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POL 1. Slide 1. Welcome to the Principles of Lubrication, module 1. An introduction to lubricants. Slide 2. In this module, we will cover the following areas: A history of lubricants. What is a lubricant? Why do we lubricate? What do they do? Slide 3. A history of lubricants. The need for lubricants and lubrication has been around for thousands of years. Ever since the invention of machines, we have had to combat friction and wear. One of the first machines was the cart or wagon which incorporated the wheel, soon followed by much more sophisticated chariots. Early chariots have been found in Egyptian tombs dating to approximately 1400 B.C. They found that the hubs of the wooden wheels were becoming charred from what we now know as frictional heat. After each race, they would cool the hubs with water, and experimentation, led to the use of other liquids including olive oil and fats. They noticed that some of the more viscous liquids not only, dissipated heat, but also prevented much of it from forming in the first place. They also observed that the wheels were turning more freely. These early discoveries marked the dawn of machinery lubrication, but it wasn’t until the 19th Century that petroleum-based lubricants started to be widely used, and subsequently developed into the types of lubricating oils and greases that we are familiar with today. Slide 4. So what is a lubricant? A simple definition of a lubricant can be stated as follows: Any substance placed between two surfaces in relative motion, for the purpose of reducing the friction and wear between them. This can be a solid, liquid, or gas. To help us to understand how a lubricant functions, we must also have an understanding of the nature of the surfaces that are in contact with each other, whether, sliding or rolling. This is explored at great depth in the subject known as Tribe ology, the science of friction, wear, and lubrication. It is derived from the Greek tribein, or tribos, meaning rubbing. It was first introduced in 1966, and is a relatively new scientific focus, on lubricants and lubrication. All dynamic applications have one surface moving against another. So, from this we can also say that lubricants are in fact, an integral part of any machine with moving parts, and can be considered as engineering components. Slide 5. Tribe ology video. Slide 6. So why do we lubricate? Quite simply, as we have seen in the short video, we lubricate to reduce friction between two surfaces in relative motion. All dynamic applications have one surface moving against another, which can create friction and heat, resulting in wear. Typical examples of these applications can be seen here: Roller or ball bearings, where the balls or rollers rotate around the inner and outer bearing races. Slideways, where a carriage, housing ball bearings or rollers, moves along a rail or guide. Plain, or journal bearings, where typically, you will have a shaft or journal which rotates freely in a supporting metal sleeve or shell. By introducing a lubricant, it will create a friction-reducing lubricating film, which will reduce the frictional heat and wear, by keeping the two components or surfaces apart. Slide 7. We’re now going to give you a brief overview of the primary functions of a lubricant. As we have already discussed, they are there to reduce friction and wear between moving surfaces. They are used to cool surfaces, by absorbing and transferring the heat away. Fuchs manufacture a wide range of products, that will not only lubricate, but also transfer heat. Typically, these would be used in industrial heat transfer systems, refrigeration systems, air conditioning systems, compressors, vehicle cooling systems etc. Lubricants are used to flush away or seal against contaminants. Hydraulic oils will carry contaminants through to the filters. Gear lubricants will carry contaminants from the gear teeth through to the sump or filters. Metalworking fluids will carry small chips of metal from the cutting face of the component through to the filters as well as cooling the work area. Greases can be used to lubricate bearings and seals, but also to seal against ingress of contaminants. Lubricants are used to protect surfaces and reduce corrosion. Sometimes when components are manufactured, they are then coated with anti-corrosion products prior to being transported to the next destination or machining process. They can also be coated if they are going to be stored for long periods of time, or prior to being filled with the correct lubricant. For example, gearboxes, bearings etc. And finally. Lubricants are used to transmit power, for example, vehicle transmission systems, gearboxes and hydraulic equipment. So all in all, lubricants play a major role in all aspects of industry and every day life. As we have previously stated, lubricants should be treated as engineering components components components. Applications can differ widely, so it is important to select the right lubricant for the right application. Some lubricants may only perform one task, whereas other lubricants, may need to be engineered to perform several tasks during a machine’s duty. Slide 8. Thank you. You have completed the first module.