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Mechanical Engineering vocabulary · Maintenance and Reliability

Lubrication

Meaning in mechanical engineering, with examples

/ˌluːbrɪˈkeɪʃən/nounCore term

In mechanical engineering, lubrication means: Putting oil or grease between moving surfaces, for example in bearings, gears and chains, to reduce friction, wear and heat.

In Turkish: yağlama

How it is used

A daily maintenance task and a key topic in reliability. Technicians follow a lubrication schedule that lists the points, lubricants, amounts and intervals. Poor lubrication (too little, too much or the wrong type) is one of the main causes of bearing failure.

Example sentences

  1. Most of these bearing failures were caused by poor lubrication.

  2. Check the lubrication points on the conveyor every week.

Common collocations

  • lubrication schedule
  • poor lubrication
  • grease lubrication
  • lubrication point
  • automatic lubrication
  • frictionThe force that resists one surface sliding or rolling over another. It causes heat and wear, but it is also needed, for example in brakes and bolted joints.
  • wearThe gradual loss of material from a surface caused by friction, rubbing or hard particles during use, for example on bearings, gears, seals and cutting tools.
  • bearingA machine element that supports a rotating or sliding part, such as a shaft, and reduces friction between the moving surfaces. Ball and roller bearings are the most common types.
  • viscosityA measure of how thick a fluid is and how strongly it resists flowing. Honey has a high viscosity and water has a low one.
  • preventive maintenanceMaintenance done at planned intervals, such as lubricating, inspecting and replacing worn parts, to stop equipment from breaking down unexpectedly.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Maintenance and Reliability

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