What do your lubricants cost - and is your solution cost-effective?
The price of lubricating oil varies with the constant fluctuations in the oil industry. But at the end of the day, looking at price alone is the wrong approach. When you choose a lubricant, you should look at the overall economics. In this article, we take a closer look at the economics of lubricating oil and at the costs associated with your choice of lubricant.
Lubricants affect your maintenance costs
Lubricants probably account for only a few per cent of your machines' total operating costs, at least if you only look at what it costs to buy them. And this is often one of the areas where buyers try to cut short-term costs.
But this is exactly where you need to pay attention if you want the most cost-effective lubrication solution. Your choice of lubricants affects up to 40% of your maintenance costs.
Choosing the wrong lubricants can lead to more frequent oil changes, premature wear of machine parts and, not least, downtime. In fact, most cases of downtime turn out to be related to lubrication. So there is little point in investing in an expensive machine and then cutting corners on lubricants.
The link between price and quality in lubricants
If you don't know much about lubricants, it is easy to overlook the differences between the many products on the market. There is a vast range of lubricants in very different price brackets and qualities.
As with so many other purchases, you can usually expect price and quality to go hand in hand. The cheaper the lubricant, the lower the quality of its base oils and additives will generally be.
Quality is typically decisive for how well your machines perform. Cheap lubricants usually need to be changed considerably more often than a premium lubricant.
In other words, what looks like a cheap lubrication solution can easily turn out to be an expensive one in the long run. And yes, that applies even if your machines or equipment leak. You still need to protect the components, or you risk them leaking even more.
Choose lubricants based on quality and properties
The quality of a lubricant is not the only factor that determines whether you end up with the most cost-effective solution. The properties the lubricant needs to deliver in your machines also matter a great deal.
Lubricants are developed with different properties, and you should consider the environment in which the products will be used. The properties a lubricant needs vary considerably depending on whether it is exposed to high or low temperatures, high or low loads, moisture and variations in speed.
You should therefore draw up a requirements specification for your lubricants and choose products with the right tolerances for those properties.
Proper lubricant storage also affects cost
Finally, you should also be aware that lubricants deteriorate over time, for example when exposed to fluctuating temperatures and sunlight. Good storage and stock management of lubricants therefore also plays a part in ensuring optimal performance, and thus in achieving the most cost-effective lubrication solution.
Specialists in cost-effective lubrication
Admittedly, finding the best and most economical lubrication solution can feel like a bit of a jungle. Lubricating oil is part of a larger cycle that affects other aspects of your operations. One key point is that you need to look at lubricants from a broader perspective than price alone.
If you need advice on choosing lubricants, our specialists are happy to help, whether you have a single question or need help finding the right solution. We are also happy to review your machines and make sure you get optimal operating conditions in terms of lubricants, oil type, quality and change intervals.