is at your disposal.