Fareed Mohmed · Engineering
Lubrication Guide
What each part needs, how much, how often, and how to design for it.
Most breakdowns on automation machines start with a bearing, guide, screw or chain that ran dry, ran over-greased or got the wrong lubricant. This page lists the common parts, what lubricant each one takes, the amount and the interval, helps you pick a lubricant, builds a lubrication chart for your machine, and gives a checklist for designing the machine so that it can actually be lubricated.
The values are starting points. Figures marked “maker figures checked” come from catalogue pages; the rest are typical practice. The manual of each component maker always wins, and so does the nameplate on a gearbox or motor.
Start Here: How a Machine Is Lubricated
Lubrication keeps a thin film between surfaces that move against each other. Without it parts wear, heat up and seize. Too much or the wrong kind does harm as well. These six steps give the order. Read them once, then use sections 01 to 06.
List every point that moves, rubs or rolls
Go through the machine axis by axis: guides, screws, chains, gearboxes, bearings, couplings, door hardware. Count them. A lubrication point nobody listed is one nobody greases.
Find what each point needs
Some need grease, some oil, some nothing at all. Belts, sealed bearings and most couplings need none. Section 03 covers 20 common parts.
See the parts in section 03 →Choose the lubricant for the conditions
Temperature, water, food contact, cleanliness, speed and load decide the grease family and thickness. Keep the number of different lubricants low.
Use the picker in section 02 →Set quantity and interval
Start from the maker’s catalogue, then shorten the interval for heat, dirt, vertical shafts and shock. Convert distance limits into calendar time.
Use the calculators in section 05 →Design the access and the marking
Put the points where a person can reach them safely, outside the guards where possible. Tag each point. Decide whether a central system is worth it.
Use the checklist in section 06 →Write the chart and hand it over
One chart for the machine: point, task, lubricant, quantity and interval. Put a short copy on the machine itself.
Build the chart in section 04 →Common mistakes
Lubricant Basics
Three things describe a lubricant: the thickness of the oil (viscosity), the stiffness of the grease (NLGI grade) and what the grease is made of (thickener and base oil). The tables are typical values. Read the data sheet for the real figures.
Grease stiffness: NLGI grade
| NLGI grade | How it feels | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 000, 00 | Almost fluid | Central lubrication systems, enclosed gearboxes with worn seals, ball screws on central systems |
| 0, 1 | Soft | Cold surroundings, long pipe runs, open gears |
| 2 | Like peanut butter | Most bearings, LM guides, ball screws, motors. The default. |
| 3 | Firm | Vertical shafts, vibrating or dusty locations, some motors |
Oil thickness: ISO VG
ISO VG numbers (ISO 3448) are the viscosity in mm²/s at 40 °C. A higher number is a thicker oil.
| ISO VG | Typical use in automation machines |
|---|---|
| 32 | Pneumatic lubricators, hydraulic oil, ball screw oil for fast axes |
| 68 | Slideways, linear guides on oil, plain bushings |
| 100 to 150 | Chains, medium-duty gearboxes |
| 220 | General gear oil. The common default for gearboxes. |
| 320 to 460 | Worm gearboxes, slow heavy gears |
| 680 and up | Very slow, very heavy gears |
Grease thickener: what it does
| Thickener | Approx. working range | Strengths | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium soap | −20 to +120 °C | General purpose, cheap, good all-rounder | Moderate water resistance |
| Lithium complex | −30 to +140 °C | Higher temperature than lithium soap, widely used for bearings and guides | Not mix with polyurea |
| Polyurea | −30 to +160 °C | Long life in sealed bearings, quiet, motors | Do not mix with lithium or clay |
| Calcium sulfonate complex | −20 to +150 °C | Water resistance, rust protection, high load capacity | Sometimes stiffer at low temperature |
| Aluminium complex | −20 to +140 °C | Water resistant; often used in H1 food-grade greases | Not mix with others |
| PTFE with PFPE oil | −40 to +250 °C | Very hot, chemically aggressive or cleanroom use | High cost; check compatibility with plastics |
Base oil
| Base oil | Good for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Most general use. Cheapest. | Narrower temperature range |
| PAO (synthetic hydrocarbon) | Wide temperature range, long life, food-grade grades available | Can shrink some seals; costs more |
| Ester | Low temperature, good lubricity | Can attack some paints and plastics |
| PG (polyglycol) | Worm gearboxes, high load, low friction | Do not mix with mineral or PAO. Check paint and seal compatibility. |
| Silicone | Light loads, plastics and rubber, very wide range | Poor under high load, can contaminate paint and electronics |
| PFPE | Extreme heat, vacuum, cleanroom, chemicals | Cost |
Before you switch
Never mix greases or oil types unless the maker says it is fine. When you change type, clean out the old one or ask the supplier for a compatibility chart. If you cannot check, assume they are not compatible.
Food, drink and pharma
If a lubricant can touch the product, use NSF H1 or ISO 21469 certified lubricants. They are made from ingredients that are safe for incidental contact. They do not make a leak acceptable: design to keep lubricant off the product anyway.
Pick a Lubricant
Answer six questions to get a starting grease family, grade and base-oil thickness. This is for general points such as bearings, chains and open parts. For linear guides, ball screws and gearboxes the maker’s own grease or oil comes first.
Parts, Lubricants and Intervals
20 common parts in four groups. Open one for the lubricant, the amount, the interval, how to apply it and what to watch for. Green tag: the figures were checked against a maker page. Gold tag: typical practice. Confirm those against your own part maker’s manual.
Linear motion
The parts that guide and move a carriage or slide.
Linear motionLM guide blocks and railsRolling balls or rollers carry the carriage on a thin film of grease.
- Lubricant
- Lithium-soap grease, NLGI 2, with a mineral base oil, is the usual factory fill (for example THK AFA, NSK K1). Always use the grease code in your guide maker's catalogue. Low-viscosity grease (NLGI 00 or 0) or oil suits very high speed or a central system.
- How much
- Small amounts. An NTN table gives 1.2 cm³ for a size 20 normal block and 3.1 cm³ for a size 35 as minimum quantities. Use your maker's table for your block.
- How often
- About every 100 km of travel or every 6 months, whichever comes first (THK and NTN say 100 km and 3 to 6 months). NTN adds: never go beyond 2 years or 500 km, even in the best conditions. Ball-chain guides: 1 year or 500 km. Also grease before a long stop and before restarting.
- How to apply
- Use the grease nipple on the block end plate or side. Add grease in 2 to 3 steps. Run the carriage over a longer stroke between steps so the grease spreads.
Linear motionLinear shafts and ball bushingsA ball bushing runs on a hardened round shaft and needs a film on the shaft.
- Lubricant
- Grease NLGI 2 (lithium soap) wiped on the shaft or put in through the housing nipple, or a light oil ISO VG 32 to 68 for fast strokes.
- How much
- A thin, even film along the stroke. Wipe off old grease when it has turned black with dust.
- How often
- About every 100 km of travel or 6 months, as for LM guides. Check the shaft surface monthly in dusty places.
- How to apply
- Wipe the shaft clean, then smear fresh grease and cycle the axis a few times.
Linear motionBall screw nut and screwThe nut balls roll in the screw thread and need a grease or oil film.
- Lubricant
- Manual lubrication: grease NLGI 2 (lithium soap, mineral base) as the screw maker states. Central systems use NLGI 00 or 000. Oil ISO VG 32 to 68 for high-speed axes.
- How much
- Fill about one third of the free space inside the nut (THK). Never pump more than the maker's table: extra grease pressurises the nut and can push the wipers out of place (Steinmeyer). For oil, THK gives 0.03 cc per 3 minutes for 4 to 8 mm shafts up to 0.5 cc for 70 to 100 mm; 20 to 25 mm is 0.1 cc.
- How often
- Steinmeyer: automatic lubrication every 4 to 8 operating hours or about 500 m of travel, and at every machine start. For manual greasing about every 3 to 6 months or 100 km of nut travel is typical; follow your screw maker.
- How to apply
- Grease through the nut port or the nut thread, then run the nut over the full stroke. Remove old, dirty grease from the screw first if needed.
Linear motionLead screw and nut (trapezoidal)A sliding thread. It always has metal-to-metal or plastic-to-metal contact.
- Lubricant
- EP grease NLGI 1 or 2, or oil ISO VG 68 to 220. Plastic nuts may run dry or with a thin film only; check the nut maker.
- How much
- A thin film over the thread length. This is a sliding contact, so the film matters more than the amount.
- How often
- Check weekly. Typically every 200 operating hours, or sooner for heavy load.
- How to apply
- Brush or smear along the screw, then run the nut through the full stroke.
Linear motionRack and pinionOpen gearing: the teeth are not enclosed, so the oil or grease must stay on the flank.
- Lubricant
- Open-gear or chain-type grease, NLGI 0 to 1, often with solid lubricant (graphite or MoS₂) for heavy loads. Or a thin oil from an automatic pinion lubricator.
- How much
- A thin, even film on the pinion teeth. An automatic felt-pinion lubricator holds the film on a long rack.
- How often
- Typically every 200 operating hours or monthly by hand. Automatic lubricators are better on long racks.
- How to apply
- Brush or spray onto the pinion while it moves slowly, or fit a lubricator that touches the rack.
Power transmission
Chains, gearboxes, couplings and belts that carry the motor power.
Power transmissionRoller and conveyor chainsThe oil must get inside the pins and bushes. That is where the wear happens.
- Lubricant
- Mineral oil. Chain makers commonly say SAE 20 below 5 °C, SAE 30 from 5 to 40 °C and SAE 40 from 40 to 50 °C (roughly ISO VG 68, 100 and 150). Use a chain oil with anti-wear additive for heavy duty.
- How much
- Enough to wet the pins and bushes. For drip feed on a small, fast chain, 4 to 10 drops a minute is a common start (typical).
- How often
- By hand with a can or brush: every 8 operating hours. Slow and short-duty chains can go weekly once you have checked their wear. Fast chains need a drip feed or an oil bath.
- How to apply
- Apply on the inside of the lower, slack run, between the inner and outer plates, so centrifugal force carries the oil outward into the joints.
Power transmissionHelical, bevel and worm gearboxesThe gears and bearings run in an oil bath. The oil also carries heat away.
- Lubricant
- Gear oil ISO VG 220 is the common choice. Helical and bevel: CLP mineral or CLP PAO. Worm: compounded oil, CLP PG or PAO, ISO VG 220 to 460. Never mix PG with mineral or PAO oil.
- How much
- Fill to the level plug or sight glass for the mounting position on the nameplate (M1 to M6). The capacity changes with position, so a wrong position leaves bearings dry.
- How often
- Check level and leaks monthly. Many makers call for a first oil change after run-in (often 300 to 500 h for worm gearboxes), then about every 10,000 h with mineral oil or about 20,000 h with synthetic oil when the oil is at or below 70 to 80 °C. The interval roughly halves for every 10 °C hotter. Some gearboxes are filled for life: read the manual.
- How to apply
- Drain warm. Flush if the oil type changes. Refill to the level, run, then recheck the level. Fit a breather on units that heat and cool.
Power transmissionServo planetary gearboxesCompact precision gearheads, mostly filled for life at the factory.
- Lubricant
- Synthetic grease or oil put in by the maker. Do not top up with anything else.
- How much
- Not applicable. The factory fill is sized for the life.
- How often
- No routine service inside rated duty. The maker states a life in hours (often about 20,000 h at rated duty and temperature; check your catalogue). Watch backlash, noise and temperature.
- How to apply
- Replace or return the unit for service at the stated life or when backlash grows.
Power transmissionCouplingsMost couplings need nothing. Gear and chain couplings are the exception.
- Lubricant
- Elastomer jaw, disc, bellows: none. Oldham: none or a trace, per maker. Gear and chain couplings: EP grease NLGI 2 or oil, per maker.
- How much
- Per maker. Gear couplings are filled to a stated amount.
- How often
- Gear and chain couplings: about every 6 months (typical). Others: inspect only, and replace elastomer spiders when worn or cracked.
- How to apply
- Through the plugs on the sleeve, with the coupling turning slowly if safe.
Power transmissionBelts (timing and flat)Belts run dry.
- Lubricant
- None. Oil and grease attack rubber and PU belts and make them slip.
- How much
- None.
- How often
- No lubrication. Inspect for wear and tension.
- How to apply
- If oil gets on a belt, find the leak first, then clean the pulleys and replace the belt if it has swollen.
Bearings and rotary parts
Bearings and the parts that turn.
Bearings and rotary partsRolling bearings with grease nipplesPlummer blocks, flange and take-up units, and bearings with a nipple in the housing.
- Lubricant
- Lithium-complex or polyurea grease, NLGI 2, mineral base oil ISO VG 100 to 220 for ordinary speed and temperature (for example SKF LGMT 2, Shell Gadus S2 V220 2, Mobilux EP 2).
- How much
- G = 0.005 × D × B grams per relubrication, with D the outer diameter and B the width in mm (Mobil, same as SKF). Use the calculator in section 05.
- How often
- Depends on speed, size, load and temperature. Light-duty automation bearings: every 6 to 12 months is common. Halve the interval for a vertical shaft (Mobil). Halve it for about every 15 °C above 70 °C. Large bearings (bore 300 mm and up) need it more often.
- How to apply
- Add slowly while the bearing turns (if safe), until a little fresh grease shows at the seal or relief point. Let old grease escape through a drain plug.
Bearings and rotary partsSealed bearings (2RS, ZZ)Greased for life at the factory.
- Lubricant
- None to add. The factory grease is chosen for the bearing.
- How much
- None.
- How often
- No relubrication. Life is the grease life at the running temperature. Replace on noise, heat or play.
- How to apply
- Replace as a unit.
Bearings and rotary partsPlain and sintered bushingsSliding bearings: bronze, sintered, graphite-plugged or polymer.
- Lubricant
- Oil-impregnated sintered bronze: a few drops of oil ISO VG 68 to 150. Ordinary bronze: grease NLGI 2 through a groove. Graphite-plugged and polymer bushings (such as iglide): none.
- How much
- A few drops, or a short shot of grease.
- How often
- Sintered: about every 3 months (typical). Ordinary bronze: monthly. Polymer and graphite-plugged: no lubrication.
- How to apply
- Drip oil on the wick or use the oiler. For grease, use the nipple.
Bearings and rotary partsCam followers and track rollersNeedle-roller wheels on a stud, used as guides.
- Lubricant
- Grease NLGI 2 (lithium soap) through the nipple at the stud head or end.
- How much
- A little at a time until fresh grease shows at the seal.
- How often
- About every 3 months, or as the maker states (typical).
- How to apply
- Turn the roller by hand if possible while you add grease.
Bearings and rotary partsSlewing rings and turntablesA large bearing, often with external or internal gear teeth.
- Lubricant
- EP grease NLGI 2 (lithium complex) for the raceway. Open-gear grease for the teeth.
- How much
- Per maker. Slow rotation while you grease spreads it around the whole raceway.
- How often
- Raceway: about every 100 operating hours or 3 months, whichever comes first (typical; follow the ring maker). Teeth: monthly.
- How to apply
- Several nipples around the ring. Turn the ring slowly between nipples.
Bearings and rotary partsElectric motorsSmall motors have sealed bearings. Larger motors have nipples.
- Lubricant
- Polyurea grease NLGI 2 or 3 is typical for motors (for example Mobil Polyrex EM). Check the nameplate. Mixing polyurea with lithium can fail.
- How much
- The nameplate states the grams and the interval for motors that have nipples.
- How often
- Per nameplate. Motors with nipples: about every 12 months or as stated.
- How to apply
- Remove the drain plug, add grease slowly with the motor running if allowed, and run for some time before refitting the plug.
Other points on the machine
Pneumatics, door hardware, wire ropes and wheels. Easy to forget.
Other points on the machinePneumatic cylinders and valvesModern pneumatic parts are factory lubricated for life.
- Lubricant
- None for dry-air (non-lube) systems. If a system has run with air-line oil, keep it up: ISO VG 32 non-detergent oil from the lubricator.
- How much
- A drop every few cycles if a lubricator is fitted (set on the lubricator).
- How often
- Non-lube systems: none. Systems with a lubricator: top up the oil bowl monthly and check the drip rate.
- How to apply
- Do not add oil mist to a system that was built non-lube. Once a part has run with oil, the original grease is washed out.
Other points on the machineHinges, latches, slides and door hardwareLight duty, but they decide how the doors and guards feel.
- Lubricant
- Light machine oil or a dry-film PTFE spray. A drawer slide or telescopic slide takes a light grease.
- How much
- A few drops.
- How often
- About every 6 months (typical).
- How to apply
- Wipe first. Spray or drip, then work the hinge.
Other points on the machineWire rope and cablesLifting ropes need a film inside and outside.
- Lubricant
- A rope lubricant (penetrating, as the rope maker states), applied by brush or spray.
- How much
- Enough to coat the rope surface.
- How often
- About every 3 months, and more often in damp or heavy duty (typical). Inspect for broken wires too.
- How to apply
- Clean the rope, then apply with the rope moving slowly.
Other points on the machineWheels and rails (mobile racking, shuttles)Wheel bearings and the rail they run on.
- Lubricant
- Wheel bearings: sealed, or the grease in the bearing row above. Steel rails: usually run dry. Flange or curve lubricators only where the wheel maker says.
- How much
- Per maker.
- How often
- Inspect every 6 months (typical). Relubricate bearings at the interval for rolling bearings.
- How to apply
- Clean the rail. Grease only the bearings.
Build the Lubrication Chart for Your Machine
Pick a machine type to start, then tick or untick the parts. Say how many shifts it runs and how dirty or hot the place is. You get a chart of point, task, lubricant and interval to copy or download. The intervals are starting values and are shortened for dirt and heat.
START FROM A MACHINE TYPE
Linear motion
Power transmission
Bearings and rotary parts
Other points on the machine
Quick Calculators
Three checks. They give starting values. Your component makers’ data wins when it differs.
A. How much grease for a bearing?
B. Shorten a bearing or guide interval for the conditions
C. When does a linear guide or ball screw reach its distance limit?
Guide and screw makers give an interval in distance (about 100 km) and in time (about 6 months). This works out which comes first for your axis.
Design for Lubrication Checklist
A machine that is hard to lubricate does not get lubricated. Tick each point as you settle it. It is a memory aid, and nothing is saved when you leave the page.
Access and layout
Choosing and marking
Quantity and interval
Central lubrication
Protection and a clean machine
Standards and Regulations
Lubrication is mostly good practice, not law. The standards below fix how lubricants are named, how food-safe ones are certified, and how maintenance is made safe. These come from general knowledge. I did not read the standards themselves, so check the current edition.
| Standard | What it covers | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 3448 | Industrial liquid lubricants: ISO viscosity classification | The ISO VG numbers. |
| ISO 6743 / DIN 51517 | Lubricant classification; CLP mineral gear and circulation oils | The "CLP", "CKC" and similar codes on gear oils (ISO 12925-1 covers closed-gear oils). |
| DIN 51825, DIN 51502, DIN 51818 | Grease designations and NLGI consistency classes | How a grease code such as K2K-30 is read. |
| ISO 21469 / NSF H1 | Lubricants that may touch product incidentally | The food and pharma route. NSF H1 registration is the common label. |
| ISO 12100 | Safety of machinery: risk assessment and design | Maintenance tasks, including lubrication, must be part of the risk assessment. |
| ISO 14118 | Prevention of unexpected start-up | Lock-out before manual lubrication of moving parts. |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 | Control of hazardous energy (lock-out and tag-out), US | The same idea in US law. |
| ISO 4309 | Wire ropes for cranes: care and discard | Rope lubrication and when to replace. |
| SDS and CLP labels | Safety data sheet and hazard labels for each lubricant | Ask the supplier for the SDS of every lubricant and keep them with the chart. |
Used oil and grease
Spent oil and contaminated rags are hazardous or regulated waste in many places. In India, used oil is covered by the hazardous waste rules and normally goes to a registered recycler. Check with your state pollution control board.
Safe lubrication of a moving machine
Greasing a chain or screw while it moves is a common injury. Bring the points outside the guard, use automatic lubricators, or stop and lock out before you reach in. Guard design is on the Safety Fence System page.
Who to Approach
Start with the makers of your guides, screws, gearboxes and bearings, because they say which lubricant is approved. For the rest, one lubricant supplier can usually cover greases, gear oils and chain oils, which keeps the number of types low. Ask each for a quotation with your point list, temperature, speed and surroundings.
| What | Names to approach | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lubricants (greases and oils) | ShellExxonMobil (Mobil)CastrolTotalEnergiesKlüber LubricationFUCHSSKFMolykoteIndianOil (Servo)HPCLBPCLBalmer Lawrie (Balmerol) | Ask for the data sheet and the compatibility chart. Check local stock and technical support. Indian brands: the names are well known, but I did not review their ranges. |
| Component makers' own greases | THKHIWINNSKNTNSchaefflerBosch RexrothSteinmeyer | Use the grease named in the guide or screw catalogue. They test it with their seals. |
| Chain makers' lubricants and lubricators | TsubakiRenold | For chains: oil grade and drip or brush lubricators. |
| Central lubrication systems | SKF (including Lincoln)GracoBijur DelimonGroeneveldLube | Ask for a system layout from your point list and the grease grade. |
| Single-point automatic lubricators | perma-tecSKF | For awkward points: a cartridge feeds a small amount over weeks. |
Brand names belong to their owners and are listed only as pointers to catalogues. This is not a recommendation or a full list of makers.
Sources
Figures marked “maker figures checked” were read from these pages in October 2026. Everything marked “typical practice” is general knowledge and needs to be confirmed against your own part maker.
Linear guides
NTN Tech Tip, linear guide lubrication (intervals, grease quantities) and the THK LM Guide FAQ (100 km, 3 to 6 months).
Ball screws
THK ball screw maintenance (one third of nut volume, oil table) and Steinmeyer grease lubrication (NLGI 00 or 000, 4 to 8 h or 500 m).
Bearings
Mobil, determining relubrication intervals (G = 0.005 × D × B; halve for vertical shafts; over-packing). The same page gives a temperature rule that I could not reconcile, so the page uses the common 15 °C rule instead and says so.
Gearboxes
The gearbox oil intervals come from general practice. I could not read the SEW-Eurodrive lubricant tables in this session. Use your gearbox maker’s manual and nameplate.