Nye Lubricants, Inc.

United States

Conductive grease typically serves as a ground. For example, it is applied to ball bearings in computer equipment where it allows static discharge to pass through the bearing instead of building up, arcing, and pitting the rolling element or fluting the raceway - accelerating wear. It serves a similar purpose in treadmills, where the rubber belt can generate static electricity which makes its way to the bearing. A conductive grease is also used to bleed static away from the toner cartridge toward the shell in laser printers and office copiers. A custom-formulated, fluorinated conductive grease was recently developed by Nye for automotive battery lugs, to enhance conductivity over a wide temperature range. Note: Never use conductive grease on sliding switches, which could malfunction if a conductive grease is applied to the contacts.

Designers and manufacturers have used damping greases for more than 50 years as an economical way to build fine tolerances into their products. The velvet feel and virtually silent operation of the focusing mechanisms on microscopes, zoom lenses on 35mm cameras, and other optical instruments, and the fact that the lens doesnt continue to coast when the mechanism is stopped, are all the results of a damping grease applied to the focusing threads. Damping greases are also widely used for electronic controls such as potentiometers, where they ensure smooth, quiet, controlled motion, and make possible very precise settings, very cost-effectively, that could not otherwise be made by hand. They are also found in gear trains and gear motors, appliance controls, electric switch mechanisms, outdoor recreation equipment, laser controls, television tuners, and in many automotive, hand-actuated or instrument panel control applications, where quality feel usually indicates the presence of a damping grease.

While many mineral-oil-based products meet the NSF Internationals food-grade requirements, they often do not measure up to the more demanding temperature and load requirements of modern food, beverage, and pharmaceutical processing equipment. Compared to mineral-oil lubricants, synthetics tolerate both lower and higher temperatures, offer improved antiwear properties, extend lubrication intervals, and lengthen the service life of moving parts. Like mineral oils, synthetic food-grade lubricants are nontoxic, odorless, colorless, and tasteless.