Abrasion

A general wearing away of a surface by constant scratching, usually due to the presence of foreign matter such as dirt, grit, or metallic particles in the lubricant. It may also cause a break down of the material (such as the tooth surfaces of gears). Lack of proper lubrication may result in abrasion.

Abrasive wear

(Or cutting wear) comes about when hard surface asperities or hard particles that have embedded themselves into a soft surface and plough groove into the opposing harder surface, e.g., a journal.

Absolute filtration rating

The diameter of the largest hard spherical particle that will pass through a filter under specified test conditions. This is an indication of the largest opening in the filter elements.

Absolute Viscosity

A term used interchangeably with viscosity to distinguish it from either kinematic viscosity or commercial viscosity. Absolute viscosity is the ratio of shear stress to shear rate. It is a fluid's internal resistance to flow. The common unit of absolute viscosity is the poise. Absolute viscosity divided by fluid density equals kinematic viscosity. It is occasionally referred to as dynamic viscosity. Absolute viscosity and kinematic viscosity are expressed in fundamental units. Commercial viscosity such as Say bolt viscosity is expressed in arbitrary units of time, usually seconds.

AC Fine Test Dust (ACFTD)

A test contaminant used to assess both filters and the contaminant sensitivity of all types of tribological mechanisms.

Accumulator

A container in which fluid is stored under pressure as a source of fluid power.

Acid

In a restricted sense, any substance containing hydrogen in combination with a nonmetal or nonmetallic radical and capable of producing hydrogen ions in solution.

Acidity

In lubricants, acidity denotes the presence of acid-type constituents whose concentration is usually defined in terms of total acid number. The constituents vary in nature and may or may not markedly influence the behavior of the lubricant.

Additive stability

The ability of additives in the fluid to resist changes in their performance during storage or use.

Adhesion

The property of a lubricant that causes it to cling or adhere to a solid surface.

Adhesive wear

Is often referred to as galling, scuffing, scoring, or seizing. It happens when sliding surfaces contact one another, causing fragments to be pulled from one surface and to adhere to the other.

Adsorption

Adhesion of the molecules of gases, liquids, or dissolved substances to a solid surface, resulting in relatively high concentration of the molecules at the place of contact; e.g. the plating out of an anti-wear additive on metal surfaces.

Aeration

The state of air being suspended in a liquid such as a lubricant or hydraulic fluid.

Agglomeration

The potential of the system for particle attraction and adhesion.

Alkali

Any substance having basic (as opposed to acidic) properties. In a restricted sense it is applied to the hydroxides of ammonium, lithium, potassium and sodium. Alkaline materials in lubricating oils neutralize acids to prevent acidic and corrosive wear in internal combustion engines.

Analytical ferrography

The magnetic precipitation and subsequent analysis of wear debris from a fluid sample This approach involves passing a volume of fluid over a chemically treated microscope slide, which is supported over a magnetic field. Permanent magnets are arranged in such a way as to create varying field strength over the length of the substrate. This varying strength causes wear debris to precipitate in a distribution with respect to size and mass over the Ferrogram. Once rinsed and fixed to the substrate, this debris deposit serves as an excellent media for optical analysis of the composite wear particulates.

Anti-foam agent

One of two types of additives used to reduce foaming in petroleum products: silicone oil to break up large surface bubbles, and various kinds of polymers that decrease the amount of small bubbles entrained in the oils.

Anti-friction bearing

A rolling contact type bearing in which the rotating or moving member is supported or guided by means of ball or roller elements. Does not mean without friction.

Anti-oxidants

Prolong the induction period of base oil in the presence of oxidizing conditions and catalyst metals at elevated temperatures. The additive is consumed and degradation products increase not only with increasing and sustained temperature, but also with increases in mechanical agitation or turbulence and contamination

Antistatic additive

An additive that increases the conductivity of a hydrocarbon fuel to hasten the dissipation of electrostatic charges during high-speed dispensing, thereby reducing the fire/explosion hazard.

Anti-wear additives

Improve the service life of tribological elements operating in the boundary lubrication regime. Anti-wear compounds (for example, ZDDP and TCP) start decomposing at 90¦ to 100¦C and even at a lower temperature if water (25 to 50 ppm) is present.

API engine service categories

Gasoline and diesel engine oil quality levels established jointly by API, SAE, and ASTM, and sometimes called SAE or API/SAE categories; formerly called API Engine Service Classifications.

Ash

A measure of the amount of inorganic material in lubricating oil. Determined by burning the oil and weighing the residue. Results expressed as percent by weight.

ASLE

American Society of Lubrication Engineers. Changed now to Society of Tribologist and Lubrication Engineers (STLE).

ASME

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Asperities

Microscopic projections on metal surfaces resulting from normal surface-finishing processes. Interference between opposing asperities in sliding or rolling applications is a source of friction, and can lead to metal welding and scoring. Ideally, the lubricating film between two moving surfaces should be thicker than the combined height of the opposing asperities.

ASTM

American Society for Testing Materials

Atomic absorption spectroscopy

Measures the radiation absorbed by chemically unbound atoms by analyzing the transmitted energy relative to the incident energy at each frequency. The procedure consists of diluting the fluid sample with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and directly aspirating the solution. The actual process of atomization involves reducing the solution to a fine spray, dissolving it, and finally vaporizing it with a flame. The vaporization of the metal particles depends upon their time in the flame, the flame temperature, and the composition of the flame gas. The spectrum occurs because atoms in the vapor state can absorb radiation at certain well-defined characteristic wavelengths. The wavelength bands absorbed are very narrow and differ for each element. In addition, the absorption of radiant energy by electronic transitions from ground to excited state is essentially and absolute measure of the number of atoms in the flame and is, therefore, the concentration of the element in a sample.

Axial-load bearing

A bearing in which the load acts in the direction of the axis of rotation.