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32nd AGM of ELGI at Hamburg-Germany

32nd AGM of ELGI at Hamburg-Germany

On April 30th to 3rd May, the 32nd annual meeting of ELGI was held in Hamburg, Germany. According to the latest registration list published by ELGI, 313 people attended the meeting, slightly less than the one held in Athens in 2019 with 378 attendees. The event has been held normally, and applying the local Covid-19 security regulations, in which since the recent Sunday, May 1st, the use of a mask in interior areas is no longer mandatory.

On Sunday, May 1st, the working groups took place, attended by a large number of participants from different companies (from suppliers of raw materials to OEMs). 

The existing working group topics are:

  • Grease particle evaluation
  • Food grade lubricants
  • Bio-based greases
  • Test methods & rheology
  • Railway lubricants

In the food grade WG it was reported that the group has written a positioning paper related to MOSH and MOAH. This paper is available digitally in ELGI website. Another topic discussed during the WG has been the lack of toxicological specifications of existing organisms. In some of them, there are some tips on toxic limits but there is no description on the methodologies. This causes a big problem in the industry to generate innovation in the field of lubricants and greases for food. NIAS is the current regulation in EU which is equivalent to FDA in USA.

In the Bio-based greases group a very interesting presentation was held by KIT and Technische Hochschule Nurnberg related to low temperature performance. The viscosity and yield stress of lubricating greases were shown in the range from 20 °C to –40 °C. The temperature dependence of both variables followed an Arrhenius law. In contrast, the temperature dependence of the viscosity of the base oils was described by a WLF equation and was significantly more pronounced. The utility properties of lubricating greases were assessed by their assignment to a NLGI class, which was determined on the basis of the penetration depth of a cone into the grease. “Nutzung rheologischer Kennwerte zur Beurteilung der Schmierfetteignung bei tiefen Temperaturen”.

Additionally, Dr. Markus Metzke from Bosch introduced a new in-house RSSOT methodology to deeply study oxidative stability of different greases. A square plate of brass or steel is introduced in the RSSOT to also have the effect of the catalyst for greases during the test. IQLubricants will also collaborate with the WG by submitting our own methodology related to this topic using metal in powder form.

On the following 2nd – 3rd May more than 20 different presentations were made. In them you can highlight 3 most important issues:

  • Sustainability calculations (carbon footprint)
  • E-mobility (electrical properties)
  • Low temperature fluidity

How to calculate the carbon footprint of our organizations and our products is a recurring theme in the lubricants industry, and it was no exception at the recent AGM of the ELGI in Hamburg 2022.  Developing specific measures that are reliable, transparent and accepted is of great importance to lubricants and grease manufacturers. The focus on innovation, not only on more sustainable sources or production processes, but also on lubricant performance has a big impact on “cradle-to-grave” or “cradle-to-cradle” exercises. The selection, calculation and weights of these quantitative parameters must be common to our industry to avoid “greenwashing” propaganda.

Electrification represents a significant change in the major powertrains and it is affecting the selection and development of several types of lubricants and greases. New challenges for grease formulation may arise from the neighboring electric currents and electromagnetic fields, the demand for low noise operation, due to the absence of conventional engine vibrations, and higher energy efficiency requirements. No current specifications are available and future greases must strike the optimum balance between electrical insulation and static charge build-up.

The outdoor and offshore operations temperature can be as low as -40°C, which brings challenges to grease formulators on designing greases to work efficiently at such low temperatures. The mechanisms of greases that work at such low temperatures are still rarely studied and there are few standardized tests that help to understand them. Methodologies as well as new additives were presented to improve evaluation and performance respectively.

In conclusion, the 32nd ELGI in Hamburg has been a complete success, allowing the sector to share the technological challenges facing the greases of tomorrow as well as promoting times and spaces for networking.

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