Grease Stability Under Vibrating Conditions

In Australian industry, centralised lubrication systems are used to deliver grease to various mechanical components, usually bearings. In many situations, the length of the delivery lines is in excess of 20 metres. These lines meander through other pieces of equipment and infrastructure. In some situations when these lines are attached to support devices that are subject to vibration, the delivery pipes have become “plugged” because the oil in the grease has leaked/separated from the grease matrix. This scenario is very costly to the owner/operator of the equipment as a lack of lubrication can cause major repair/maintenance costs. A laboratory test procedure has been devised to evaluate the suitability of various greases to remain stable under these conditions