Tribology Talk: The Science of Lubrication

Summit Chief Technology Officer Dan Myrick talks about the 18 degree rule of pushing your oil to its outer limits.

When a product is labeled Food Grade and NSF H1 certified, it’s simply an audit of the ingredients in the product. There’s no way to know if that product and its certified ingredients are being blended in a way that would be up to the standards of “food grade.”   Well, actually, there is a way to know, but it goes beyond calling something “food grade” and “H1.” Dan Myrick, Summit’s executive vice president of operations and technology, explains in our latest Tribology Talk podcast.

What causes foaming and what should you do when you see it? Is all foaming equally dangerous? Dan Myrick, the executive vice president of operations and technology at Summit Industrial Products, tackles this complicated issue.

Steele Glenn, manager of pump oil sales at Summit Industrial Products, talks about the cost and production benefits of using a specific product like pump oil instead of more generic options.

How filtered should your oil be? Can oil be too clean? Can you filter out additives? Dan Myrick, executive vice president of operations and technology at Summit Industrial Products, dispels a few myths and explains just how filtered your oil needs to be.

Scott Harper with Applied Air Systems submitted the topic of “Additive Packs: Compare their competitive add packs vs. our current technology.” So we grabbed Thomas Knight, our research and development chemist at Summit Industrial Products, to discuss the process and use of additive packs.

How hot will my oil run?

What do all the fields on my product data sheet actually mean?

What do all the fields on my product data sheet actually mean?

What is TAN progression and how do I fight against it?

What does it mean when a company says their products are biodegradable?

Are the OEM brand lubricants better for my machine?

Can we mix oils?

What are the different additives and how do they work?

What is viscosity range?

How do you measure viscosity and what's the viscosity index?

What is the effect of oxidation and how do we avoid it?

Where do synthetics come from?

What is the particle count index number and how does it effect my machine?

What can color tell you about your oil?

What are the differences between the petroleum base stock groups?

Why are there different types of base stocks?

What is the job of a Barrier Fluid?

How does water get into oil? What are the symptoms and consequences?

Tribology Talk is starting a new series that focuses on the frequently asked question in the business of industrial lubrication

Sam Kennedy explains the process of choosing the correct gas compressor oil and what that oil needs to be able to do.

Sending in oil samples for analysis is like taking your machine to the doctor. We explain why you should schedule a regular check-up.

Learn more about Food Grade certifications, markets, trends and put to rest a stigma that has been following food grade products for far too long.

ISO and NSF certification processes and steps are explained by Summit’s Vice President of regulatory affairs, Lonnie Hall.

R & D chemist Thomas Knight explains the process a product goes through from idea to production.

Dan Myrick explains why it’s important to get the right oil for your compressor.

Industry expert Dan Myrick discusses proper lubrication maintenance on industrial equipment