Lubes em Foco Magazine – issue 96
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1.- Industrial Oils Meeting
Technology, innovation, and sustainability are the future of lubrication
Understanding the market in which you operate is now almost as important as mastering the technical knowledge of a product or service. For this reason, the 5th International Meeting with the Industrial Oils and Greases Market, promoted by Lubes Em Foco Magazine, an idea and production of Editora ONZE, began by talking about artificial intelligence (AI).
According to André Ghion, an expert in digital transformation, innovation and emerging technologies, innovation and transformation cycles are getting shorter and shorter. “AI is already a super important lever and it will change any and all markets,” he emphasizes.
Ghion explained how the use of AI can increase the capacity to deliver tasks and how much value this can represent. Another important point is the speed at which the transformation should happen and, incredibly, he points out that people with more experience have a much greater chance with AI than young people. “What should happen is a seniorization of the job market in some functions.”
In conclusion, he states that it is essential to adopt AI, as the transformation will be in the individual and in the collective of companies. As an example, he cited companies that employ artificial intelligence and also the first clone of a person in Brazil, an executive and advisor: himself.
High-performance sustainable lubricants for industrial gear applications was the topic addressed by Mariana Silva, Global Head of Market for the Agriculture and New Business Development segment at Evonik.
She presented three real-world case studies of the technology’s applications, demonstrating not only the benefits of using this type of lubricant, but also the importance of understanding them throughout the entire supply chain.
According to Mariana, high-performance lubricants can reach their full potential when the entire chain understands their benefits in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, and carbon footprint. “We can say that high-performance lubricants have a high viscosity index, they reduce friction, and with that, we can achieve lower energy consumption, greater equipment durability, and less maintenance.”
Eduardo Lima, associate scientist in technology, technical services, and development at Dow Brazil, discussed how it is possible to evolve polyglycols, both for lubricants and in innovative proposals for greases. He says that there is already local production of polyglycols dedicated to the lubricant sector, both water-soluble and insoluble, and it is important to bring some of the growth potential that exists within this market.
The six pillars of lubrication were addressed by Philip Freitas, engineer and consultant at LUBRIN. He recalled how much lubrication influences the efficiency of equipment, and that, when poorly lubricated, it can shut down a plant. For him, pillar number 1 is selection and formulation. The importance of knowing the indication of that product, in order to make the correct use for each piece of equipment. Pillar number 2 – reception and storage; 3 – handling and application; 4 – contamination control; 5 – monitoring and analysis and 6 – sustainability and compliance.
The specialist in Regulation of the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), Paulo Matos, stressed that biolubricants need to have more than 25% of their composition based on renewed materials, be biodegradable and have more than 60% degradation in 28 days.
He explained the scenario for the use of the product in Europe and the United States and highlighted that biolubricants have evolved significantly, especially in terms of additives. “Today we have a range of specific additives for biolubricants. If it is of vegetable origin, it is an ester. Or, if it is a synthetic ester, its thermal capacity is very good compared to mineral biolubricants.”
Among the advantages of using biolubricants in Brazil, he believes, are the increased use of renewable materials, less environmental impact from disposal due to greater biodegradability, lower toxicity, and less bioaccumulation.
Ingrid Melchior Ferreira, Technical Service & Development at Braskem, began her presentation by talking about the demand for different types of lubricants. According to her, in 2025, approximately 75% of the demand will be focused on the transportation sector and another 25% on other applications, mostly industrial.
Focusing specifically on the sugarcane market, Ingrid highlighted the growth of this segment and the importance of choosing a lubricant that meets all the technical requirements for this application, due to the lubricant’s contact with sugarcane juice, which can acidify and impair the lubrication process. “There’s the whole issue of corrosion, contamination with particulates, with the water itself, because many times we’re talking about an open gear.”
This is the logic behind the organization of the company’s PIB portfolio, based on three families: light, medium, and heavy PIBs, which are directed according to kinematic viscosity, which correlates with molecular weight and the growth of the chain.
To discuss mineral oil-free protective coatings, Paula Patrão, Account Manager at IMCD, presented the results of a partnership with Lubrizol to address a market demand for products that meet NR15, a Labor Standard on hazardous working conditions.
Six prototypes were developed, and among the performance requirements was the one that defined that the product should be calcium-based. From there, corrosion tests were carried out in a salt spray booth, a demulcification or separation test, and a water removal test.
She explained all the processes adopted until the conclusion that RP1 was the product that performed best among the six prototypes evaluated. The product does not yet have a commercial name and will only be launched in 2026, but IMDC and Lubrizol are already conducting tests.
Miguel Muniz, Technical and Marketing Manager for Latin America at ERGON, addressed the combination of viscosity and performance in the use of heavy bases in the manufacture of greases. He stressed that these parameters are extremely important for determining the use of base oils in the preparation of lubricants.
He recalls that in the formulation it is possible to find many different bases, hence the importance of knowing the application that will be made. Oxidation stability is always a significant challenge, requiring a good balance between the grease base, the naphthenic group, or any other group in the mixture. “We’ve seen in some research on heavy-base greases that you can achieve a better energy level with a smaller amount of thickness.”
SKF’s Senior Laboratory Analyst, Beatriz Pereira, and Application Engineering Supervisor, Emerson Petrozo, presented some case studies demonstrating the importance of oil analysis and the integration of techniques in predictive maintenance.
Emerson Petrozo points out that 50% of bearing problems are associated with lubrication, which can involve specification, negligence, interval, quantity, and a number of other factors. Therefore, a correct analysis begins with the collection procedure, which must take the primary point into account. “Follow the lubricant circuit, from when it leaves the reservoir, passes through all points of the equipment, and returns.”
Beatriz Pereira, in turn, explained how the analysis of this collected lubricant should be performed. According to her, it’s like a “blood test” where it’s possible to ascertain the health of the equipment. “Preventing failures prolongs the useful life of the equipment, reduces maintenance costs, and avoids scheduled downtime. We don’t have that corrective maintenance; we can schedule what we’re going to do with that equipment, reducing the change interval. We don’t change the oil unless it’s necessary, which guarantees the operational efficiency of the equipment.”
On the second day of the 5th International Meeting with the Industrial Oils and Greases Market, the topics of the lectures were lubricating greases.
2.- Grease Meeting
Understanding the application is fundamental to unlocking the full potential of lubricating greases.
The second day of the 5th International Meeting with the Industrial Oils and Greases Market began with a presentation by ICONIC’s R&D manager and N.L.G.I. (National Lubricating Grease Institute) member, Daiane Spadari. She highlighted the market’s potential and thanked the Institute members for participating in the event for the first time, and invited Cecília Mancero, International Sales of Platinum Vice President and Head of the N.L.G.I. International Committee, and Jennifer Foreman, Member Services Manager, to the stage.
Cecília thanked them for the opportunity and emphasized her enthusiasm for being in Brazil. According to her, the Institute’s objective is to be the source of technical information for the lubricants industry. Following this, she invited Javier Carrillo, Vice President of the international subcommittee, to speak about the Institute’s work.
Carrillo began by saying that the N.L.G.I. has been the basis for industry standards, serving as a guide for manufacturers, suppliers, and consumers. The expert outlined a timeline recounting the organization’s evolution, from the Certification process to its benefits for the market.
He concluded by explaining that N.L.G.I functions as a Trade Association. “This means that our main focus is the advancement of the industry, without generating any problems. The structure allows us to serve as a neutral field where competitors can collaborate and standards benefit everyone.”
The panel that discussed specific aspects of the grease market in Brazil was one of the highlights of the event. On that occasion, the director of Editora Onze, Pedro Nelson, and the director of Honorato Assessoria, Manoel Honorato, began the proceedings, narrowing the scope of the discussions to three points: market share, legislation, and raw materials.
Analyzing the numbers, the pair emphasized that the information on the website of the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) is voluntary, therefore, attention is needed, as they do not always reflect what happens in the market. According to the published figures, there was an increase in lithium grease compared to calcium grease. “The production curve we had before was that small and medium-sized companies produced a lot of calcium grease, in percentage terms, and less lithium grease. Now there has started to be a reversal,” explains Honorato.
Pedro Nelson also reminded that although registration is not mandatory, the ANP continues to carry out inspections. He explains that although there is the impression that because there is no registration any product can enter, this is not true. “The ANP has entry barriers, there has to be respect for the quality of the product you are putting on the market.”
Also invited to join the panel was Felipe Camargo, Quality and R&D Manager at Aboissa. He briefly presented the scenario of castor bean and palm production, pointing out a production deficit of both inputs. In the case of castor beans, there is a difficulty in harvesting, while in the case of palm, the competition is with the animal feed market, mainly in the dairy sector.
The expansion of electrification has broadened the universe of polyurea greases. According to Roberto Saruls, business manager for the industrial segment in Latin America at Lubrizol, the product began to be viewed differently, which led the company to invest in this line.
According to him, there is gradual growth, a trend of the market absorbing or understanding that polyurea grease can also be an option for very high-performance greases. He stressed that although lithium grease consumption is growing in Brazil, there is variation in other countries.
In conclusion, he says that lithium will remain, although it is experiencing a decline globally. “And those taking on the strongest leading role in this area of substitution are calcium sulfonate greases and polyurea greases.”
The Global Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Texile Rubber & Chemical Company, Dr. Vasu Bala, spoke about the formulation of high-performance multi-purpose EP greases. According to him, in several grease productions, lithium still dominates, with 57%, another 23% are calcium-based, and polyurea is in third place. “It’s a grease that is growing in the market,” he explains.
Dr. Vasu drew the chemists’ attention to formulation issues, because often when acquiring a package of additives, the professional does not pay attention to their chemical structure, which can directly impact the product’s performance when in contact with lithium, for example.
Paulo Berto, product researcher at ICONIC Base Oil, recalled Sun Tzu’s first teaching: be adaptable and plan. According to him, planning is essential for process improvement. “Combining this ancient strategy with modern sustainability is what we see to create competitive advantages within your industry. So, Sun Tzu talked about knowledge, adaptability, and efficiency to overcome challenges.”
Speaking about technology in grease manufacturing, Pedro Sachet, product researcher at ICONIC, talked a little about the problems normally associated with the existence of varnish and the need for flushing. He also commented on his experience regarding the behavior of varnish formation. According to the company’s understanding, lubricating oils and greases that are formulated with group 2 base oils are more resistant to thermal degradation. What changes and puts group 1 in a position of prominence is that it tends to better solubilize insoluble deposits
The last topic addressed at the event was the evaluation of the performance of the lubricant applied to the main shaft bearing of a wind turbine. Emerson Petrozo, Application Engineering supervisor at SKF, began his presentation by revisiting the issue of the impacts of lubrication on equipment. He outlined the challenges of lubricating a bearing in a wind turbine, which can have a bore of around 600 millimeters, that is, large and strong bearings.
Next, Carlos Eduardo Santos, responsible for Lubrication Engineering and Reliability projects at SKF, presented a case study in which tests were carried out to understand the problem in the turbine and seek a solution. The need for automated lubrication is clear. “I can optimize this process. With this, I eliminate excess, lack of lubrication, or contamination from use, since I don’t need to depend on my technician; everything is automated.”
