ASTM F2161-21
(Guide)Standard Guide for Instrument and Precision Bearing Lubricants—Part 1 Oils
Standard Guide for Instrument and Precision Bearing Lubricants—Part 1 Oils
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 The purpose of this guide is to report on the testing of, to discuss and compare the properties of, and to provide guidelines for the choice of lubricants for precision rolling element bearings (PREB). The PREB are, for the purposes of this guide, meant to include bearings of ABEC 5 quality and above. This guide limits its scope to oils used in PREB and is to be followed by a similar document to encompass greases used in PREB.
4.2 The number of lubricants, both oils and greases, used in PREB increased dramatically from the early 1940s to the mid 1990s. In the beginning of this period, petroleum products were the only widely available base stocks. Later, synthetic lubricants became available including synthetic hydrocarbons, esters, silicones, and fluorinated materials, including perfluorinated ethers and the fluorosilicones. This broad spectrum of lubricant choices has led to the use of a large number of different lubricants in PREB applications. The U.S. Department of Defense, as a user of many PREB, has seen a significant increase in the logistics effort required to support the procurement and distribution of these items. In addition, as time has passed some of the lubricants used in certain PREB are no longer available. The SRG Series, LSO-26, and Teresso V-78 are examples of such lubricants. This implies that replacement lubricants must be found as, in this era of extending the lifetime of DoD assets, stockpiles of replacement parts become depleted.
4.3 One of the primary goals of this study was to take a broad spectrum of the lubricants used in PREB and do a comprehensive series of tests on them in order that their properties could be compared and, if necessary, potential replacement lubricants identified. This study is also meant to be a design guide for choosing lubricants for PREB applications. This guide represents a collective effort of many members of this community who span the spectrum from bearing manufacturers, original equipment manufacture...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide is a tool to aid in the choice of an oil for precision rolling element bearing applications. There are two areas where this guide should have the greatest impact: (1) when a lubricant is being chosen for a new bearing application and (2) when a lubricant for a bearing has to be replaced because the original lubricant specified for the bearing can no longer be obtained. The Report (Section 5) contains a series of tests performed by the same laboratory on a wide variety of oils commonly used in bearing applications to allow comparisons of those properties of the oil that the committee thought to be most important when making a choice of lubricant. This guide contains a listing of the properties of oils by chemical type, that is, ester, silicone, and so forth. This organization is necessary since the operational requirements in a particular bearing application may limit the choice of lubricant to a particular chemical type due to its temperature stability, viscosity index or temperature-vapor pressure characteristics, and so forth. The Report includes the results of tests on the oils included in this study. The Report recommends replacement lubricants for those oils tested that are no longer available. The Report also includes a glossary of terms used in describing/discussing the lubrication of precision and instrument bearings. The Report presents a discussion of elastohydrodynamic lubrication as applied to rolling element bearings.
1.2 Although other compendia of lubricant properties have been published, for example, the Barden Product Standard, Lubricants2 and the NASA Lubricant Handbook for the Space Industry3, none have centered their attention on lubricants commonly used in precision rolling element bearings (PREB). The PREB put a host of unique requirements upon a lubricant. The lubricant must operate at both high and low temperatures. The lubricant must provide lubrication for months, if not years,...
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F2161 − 21
Standard Guide for
1
Instrument and Precision Bearing Lubricants—Part 1 Oils
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2161; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope without replenishment. The lubricant must be able to support
high loads but cannot be so viscous that it will interfere with
1.1 This guide is a tool to aid in the choice of an oil for
the operation of the bearing at very high speeds or low
precision rolling element bearing applications. There are two
temperatures, or both. The lubricant must provide boundary
areas where this guide should have the greatest impact: (1)
lubrication during low-speed or intermittent operation of the
when a lubricant is being chosen for a new bearing application
bearing.And, in many applications, its vapor pressure must be
and (2) when a lubricant for a bearing has to be replaced
low enough under operating conditions that evaporative losses
because the original lubricant specified for the bearing can no
do not lead to lubricant depletion or contamination of nearby
longer be obtained.The Report (Section 5) contains a series of
components.Theseandotherconsiderationsdictatedtheseries
testsperformedbythesamelaboratoryonawidevarietyofoils
of tests that were performed on each lubricant included in this
commonly used in bearing applications to allow comparisons
study.
of those properties of the oil that the committee thought to be
most important when making a choice of lubricant. This guide 1.3 Another important consideration was encompassed in
containsalistingofthepropertiesofoilsbychemicaltype,that thisstudy.Almostallofthetestingwasperformedbythesame
is, ester, silicone, and so forth. This organization is necessary laboratory, The Petroleum Products Research Department of
since the operational requirements in a particular bearing the Southwest Research Institute in SanAntonio, Texas, using
application may limit the choice of lubricant to a particular ASTM procedures. This continuity of testing should form a
chemical type due to its temperature stability, viscosity index solid basis for comparing the properties of the multitude of
ortemperature-vaporpressurecharacteristics,andsoforth.The lubricantstestedbyavoidingsomeofthevariabilityintroduced
Report includes the results of tests on the oils included in this when lubricants are tested by different laboratories using
study. The Report recommends replacement lubricants for different or even the “same” procedures.
those oils tested that are no longer available. The Report also
1.4 It should be noted that no functional tests (that is,
includes a glossary of terms used in describing/discussing the
bearingtests)wereperformed.Theresultsofthefour-ballwear
lubrication of precision and instrument bearings. The Report
test give some comparison, “a figure of merit,” of the lubrica-
presents a discussion of elastohydrodynamic lubrication as
tion properties of the oils under the condition of this test. But
applied to rolling element bearings.
experience has shown that testing the lubricant in running
1.2 Although other compendia of lubricant properties have bearings is the best means of determining lubricant perfor-
been published, for example, the Barden Product Standard, mance.
2
Lubricants and the NASA Lubricant Handbook for the Space
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
3
Industry , none have centered their attention on lubricants
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
commonly used in precision rolling element bearings (PREB).
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
The PREB put a host of unique requirements upon a lubricant.
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
The lubricant must operate at both high and low temperatures.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Thelubricantmustprovidelubricationformonths,ifnotyears,
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
1
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F34 on Rolling
4
2.1 ASTM Standards:
Element Bearings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F34.02 on
Tribology and was developed by DoD Instrument BearingWorking Group (IBWG)
D92Test Method for Flash and Fire Points by Cleveland
former F34.
Open Cup Tester
Current edition approved Jan. 15, 2021. Published January 2021 originally
approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 2010
...
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