If the business of providing
proper lubrication for gears and
transmissions were a static one,
people would lose
interest in it, and there would
be no purpose in this volume. However, as indicated by the
just preceding, there are problems in connection with gear lubrication and gear
lubricants. While the immediate
reaction to a complaint or a
problem of this sort
is to blame the lubricant, it should be
again pointed out
that perhaps only
ten per cent of
such complaints are due to deficiencies
in either the lubricant or
the application. In spite of this , the industry
does have problems and since
they will not always solve
themselves, it is necessary to give
thought to the future when
solution of the immediate
problems will be possible but
new ones
will be confronted.
Since a little adversity is good for the soul, these problems stimulate thought
and are the cause of many
improvements and advancements
in all industry. In the lubrication
of gearing, the problems do not always
take the form of complaints but often of suggestions. Whatever the form, such
questions do indicate that
modification of not only
present products but
also present thought may be necessary if the lubrication industry is
to play a part
in continually improving the
world.
No matter how did
wild dreams about providing different
or better lubricants for gears may
be, they would
come to naught if
practical considerations are not kept in
mind. These include the economy
of the suggestion, the
availability of the
necessary components of the composition, the ease of
application, compatibility with
other materials, and acceptance
by other industries and by
the public. Any or all of these factors may change with time; hence, it is well
to dream.
