Mobil edge for the machine tools industry

Q. In terms of lubricant selection and usage, what are the specific challenges that a machine shops/manufacturing sector face?

For the manufacturing sector, a key operational challenge is to strike an optimum balance between throughput and maintenance. A direct fallout of this imbalance can be a breakdown of operations, which can severely derail deadlines and hamper production. Sometimes manufacturers are tempted to postpone or delay preventive maintenance or they replace original components with lower-quality items. This practice may create unsafe conditions in harsh manufacturing environments if these low quality components – including lubricants – can’t stand the up to operating conditions. Poor maintenance can also cause health and safety issues, as well as lead to unplanned or excessive downtime. Manufacturers need to perform preventive maintenance on recommended schedules to keep operating costs low and throughput high, while ensuring worker safety.

Q. Incorrect lubricant usage often hampers productivity in a machine shop. How do ExxonMobil’s products and solutions address these challenges?

Incorrect lubricant usage – even over usage of lubricants – can severely hamper productivity. For instance, disregarding the manufacturer’s recommendations for any piece of equipment or component could potentially lead to failure of the equipment or affect the machine’s warranty. With usage of lubricant closely linked to varying factors like environmental conditions, speed, load and temperature, getting the usage right is imperative for manufacturers. Using the appropriate grade and type of lubricant is essential for proper bearing performance. Failure to choose the right lubricant can lead to shortened bearing life.

After many decades of serving the industry, we have the proven lubricants and expertise to help manufacturers at every stage of the manufacturing process. Our lubricants are designed to work together and minimize the impact of cross-contamination. For instance, our recent launch, the Mobil SHC™ Elite, is a breakthrough synthetic gear and bearing circulating oil that has been specifically engineered to deliver long-lasting protection for machines, delivering 12 times the oil life of mineral oils and double the oil life of regular synthetic oils, even in continuous high operating temperatures and under extreme operating conditions.

In addition to our high performance lubricants and fluids, we provide a range of technical services to help keep the machine running at peak efficiency while also extending machine and oil life, reducing downtime and lowering operating costs.

Q. ExxonMobil^TM is a lubrication expert. What are the Lubrication Solutions the company offers to a machine shop?

The machine shop industry is core to the manufacturing sector. The Indian manufacturing sector is turning a curve – we are witnessing a focused and continuous effort on part of manufacturers to not just increase productivity and cut costs, but also adopt sustainable processes and technologies for a greener business. As newer technologies in the machine shops gain momentum, the lubricant industry is also gearing up to meet the need for customised specialty products. Industry leaders like ExxonMobilTM are powering this transformation, bringing technologically superior world-class lubricants developed through global expertise of decades that deliver significantly improved productivity and cost savings.