With winter weather looming and holiday shutdowns approaching, ensuring optimal machinery lubrication is essential. This is because low temperatures have an inverse correlation to the most important lubricant property – viscosity, making lubricants particularly vulnerable to temperature and subsequently leading to potential component/machine failure.

As environmental temperatures fall, lubricants can become more viscous to an ultimate point of setting. This creates heavier, thicker, and more solid lubricants which can lead to lubricant starvation. Additionally, in some instances, performance additives, such as extreme pressure additives, are activated at higher temperatures. Therefore, operating in colder temperatures, can alter the effectiveness of such additives leading to poor lubricant performance and increased wear of components and machines.

The good news is that most Molyslip greases and oils are formulated to handle low temperatures, maintaining their stability and performance in operating conditions as low as -50°C. This is due to the use of highly refined high VI mineral and synthetic oils which form the basis of many of our formulations. Our lubricants are thus less susceptible to viscosity changes in both high and low temperatures.

Knowing the performance capability of your lubricants can make you aware of the risks that cold temperatures present to your machinery. Unsure about your lubrication performance? Contact a member of the Molyslip team to enquire.