www.machinerylubrication.com | November - December 2022 | 11
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another 250+ specifications as to what type
of base oil it is, types of additives, thickeners
(for greases), etc. And since this is an ISO
standard, it is recognized internationally;
that means if I know the specifications for
my lubricants, I can ensure they are meeting
these standards regardless of who I am
getting them from. e general populace
may not know about this standard, and
lubricant suppliers may feign ignorance, but
rest assured, 99% of lubricant suppliers will
know about this standard and which of their
oils meet which specifications.
is standard can be a fantastic tool.
You can contact your supplier and ask
them about the lubricants you are currently
using and where they fall within this ISO
standard. Once you have this information
for your current lubricants, you can start
looking into other lubricants for when you
are in a pinch or to see if there is a better deal
out there somewhere.
For example, let's look at hydraulic
fluids, which are absolutely everywhere.
What we typically run into is an ISO 68
AW hydraulic fluid. Let's say that this is a
hydraulic system for a 70-foot truck dumper
in South Alabama.
e OEM gives specifications for the oil
and lists the major brands and options. Well,
it is safe to assume that the named lubricant
meets the required specifications from the
OEM. So why can't we look at those specs
and reference this against all other oils out
there that meet these specifications? is is
exactly what we should be doing.
An OEM recommends specific lubri-
cants not because they are fans of a specific
lubricant manufacturer but because that
