Chemical limits spur product development
In the last 30 years, the world over, environmental legislators have been setting increasingly tough limits on the emissions from automobile tailpipes of substances considered harmful to the environment and human health. As tighter emissions limits are introduced OEMs are developing innovative engine and aftertreatment solutions, which will in turn need a new generation of lubricants to ensure trouble-free operation over the lifetime of the vehicle. Insight examines new chemical limits, explains their effects on lubricant formulation and highlights one additive solution which meets current mid-SAPS requirements whilst delivering all the other performance attributes expected by OEMs.

Meeting the industry at Infineum Trends 2004
The Infineum Trends 2004 presentations aim to keep customers up-to-date with trends and developments in the oil, automotive and additive industries. In this year’s presentations key industry figures give their views on changes and opportunities in their area of operation. Greg Shank of Mack shares his thoughts on PC-10 development and the challenges around funding. Mike McMillan from General Motors talks about the challenges of GF-4 development and the opportunities for future collaborative work with test laboratories, oil and additive suppliers for GF-5. Anders Röj and Carlo Cucchi representing ACEA jointly express their views on changes to European specification developments. Klaus Krieger of Bosch shares his thoughts regarding market opportunities for diesel engines and future fuels that will be needed to service this growing market. Finally, Fumio Ueda gives an insightful overview of exciting prospects in the rapidly expanding Chinese market.

Converging standards - Global diesel fuel specifications
As the specifications for levels of sulphur in diesel fuels become tighter and tighter the world over refiners must look to their operations and treatment of fuels to ensure they yield diesel fuel that can meet the most demanding specifications and is fit for purpose. Insight examines the trends in sulphur reduction, refinery operations and the future challenge as biofuels are introduced into the fuels mix.

FC-W – the new Four-stroke outboard standard
Changes to motor oil formulations to gain improved fuel economy and to enable advanced hardware to be introduced into passenger cars have made outboard OEMs wary of their use for the lubrication of four-stroke outboard engines. Four-stroke outboard OEMs have therefore defined what they feel the requirements are for the protection of their engines and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has responded by developing the new FC-W standard. Insight outlines the new specification and gives its thoughts on the challenges the new standard presents for lubricant formulators

Superior blends - Corrosion inhibition of synthetic sodium sulphonates
In December Insight reported on the closure of Shell’s naphthenic base oil plant in Martinez, California. The plant had been the primary source of natural petroleum sulphonates for the North American metalworking industry and its closure left many formulators to find alternative emulsifiers for their fluids. Now Insight shares the findings of Infineum research regarding corrosion inhibition performance of synthetic sulphonates, a key consideration in the evaluation of alternative emulsifiers.

Shattering the myth - Viscosity modifier choice may be more important than pour point depressants in retention of low temperature performance in aged oils
Low temperature pumpability has been an important requirement of engine oils for the past two decades. However, until recently this requirement applied only to fresh oils. Low temperature performance can deteriorate significantly during the life cycle of engine oil owing to factors such as combustion byproducts and oxidation. In this excerpt form an Infineum SAE paper Insight looks at the effects of in-service ageing on low temperature pumpability, examines the role of viscosity modifiers (VMs) in the retention of satisfactory low temperature performance and questions the view that proper choice of pour point depressant (PPD) can cure low temperature problems in any aged oil irrespective of the type of VM used.