Base Oils, Lubricants | SVM 1001 for Quality Control of Base Oils

Base oils are mostly paraffin-based oils of all types, grades, viscosities, and qualities suitable for blending into finished lubricants. The quality and performance of the finished product (“blend”) are determined by the choice of the base oil and additives. As base oils are the main component of a lubricant, quality control is crucial. The API (American Petroleum Industry) classifies base oils according to their quality, which is defined by the content of saturates and sulfur, thermal stability, homogeneity, and water content. The API base oil guidelines were developed to ensure base oils comply with the required specifications.

All raw materials need to be tested before blending. It is essential to check the properties of the base oil in order to meet the required operating conditions. The most important testing parameter for quality control of base and lubricating oils is the kinematic viscosity. It provides information about the oil’s properties and governs the sealing effect of the oil as well as the rate of consumption or loss. The requirements for lubricating oils, such as defined temperature-viscosity properties, wear and corrosion protection and many more, can also be checked by kinematic viscosity measurements.