From metalworking to construction, lubricants are a necessary part of many fields. Lubricants, fluids, and coolants play a vital role in all machinery; between four and 20 liters are used every minute in the metal removal process. Lubricants do just as the name suggests; they keep everything running smoothly by greasing up the machinery for optimal use.
Lubricants are necessary, but it isn't always easy to understand what's what. When you are looking at hydraulic fluids, all kinds of numbers and letters will pop up, from MIL PRF to mil spec. To know what you need and what a fluid has to offer, you need to understand what these terms mean. Each one takes some time to dig into, and a great one to start with is MIL PRF 83282.
MIL PRF 83282 is a performance specification on oil, telling you what it is capable of. First of all, what do all those letters mean? This is the military specification the United States Defense has set for the oil to meet. More precisely, this is a performance specification. For example, if you are looking to by Castrol products, you can find this identifying number to discover what standards the given fluid is required to meet. Basically, it tells you what minimum function the product you are about to purchase has been proven to meet. Many more variations occur, such as MIL PRF 32033, but for now, the focus will be MIL PRF 83282.
By this identification, you know that the oil is a synthetic hydrocarbon hydraulic fluid. One thing this means is that the fluid contains no wax, and will begin to thicken at a low temperature. The following information can be known from the spec. First of all, you know it is fire resistant and to be used in temperatures ranging from -40 C to 205 C, and can be used in everything from brakes to automatic pilots.
Picking a fluid is never easy, tons of options exist and each one brings something different to the table. The best way to find what works for you is to find out what each mil spec requires of a fluid, so you know what performance will be provided, and now you have your start with a better understanding of MIL PRF 83282.