Biobased Oil Earns API SN
Biosynthetic Technologies, which specializes in making environmentally acceptable high-performance base oils, has received SN certification from the American Petroleum Institute for its biobased SAE 5W-20 and 5W-30 passenger car engine oil formulations. This milestone positions BTs biobased, biodegradable and non-toxic base oils to make a huge impact in the motor oil sector globally, said company CEO Allen Barbieri. Both grades use BTs patented estolide base oil at 35%, and were created in collaboration with Infineum, the international additive manufacturer. BT said engine test data show the products achieved piston deposit and wear protection ratings that were among the best in their class. The two partners plan now to jointly license the formulations
to marketers. Web: www.biosynthetic.com
Stauff Gets Sensitive
Industry has been moving away from interval oil changes based on elapsed time or hours of service, and Stauff wants to help retire them completely, with its new Oil Quality Sensor. The device is designed to be permanently mounted in the lubricating system of any piece of industrial equipment, such as diesel or natural gas engines, compressors, turbines, hydraulic and others. It continuously monitors oil condition and moisture to allow just-in-time oil changes. Stauff says this can save money by helping companies avoid too-frequent oil changes – and even more money by assuring they dont suffer equipment failure from not changing it frequently enough. Data from the sensor can be displayed on existing systems or on Stauffs display monitor. Web: www.stauffusa.com
Ecolabels for Nycos Nine
Nyco, which produces a wide array of synthetic base oils and lubricants, has added nine base fluids for use in formulating lubricants that comply with the challenging European Ecolabel scheme. Called Nycobase fluids, they are designed to combine high performance with non-toxicity and biodegradability. They are synthetic esters including mono-esters, diesters, glycol esters, neopolyol esters and complex esters. Theyre suitable for making high-performance lubricants like hydraulic oils, gear oils, greases or 2-stroke oils, Nyco points out, while satisfying the need for environmental acceptability. Web: www.nyco-lubricants.com
Chevron Offers Pitpack
Chevron Lubricants, which makes Chevron, Delo, Havoline and other brands of motor oils, now is offering oil installers and quick-lube outlets a package option that boosts efficiency while reducing trash and clutter in the shop. With its new Pitpack, the oil comes not from quart plastic bottles but from a six-gallon bag held in a recyclable cardboard box with an attached no-drip tap. Stored on a specially designed rack system, the boxes take up approximately half the space of the equivalent volume of quart cases. This is an appealing bulk-type alternative for locations where adding another tank is not viable, or space for 55-gallon drums is not available. Versus quart bottles, the Pitpack can reduce landfill waste by 89 percent, Chevron pointed out.
Web: www.chevron
lubricants.com
A Peek Under the Labels
Whats going on with engine oils you see on store shelves? Each year, the Institute of Materials collects hundreds of products directly from retailers throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and subjects each one to more than 30 engine oil performance bench tests. The list of oils tested in 2013 is now available for browsing at the IOM website, as is the technical paper, A Global Perspective of Engine Oil Properties, by Ted Selby, Jon Evans, Gordon Cox and Tina Dasbach. Need to know more? Subscribe to the IOM Engine Oil Database to obtain the full technical results in a comprehensive database, or choose from a variety of options. You can order a full-year database for any or all of the regions, specific engine oil reports, and/or specific performance tests, points out IOMs Dasbach. Web: www.instituteofmaterials.com
Q8 Expands Machining Line
Q8oils, Kuwait Petroleum Internationals lubricants brand, has added a new product to its Baroni line of machining lubricants. The chlorine- and sulfur-free Q8 Baroni HXS is a fully synthetic water-based metalworking fluid designed for general machining applications including deep hole drilling, boring, skiving and roller burnishing. The company said the Baroni HXS is designed for a long sump life, is not limited by water quality, and is suitable for low- to heavy-duty machining of ferrous alloys, stainless steel, high tensile steel, Inconel and other high-specification alloys. Web: www.q8oils.co.uk
Chain Oil Certified for VGP
After independent laboratory testing, RSC Bio Solutions has self-certified another of its marine lubricants as meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys definitions of biodegradable, minimally toxic and non-bioaccumulative, assuring compliance with the new Vessel General Permit regulations. The latest product to earn the environmentally acceptable lubricant (EAL) designation is the companys EnviroLogic 268 wire rope, cable and chain lubricant. Designed to replace mineral based products, EnviroLogic 268 is based on natural ester technology and can be applied to the heavy-duty wire ropes, cables and chain lines commonly used in marine environments. The company previously certified several greases, cleaners and hydraulic fluids for VGP compliance, too. Web: www.rscbio.com
Kline Updates Database
Consulting and market intelligence firm Kline & Co. has released the eighth edition of its LubesNet Database. Subscribers to the database can use it to identify industry trends and opportunities, and assess current finished lubricant demand worldwide or broken down by region, country, market segment, product type and viscosity grade level. Included are forecasts for future trends in the industry and a tool by which users can alter possible future variables to assess what if scenarios. Kline says subscribers can access the database globally through a single user code and password, and there is no limit to the number of users in any given subscriber organization. Web: www.klinegroup.com
Bonderite Reformulated
Henckel has reformulated its line of Bonderite lubricants used in pipe and wire manufacturing to eliminate boron while still maintaining or improving performance and stability. The company says the Bonderite L-FM series, also sometimes called Bonderlube, reduces the steps preceding the forming operation to just four: abrasive blasting, rinsing with water, application of the lubricant, and drying. This, coupled with the elimination of boron, which is increasingly considered a potential health hazard with repeated exposure, makes the lubricant ideal for todays manufacturers, the company says. Web: www.henckel.com
Ash, Zinc Out
CountryMark has taken the zinc and ash out of its Advantage line of multi-viscosity hydraulic fluids. The company said the reformulated fluids are ideal for high-performance industrial applications using vane, piston or gear pumps, and for use in environmentally sensitive areas. These hydraulic fluids are designed to be effective in a wide temperature range and offer wear protection, filtration and oxidation stability, it added. They are rated to 4,000 hours. Web: www.countrymark.com