The Mechanical Stability of Grease

Many types of grease look similar when new, but perform differently when in service. High quality greases maintain their consistency longer than low quality greases. In the video above, Shannon demonstrates this point. Two greases that look similar when new are placed in a lab blender to simulate the shearing that takes place inside a bearing. Brand X becomes runny because it is a lower quality grease, while Brand Y maintains its consistency because of its higher quality. The problem with using a lower quality grease is that when it becomes runny under use it can flow out of the bearing and fail to lubricate, leading to problems like maintenance issues, costly downtime, and damaged equipment – to name a few. High quality greases are mechanically stable and retain their consistency longer.