ACID NUMBER or TOTAL ACID NUMBER – a measure of
the acidic nature of an oil. The specific quantity of base required to neutralize
the acidic component in an oil. The value typically increases during usage, as acids
accumulate in the oil. Measured in mg. of KOH (base) to neutralize one gram of oil.

AGMA – American Gear Manufacturers Association

ANTI-WEAR ADDITIVE – an additive used in lubricating oils which
react with the metal surface to reduce the amount of wear occurring between contacting
surfaces. Zinc (dialkyl dithiophosphate) is a common example.

API – American Petroleum Institute

ASH or SULPHATED ASH - an indication of the non-combustible
residue of an oil. The deposit left after all of the base oil has been burned away.
Metallic detergents and antiwear additives contribute to the ash content of an oil.

ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials, establish the
ASTM Test Methods used by laboratories.

AUTOIGNITION TEMPERATURE – the temperature at which a sample of
oil can be heated before it will spontaneously ignite without a source of ignition.
It will be a higher value than the flash or fire points.

BASE NUMBER or TOTAL BASE NUMBER – a measure of
the basic or alkaline nature of an oil. The specific quantity of acid required to
neutralize the basic component in an oil. The value decreases as some of the additives
are consumed during use. Measured in mg. of KOH to neutralize one gram of oil.

BASE OIL or BASE STOCK – the oil portion of a
lubricating oil or grease. May be mineral or synthetic.

BEARINGS: Rolling Element Bearing or Anti-friction Bearing – any
bearing

using rollers or balls e.g. ball bearing, spherical, cylindrical, needle. May accept
radial and/or thrust loads. Journal Bearing or Plain Bearing – any bearing that
does not employ rolling elements, typically consisting of a shaft rotating in a
cylindrical shell. Also referred to as Shell or Sleeve Bearing. May accept radial
or thrust loads.

BROOKFIELD VISCOSITY – a low temperature, low shear viscosity commonly
used to measure the performance of gear oils and hydraulic oils.

CCR RESIDUE – Conradson Carbon Residue, the percent of coked material
left after a sample of oil is exposed to high temperatures by a prescribed method.

CCS – Cold Cranking Simulator, a low temperature, high shear viscosity
commonly used to measure the ability of a motor oil to allow the crankshaft of an
engine to spin during start-up.

CENTISTOKE (cSt) – one one-hundredth of a stoke. A common unit
of kinematic viscosity. Equal in value to a mm2/s.

CENTIPOISE (cP) – one one-hundredth of a poise. A common unit of
absolute viscosity. Brookfield, Cold Cranking Simulator and Mini Rotary Viscometer
all measure absolute viscosity and the resulting values are given in centipoise.
May be converted to centistoke by dividing by the density of the oil (at the same
temperature). Equal in value to a milli Pascal second (mPa.s).

CGSB – Canadian General Standards Board, develops standards for
products and test methods specific to Canada.

CHANNEL POINT – the lowest temperature at which
a paddle can be pulled throuh a sample of cold oil and the walls created by the
paddle due not flow back into the channel (within a prescribed time)

COMPOUNDED OIL – an oil containing either natural
or synthetic fatty materials as additives

DEMULSIBILITY – the ability of an oil to separate (release or drop)
water from the oil.

DROPPING POINT – the highest temperature to which
a grease can be heated before a drop of oil separates (and drops) from the grease
(under prescribed conditions).

EP – Extreme Pressure additive. An additive used in lubricating
oils or greases which react with the metal surface to reduce the amount of adhesion
or cold-welding which may occur between contacting surfaces under severe loads or
shock loading. Sulphur-phosphorous chemicals are a common example used in gear oils.

FOUR (4) BALL TESTER – one of two laboratory machines. The 4 Ball
Wear Tester which indicates the wear protection offered by a lubricant by measuring
a scar diameter on four steel balls. The 4 Ball EP Tester which indicates the extreme
pressure load carrying capacity of a lubricant. The test method determines a Weld
Load and a calculated Load Wear Index (LWI).

FLASH POINT – the lowest temperature at which
an oil creates enough vapour above the surface of the oil to yield a combustible
mixture which will ignite or explode in the presence of a spark, but insufficient
vapour to sustain a flame.

COC – Cleveland Open Cup Method, used for lubricating oils.

PMCC – Pensky-Martens Closed Cup Method, used for fuel oils or
lubricants that contain lighter solvent-like materials. TAGCC – Tag Closed Cup Method,
used for solvents.

FLOC POINT – used to indicate the lowest temperature
that a refrigeration oil can be cooled before wax or other components begin to solidify.

ISO – International Standards Organization

LUBRICANT – may be either an oil or a grease or a solid used to
reduce friction between two surfaces.

MINERAL OIL – a base oil (base stock) derived
from crude oil at a refinery by separation and purification processes including
combinations of fractionation, solvent extraction, hydrofinishing, hydrotreating,
hydrocracking, dewaxing.

MRV – Mini Rotary Viscometer, a low temperature, low shear viscosity
commonly used to measure the ability of an oil to flow toward (flood) the suction
of an automotive engine’s oil pump. It is used to predict and prevent oil
starvation during engine start-up

NEUTRALIZATION NUMBER – may be either the acid
number or base number of an oil. The amount of acid or base required to neutralize
an oil.

NLGI – National Lubricating Grease Institute.

PENETRATION – the consistency or hardness of a grease. The penetration
of a cone into a sample of grease indicates its’ hardness and is used to assign
the NLGI grease grade numbers e.g. a #2 grade grease.

PROCESS OIL – typically a base oil used in a manufacturing
process and not used directly for lubrication e.g. rubber extenders, dedusting.

R&O – a rust and oxidation inhibited lubricating oil. It may
contain an antifoam additive but will not contain an antiwear or EP additive.

SAE – Society of Automotive Engineers.

SOLVENT EXTRACTION – a refining process for base
oils used to remove the undesirable components.

STLE – Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

SULPHATED ASH – See Ash.

SYNTHETIC – man-made, synthesized (not naturally occurring) base
oil. Various chemical types exist.

SYNTHETIC BLEND – an oil containing both mineral
oil base stock and synthetic oil base stock.

TIMKEN OK LOAD – a measure of
the extreme pressure (EP) properties of an oil or grease. The “OK Load”
is the heaviest load that the film of lubricant can support without scoring. Test
results can vary significantly.

TOTAL ACID NUMBER (TAN) – See Acid Number

TOTAL BASE NUMBER (TBN) – See Base Number