ISO Wades into EH&S with ISO 45001

By Frank Rovella
The International Organization for Standardization, better known as “ISO,” has long been the cornerstone of quality in manufacturing. Having an ISO 9001:2008 certification is not only proof of an organization's commitment to quality, but it can also open doors to new business. The process and traceability requirements of an ISO cert are pervasive, and run deep into day-to-day operations, for this reason, larger manufacturers, and OEMs will prefer to do business whenever possible with similarly certified or at least compliant vendors.

Now it can be said that an ISO 9001:2008 certification is only as good as the auditor, but even with the laxest inspector, having that plaque in the lobby is a source of pride for many manufacturers.

ISO is no doubt a big dog when it comes to industrial specifications and has a history that spans almost 90 years. The organization was originally formed in 1926 and was known as the ISA. After the suspension of activities during WWII, it reemerged as ISO in 1947. Based in Geneva, Switzerland the original 26 member nations have grown to include 126. The goal of ISO is now as it always has been, to propagate definable quality standards to manufacturers worldwide, which it has done successfully with over 19,500 international standards. From ISO 9000 - Quality Management, to ISO 26000 – Social Responsibility, ISO has a standard for virtually any product, service, or system.

All ISO standards are developed and influenced by a network of national standards bodies, known as “Full Member Bodies,” they represent their country and are assisted to a lesser extent by Correspondent Members. The size of each member nation determines the amount of influence they may exert.  Only these members are allowed to sell and adopt ISO standards in their country.

Oddly enough, the area of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), does not have an ISO standard. But that’s about to change with the forthcoming release of ISO 45001 - Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. Up until this time ANSI Z10 and OHSAS 18001 have been a mainstay for EH&S codes, so why a new code?

If you are familiar with ISO standards, then you’ll know about the level of detail they include, and though ANSI Z10 and OHSAS 18001, maybe partially aligned with ISO standards they don’t belong to ISO, leaving a gap in the standards they offer.  I should make it clear that ANSI Z10 is mainly used in The US, while OHSAS 18001 is used across the globe but mainly in the EU.

For American manufacturers, the EH&S department is a key operational component and an integral part of any lean program. Having been a first responder I know how comprehensive EPA regulations are, and the fear that a visit from OSHA can put into a management team. So what is the necessity for yet another set of standards, and is it worth the cost of compliance?

The details of ISO 45001 are still unclear as it is still only in draft form, however, David Smith the chairman of the ISO 45001 committee states “In the new standard, an organization has to look beyond its immediate health and safety issues and take into account what the wider society expects of it. Organizations have to think about their contractors and suppliers as well as, for example, how their work might affect their neighbors in the surrounding area. This is much wider than just focusing on the conditions for internal employees and means organizations cannot just contract out risk.”

Mr. Smith further states “ISO 45001 insists that these occupational health and safety aspects now are embodied in the overall management system of the organization, requiring a much stronger buy-in from its management and leadership. This will be a big change for users who may currently delegate responsibility to a safety manager rather than integrate this entirely into the organization’s operations.

For companies seeking a more comprehensive approach to EH&S, or those that are fully entrenched in ISO standards, ISO 45001 will be a welcome addition. Compliance will exhibit a commitment beyond the plant walls, and allow some to be perceived as conscientious entities concerned with more than just profits. This would allow many to foster a sense of being part of a larger community rather than only an employer and source of tax revenue.

Time will tell if ISO 45001 takes hold; compliance will certainly be a commitment, and require resources and a new way of thinking about EH&S. However, unlike ISO 9000 certification, most established manufacturers already have robust EH&S programs with dedicated staff.

The greatest effect on mass adoption will most certainly be on the smaller subcontractors downstream of the larger manufacturers and OEMs.  In the US the EPA has done a wonderful job of changing the culture of environmental responsibility over the past 30 years, (see my EPA blog on this site). As a result of their efforts, most manufacturers are good citizens, even those that are not, the current laws that are in place force honesty with severe fines.

The the landscape for smaller firms is already a dense forest of choking regulation and staggeringly complex tax codes. Being competitive under current conditions is already a daunting task. Many fear that being forced to comply with yet another set of standards just to do businesses will end up being just another expense weighing down overhead and restricting growth.

References: http://www.iso.org/iso/home/news_index/news_archive/news.htm?refid=Ref1874

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The Quiet Rise of Poland as a Manufacturing Powerhouse

By Frank Rovella
Over the weekend, I was talking to a friend who is an Aerospace engineer for one of the big engine manufacturers in the Northeast. While discussing the manufacturing skills gap, and the resultant outsourcing to overseas providers, he told me that Poland has become a major provider for high precision manufacturing. This shouldn't be a surprise if you’re familiar with Polish society. Its certainly an underdog story, but also an example of how former Soviet Bloc countries have benefited from inclusion into the EU.

Poland’s history dates back over 1000 years, with the last 200 representing the most turbulent, starting in 1795 and ending in 1989. Between the destruction of WWII, which took over 5 million Polish lives, to the over 40 years of Communist rule, Poles have endured unimaginable tragedy and hardship. However, for the last 25 years, Poland has seen a resurgence that underlines incredible resilience and highlights what a skilled workforce can accomplish with the right conditions.

Poland is bordered by seven countries, placing it at the heart of Europe. This was not lost on their neighbor to the west, such as Germany, whose industrial base needed low-cost labor to remain competitive. After Poland was unbound by the USSR in 1989, its doors were open to foreign investors seeking a stable government and an educated, technically savvy workforce. Since Poland joined NATO in 1997 and the EU in 2004, it has become a very attractive place for investment from across the globe. This was also aided by 40 billion euros invested in Polish infrastructure by the EU, which will continue as the EU has promised another 106 billion between 2014 and 2020. Add to this one of the highest literacy rates in the world (99.7%), and you could say that it’s a pretty good bet that Poland will grow and prosper.

The skilled labor and the logistical advantage Poland offers helped in large part to supercharge the German auto industry in the 90s; in fact, these advantages have allowed some German auto parts to be manufactured cheaper in Poland than in China. The German auto industry can trace much of its success to its factories in Poland and has invested heavily in its eastern neighbor. German auto and truck makers currently employ over 10,000 workers in Poland in several modern plants. This has spawned a large number of subcontractors who provide precision machining and other ancillary services, as well as a robust steel industry. Despite the fact that Poland has no national auto brand, automotive parts are their leading export, comprising almost half of the annual GDP. This is helped by auto manufacturers such as Volkswagen, GM, Daewoo, and Fiat.

Poland continues to attract investment by major corporations; 3M, for example, has been in Poland for over 20 years and operates nine manufacturing plants. One of the newest plants manufactures products for the aerospace industry, such as adhesives and thermoset protective films, and services clients of AAMD (Aerospace & Aircraft Maintenance Division), including Airbus, Bell, and Boeing. Aerospace has become a major player in Poland's manufacturing boom. So much so that the Podkarpacie region of Poland, near the southeastern city of Rzeszow, has been named ‘Aviation Valley.’ This is the home of Polish Aerospace, dating back to the 1930s. Today it includes some of the biggest names in the industry, such as Sikorsky, Pratt & Whitney, MTU, Hispano-Suiza, Avio, Gardner Aerospace, and over 100 others. This represents 80% of Poland’s Aerospace industry and over 23,000 jobs. These examples are only a part of the Polish economy; there is also a growing R&D and high tech sector, shipbuilding, agriculture, appliance manufacturing, and even a fashion industry which includes a Hugo Boss shoe factory.

My original intent in writing this piece was to find parallels and lessons learned that would help American manufacturers. However, American manufacturing problems such as the shortage of skilled labor, which I recently wrote about, are societal issues. Finding parallels in Europe or anywhere else for that matter can be fuzzy at best; we're just too big, dynamic, and unique for solutions that might work in a smaller, less ethnically diverse country. But if you like a good underdog story, Poland is it.

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A Root Cause Analysis of the Manufacturing Skills Gap

By Frank Rovella
We all know that this is a very talked-about subject, and for good reason; if you’re like me, you’ve read enough articles on the subject to make your hair hurt.  Most of what I’ve seen seems to focus on the problem through a statistics-based perspective, or a case study showing what an individual manufacturer is doing to develop new talent, with the proclamation that we all have to do our part, and many larger firms are doing just that. Training programs and apprenticeships have proven to be very successful, that is, if you have the budget or the staff for it.  As a quality guy, my first instinct is to look for the root cause. I had a pretty good idea, however, after some research I found, that the problem is far more complex and goes much deeper into our society as a whole.

Anyone in manufacturing or heavy industry knows the statistics without having to be told. We have an aging workforce with little or no new talent entering the stream. The important thing to remember is that this didn’t happen overnight, and the logic that we associate with supply and demand doesn’t apply here. Even with the stories of welders working Marcellus Shale making over $100,000 a year, manufacturers across North America turning down work because they don’t have enough skilled labor, or the fact that 48% of college grads are working jobs that don’t require a degree--the reality still hasn’t been sinking in to the places where it matters most, high schools. If you visit your local high school and tour their shop classes you’ll quickly find the problem; there are no shop classes.

I grew up in a heavy industrial and manufacturing region that runs from Bridgeport, CT to Springfield, Mass.  In 9th grade, I was turning parts on a lathe, working with a small aluminum foundry, and learning the basics of machining and manufacturing. In high school, we had an even more extensive machine shop, as well as an electrical shop, fully equipped print shop, an auto shop with four lifts and a front end machine, and a hydraulics work station. There was a waiting list to get into drafting class, and I was earning credit for working in a shop after school. Manufacturers were happy to take kids in right out of high school, and they are again today, but a number of things happened between then and now that led to the lack of skilled labor we see today. The end of the Cold War and a series of economic downturns helped to choke American manufacturing in the 80s and 90s.  Add to that the exponential expansion of computing that has spawned the growth of the non-mechanical generations. We’ve all heard someone say it, “kids don’t go outside to play anymore.” This has led to the growing disinterest in everything mechanical. As Americans, we are born opportunists; when there is a need, we will take the reins and make a living doing it. It’s been that way throughout our history, so why is this different?

The economic and societal changes of the past three decades have changed the way most Americans think about work and careers. Since the late 1970s, these fundamental changes have been reflected in school curriculum, which has slowly been pushing the shop out of the picture.

It’s easy to blame the education system for looking down its nose at manufacturing and skilled labor, but parents are just as much to blame, and with good reason. Up until recently, manufacturing jobs were not the greatest place to end up if you didn’t go to college; low pay, bad conditions, and poor treatment of employees was common because of a large workforce. Every parent wants their kid to go to college, but as many teachers have told me, some kids just aren’t college material, and pushing for that goal and that goal only is selling them a false bill of goods.

To put in perspective how serious of a problem this is, I’m going have to relent and use some stats. Of the approximately 4 million high school seniors enrolled in 2014, 34% (1.36 million) will not go to college. Add to that a 20% (800,000) drop-out rate, and we are talking about the potential for a very large work force. So why are we even having this conversation? Old habits die hard, and rebuilding the shop class takes more than money; it takes a fundamental change in the way Americans think about manufacturing. And as with everything else that centers on our future generations, it starts at home. Teaching a 20-something how be mechanically-inclined is a long shot. Put a 14-year-old in a machine shop, or teach them to weld, and you have the beginning of the answer.

Just to be clear, this is not a denunciation of technology; to the contrary, technology is and always will be inexorably connected to manufacturing and heavy industry. Instead, this is a wake-up call to parents across America. In this market, the blue collar can easily compete with the white, with careers that can be just as rewarding, if not more so, and don’t require the burden of debt that a four-year degree does.

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The Cutting Edge of Aerospace Metallurgy - CMCs (Ceramic Matrix Composites)

By Frank Rovella
Over the recent holiday, while gorging on 10 times the caloric intake of Djibouti, the discussion at the table turned, as it always does in our house, to advanced metallurgy. An unnamed aerospace engineer was giving me an overview of new developments in the use of Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) in jet engines. Unfortunately, the discussion was limited due to the proprietary nature of the materials that his company was working with. If you’ve watched enough X-Files episodes, I’m sure you know that the truth is out there. After a little research I found that all the major jet engine/gas turbine players such as Rolls Royce, GE, Pratt & Whitney, and Siemens, all have something in development, and are understandably pretty tight-lipped about it. When I think of CMCs, I think of ceramic brake disks like the type used in F1 racing and supercars. While these applications are impressive, it’s pretty tame compared to the high pressure, high heat environment of a jet engine. What’s more, if you know something about single crystal superalloys, which is the current standard for high-pressure turbine blades, you’ll know that creating a superior material sounds like alien technology. As with any composite, the goal is to combine the favorable characteristics of dissimilar materials to create something unique. In the case of CMCs, the goal is to create a material that withstands tremendous forces at extremely high temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Although superalloys can and have been filling this need, the Aerospace industry is under ever-increasing pressure to heighten engine efficiency, power, and durability. This means higher heat, higher temperatures, and higher speeds. According to an article in the MIT Technology Review, GE and Pratt & Whitney are the furthest along in the development of a new generation of jet engines that utilizes CMC technology.  These Silicon carbide-based composites can handle temperatures to 1200°C /2200°F,  require less cooling, and are 1/3 the weight of superalloys. This is a Godsend to Aerospace designers trying to meet the demands rising fuel costs. The first iteration of the new GE engine is expected to use 15% less fuel, with reduced emission and no power loss. Pratt & Whitney has a similar product in the pipeline, also boasting 15% fuel reduction, which if history is any indication, will more than likely outperform GE’s entry. The cutting edge nature of CMCs is based in cutting edge manufacturing technology. GE has recently invested 195 million dollars in a new plant in North Carolina, solely to produce CMC turbine blades and rotors. This facility will work in conjunction with GE’s ceramics lab in Delaware, which will supply it with CMC sheets. The sheets are composed of ceramics coated carbon fiber that is bonded with a polymer material, and placed in molds and formed in an autoclave. The formed shapes are then placed in a furnace to burn off the polymer material. This creates a solid lightweight part known as a “hollow shell of fibers”, which is then subject to further thermal processing that permeates the carbon fibers with silicon, and does so without altering the geometry. Since ceramics are often used for cutting metal, cutting something as hard as CMCs is a big part of the new process, one that no one involved is willing to talk about… yet. As one would expect, there’s a lot more to CMCs, and as the technology grows expect to see these super materials in more and more applications.

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Planetary vs Cycloidal

Planetary Gear

By Frank Rovella
I have a planetary gear set on my desk from an old TH400 transmission; as I spun the assembly, and listened to the gear chatter, I thought that someone over the last 50 years must have developed an improvement on torque transmission and reduction. It didn’t take too long for me to find something called a Cycloidal Gearbox. Always taken in by a good high definition 3D rendering, I decided this would be a good subject for a blog. For the uninitiated, a planetary gearbox is a very simple system comprised of three components: a sun gear, a varying number of satellite or “planet” gears, and an internal ring gear. An input shaft transfers rotational motion to the sun gear, which transfers motion to planet gears, which turn the ring gear, part of the gearbox housing. The planet gears rotate on shafts rigidly mounted to plates. This part of the assembly is called the carrier. The rotation of the carrier transfers motion to the output shaft, which gives the output shaft a lower rotational speed and higher torque than the input shaft. Planetary gearboxes typically provide single or double reduction, from 3:1 up to 100:1; further reduction can also be achieved with other modifications. Not a bad set up, but hey, what year is this anyway? The planetary, aka “Epicyclic Gearing,” has been around since 87 BC--that’s older than my toothbrush. So what do you do if you need a reduction of more than 100:1? Enter the cycloidal gearbox/reducer.

I could watch these all-day 

Cycloidal Gearbox Animation  

Cycloidal Gear

Planetary Gearbox Animation

Once the realm of watchmakers, cycloidal gearboxes are now commonly used in applications such as industrial-automation in conjunction with servomotors to control heavy loads at high cycle rates. They are also ideal for a number of other applications, including Hybrid automobiles, indexers, machine tools, tool changers, robotic positioners, and much more.
Ratios aside, when selecting a type of gearbox, there are a number of things to consider. If positioning accuracy is important, then cycloidal gearboxes offer the highest precision; their design delivers very precisely positioning/backlash. This is especially important with servo motors that perform high cycle, high-frequency moves. This feature is relatively constant throughout its life cycle.
As I mentioned earlier, for ratios of 3:1 to 100:1, planetary gearboxes offer the most advantages, such as torque density, weight, precision, and low cost. There are a number of manufacturers that offer planetary gearboxes designed to mate with servomotors; however, if space is an issue, planetary gearboxes increase in length as stages are added to accommodate increased reduction.
Cycloidal gearboxes can provide ratios below 30:1. In fact, they can provide excellent performance in ratios as low as 10:1, but their strength lies in reduction ratios greater than 100:1. Their design inherently eliminates the space issue because stacking is not required. Though cycloidal gearboxes don’t require the added length, they are larger in diameter for the same torque. Another big advantage is that a cycloidal gearbox can handle all reduction ratios with the same footprint, so the higher the ratio, the shorter the gearbox.
Both cycloidal and planetary reducers can be applied to virtually any servo or stepper motor application. However, if high ratios, low wear, compact design, and precision backlash are major factors, then the cycloidal design really stands out.

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Powder Metallurgy - The Basics

The manufacturing of powder metal products and the science of powder metallurgy represents cutting edge technology and utilizes innovative materials and processes. With lower production costs and greater geometrical and material flexibility, more and more products that are typically associated with standard machining are now being manufactured with powder metal technology. Although it is thought of as a 20th-century technology, its roots go back over 5000 years to the Egyptians who used a rudimentary form of iron powder metallurgy as early as 3000 BC for weapons and ornaments. In the early 20^th century, at the dawn of the industrial age, powder metal manufacturing reached a turning point. A tungsten filament, which is a powder metal product, was adopted for use in the newly invented light bulb, beginning the first mass production of the process. Sintered tungsten filaments are still used in light bulbs today.
The advantages of powder metals are as relevant now as they were to the ancients; because parts are sintered rather than cast, the amount of energy and effort required is greatly reduced. But the BTUs are just the beginning; because parts are formed in a die and sintered, they are at or very close to their final dimensions. This greatly reduces costly secondary machining operations and scrap and is further enhanced by the processes’ inherently good surface finish. Because the raw material is in a powder form, it also allows for the use of a wide range of specialty alloys. These advantages have spurred exponential growth in powder metallurgy materials technology; in fact, the term “powder metal” is no longer an adequate description due to the addition of so many non-metal substances. Modern powder metal products are rarely made from metal alone, incorporating ceramic fibers and intermetallic compounds.  Some contain no metal at all, such as whisker-reinforced ceramic matrix composites or oxide dispersion-strengthened intermetallic compounds. The number of materials used in the powder metal industry has become so large that the term “particulate materials” has come to be used to describe this material category.

Process BasicsThe powder metal manufacturing process holds the material in three basic states: raw, formed and sintered. Raw materials are prepared through various methods such as solid-state reduction, electrolysis, atomization, centrifugal atomization, mechanical comminution, thermal decomposition, and mechanical alloying, just to name a few. The processes of raw material manufacturing warrants volumes of text to adequately credit the innovation that is going into developing these new materials (see future blogs for more info). Once a raw material is selected, it is blended with lubricants, which help to decrease the porosity and create greater pore-free density characteristics of the compacted parts.
The compaction process can be performed either hot or cold. Cold compaction, or cold isostatic pressing, is suited for materials that will require extensive secondary operations such as hot extrusion, hot rolling, and forging. Cold compaction is typically used to produce semi-fabricated products including bars, billets, sheets, and roughly shaped components. Hot compaction, or hot isostatic pressing, combines compaction, sintering, and vacuum into one operation and produces parts of much higher density than cold compaction. It requires typical process temperatures of 1120°C and pressures of 100 MPa.  This equates to a much greater capital investment of equipment, but the end result is a part that requires much less finishing. For parts formed with cold compaction, sintering is a separate process, which is performed in a two-zone furnace. The first zone burns off the lubricants, while the second zone, which runs at a higher temperature, bonds the particles. Specific atmospheres including vacuum may also be required during the sintering process, depending on specifications. Once sintered, the parts are ready for secondary operations, which can include anything from heat treating to forging.
The versatility of this process and the materials used have allowed it to find its way into a growing number of applications.  This trend is certain to grow.
As I researched this subject, it became clear that a single blog on powdered metallurgy would not suffice. Look for future blogs covering various process-related subjects.

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The 100,000 Year Weld, Friction Stir Welding a Not So New Cutting Edge Welding Technology

Friction Stir Welding is a not so new, but innovative welding process that is gaining traction in a number of industries. It was developed in 1991, at The Welding Institute of Cambridge, and was originally designed to seal copper canisters of nuclear waste. The NRC requires that nuclear waste containment vessels provide a corrosion-resistant barrier for at least 100,000 years. Though this sounds like a great way to get rid of my wife’s tuna casserole, it sounds a little extreme for, say, pipe welding. However, if you take a closer look, the reasons for its growing popularity become obvious. Friction Stir Welding does exactly what its name implies; the material to be welded is heated through friction and stirred. In the case of the copper vessels, FSW creates more than just a fused joint: after welding, the vessel is in effect a single piece.
To understand the benefits of this unique process, let’s look at how it works. Unlike standard welding, FSW does not require an electrical current to bring the metal into a molten state; FSW relies on the heat of friction to bond metals. This method of stirring also makes it ideal for welding dissimilar metals such as steel to aluminum, and a wide range of dissimilar alloys. Parts are welded through a solid-state thermo-mechanical joining process which is a combination of extruding and forging. The tool which is cylindrical in shape with a shoulder features a profiled probe that is rotated and plunged into the material. Frictional heat is generated between the tool shoulder and the material, causing the material to soften; this allows the tool to traverse the joint line. The rotational speed of the probe, in combination with the liner speed across the surface, is determined by material type. As you can imagine, the tooling has to be composed of a super hard material.  Modern tooling used in FSW applications is composed of PCBN (polycrystalline cubic boron nitride) for the probe, and tungsten carbide for the shoulder. This extremely hard, thermally stable material provides long tool life, which further enhances the benefits of FSW.
The number of OEMs providing these systems is growing at a rapid pace. With the integration of automation, FSW is reaching beyond the exotic and is becoming a mainstay in industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil & gas, and many more. The list of advantages that make FSW attractive is long. Weld consistency is provided by the fact that welding temperature is measured using a thermocouple inside the tool probe. In addition, there are no consumables such as welding wire, welding rods, or shielding gas; a certified welder is unnecessary, and finished joints require no grinding, brushing, or pickling. For mass production, this is a win-win scenario that is hard to ignore.
I’m not getting rid of my old Lincoln 225 yet, but it is safe to assume that Friction Stir Welding will be making an impact on the welding industry for a long time to come.

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The State of Advanced Lubricants

If you think of advanced lubricants as something required to pass your ISO audit, then you’re missing out on some pretty amazing technology. Unless your shop’s rotating masses are using passive magnets, then you probably know the importance of selecting the best lubricants for your equipment. Next to diesel and gasoline, lubricants are the lifeblood of the automotive industry, so much so that the DOE is putting up 11.6 million dollars of taxpayer money to fund the development of lubricants for combustion engines that achieve 2% in fuel economy. Anyone who has had their eyes open for the last 30 years can attest to the technological advances in virtually everything.  So it’s no surprise that lubricants have become very specialized, application-driven, and highly engineered products. So let’s start with the basics: almost every oil currently in use can be broken down into five base oils, as specified by the American Petroleum Institute (API 1509, Appendix E). Group I, II, and III of API’s base oil categories comprise all oils refined from petroleum. Group IV covers full synthetic (polyalphaolefin) oils. Group VI is classified as other oils; this is where the really cutting edge materials technology lives. The API creates very comprehensive standards, so I’ll summarize groups I through IV in simple terms before digging into group V.
Group I base oils have a viscosity index range of 80 to 120 and are designed for operating temperatures of 32 to 150°F. The refining process is also simple, which makes Group I oils the least expensive.
Group II base oils are similar in price to Group I, with the same viscosity range; however, Group II is refined using hydrocracking (pressure & heat). This gives it better antioxidation properties.
Group III oils have a viscosity index greater than 120; they are also hydrocracked but at an even higher pressure and temperature. The added refining increases cost, but it also produces a more pure base. Even though Group III oils are refined from crude oil, they can be referred to as-synthesized hydrocarbons.
Group IV oils are composed of polyalphaolefins (PAOs), which comprise a number of synthetic lubricants. Because Group IV oils are synthesized, they are engineered for use in applications with extreme heat and cold, and with a wider range of viscosity.
Group V base oils are the most diverse and include silicone, phosphate ester, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), polyolester, biolubes, and others. The category also contains base oils that may be mixed with other bases to produce specific properties. Silicone oils are used in everything from food products to insulation and dampening applications, while polyolester oil or “POE” is primarily used in refrigeration compressors. Phosphate ester oil is very popular for applications such as electrohydraulic control (EHC) system in steam turbines or for electrical power generation. This is a high-performance oil, and as such it has good and bad characteristics. It has excellent lubrication properties and exhibits stability in the presence of water. However, it’s also hard on some elastomers and requires a great deal of monitoring and management.
Biolubes represent one of the fastest-growing lubrication markets. The global bio-based lubricants market was worth 1.7 billion USD million in 2011 and is expected to reach 2.4 billion USD by 2017. Part of that growth is due in part to one of the most diverse in this group of base oils, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), which has been in use for over 50 years in applications such as hydraulic fluids, metalworking fluids, lubricant, and as a fuel additive. The new generation of PAG based oils, such as those manufactured by DOW, are outperforming petroleum-based products while being fire resistant and green. PAGs deliver high viscosity, good low-temperature performance, excellent control of deposits, and hydraulic stability. Also, PAGs will not oxidize, and are non-varnishing; that means clean parts. Imagine rebuilding a gearbox or transmission without having to soak parts overnight in the parts washer. This family of polymers is finding its way into more and more applications, solving problems that conventional petroleum base oils have failed to. This trend represents the future of lubricants, and possibly the demise of hydrocarbon-based oils.

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