1. Lubrication Systems and Maintenance
Splash/Bath Lubrication
Force Fed/pumped Systems
Drip Feed Systems
Capillary Action
Centralised Lubrication Systems
Spray/Mist Application
Manual Application

2. Splash Lubrication (Oil Dipper)
Splash/Oil Bath Lubrication systems work on the principle of a sealed system with a reservoir containing oil with a means of splashing, transferring or throwing oil onto other components within the system.
One example is the oil dipper used in some internal combustion engines which picks up oil on every downward stroke of the piston and flicks it up over the moving components of the engine on the upwards stroke.

3. Splash Lubrication (Oil Thrower/Flinger Ring/Disk
Oil flinger rings/disks are attached or sit on rotating shafts and dip into the oil bath/reservoir slashing it up during operation
Another example is an oil thrower which operates by being driven by a gear/s mounted on the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine.

4. Splash Lubrication (Gear Transfer)
The illustration opposite shows a typical splash system used in gearboxes where the lower gears are immersed in oil and as they rotate they transfer/slash oil onto other gears and bearings in the gearbox

5. Force Feed/Pumped Re-Circulating lubrication
Forced or pumped re-circulating systems consist of a reservoir where oil is lifted by an oil pump, it then passes through an oil filter to remove contaminants and is forced through pipes/tubes to lubricate moving parts of the system by spraying or flowing onto them.
The oil then returns to the reservoir through oil channels and the process is repeated. Typical examples are internal combustion engines and bearings on rotating shafts.
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6. Maintenance of splash/pumped lubrication systems
Maintenance of splash lubrication systems involves the following: 1) Checking the oil level by means of a sight glass on machinery or the dipstick on internal combustion engines on a regular basis. 2) Changing the oil in the system when it becomes contaminated or at pre-determined intervals e.g. every 6 months/6000 miles as specified in the maintenance manual 3) Changing the oil filter where applicable depending on the system such as in internal combustion engines.
Sight glass Dipstick Oil Filter

7. Drip/Gravity Fed Lubrication
Drip fed lubrication systems deliver small amounts of oil to components that do not need a constant flow of lubrication e.g. components that operate at slower speeds or less frequently.
This type of lubrication method consist of a container/reservoir which is located close to the component it is lubricating, usually above it.
As the name suggests the lubricant drips onto the component due to gravity through a small outlet.
Typical examples where this is used is on steam engines or machine quills on milling machines.

8. Capillary Drip Fed Lubrication
Capillary drip fed lubrication systems consist of a reservoir and a wick with one end inserted into the lubricant, the other end is located in a tube located connected to the component to be lubricated.
The oil is delivered slowly by capillary action with the oil travelling along the wick and dripping onto the component.
This method again is used for slow moving plain journal bearing or slide ways.

9. Centralised Lubrication systems
Centralised lubrication systems consist of a reservoir containing lubricant oil/grease with a pump which can be manually or automatically operated which delivers the lubricant to a number of different components that require lubrication by a series of tubes which can be fixed or flexible.
This type of system is employed on workshop machines such as milling machines, hydraulic plant such as mechanical diggers which have several moving parts or any other mechanical system with multiple moving parts.
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10. Oil mist lubrication
In compressed air systems oil lubricators are used to introduce atomised oil into the compressed air supply to the tools providing a light lubrication film on the moving parts.
The diagram opposite shows a mist lubrication system which uses compressed air to lubricate several different components this system involves the oil being heated to atomise with the air

11. Manual Application
Bearings can be packed manually by hand prior to assembly using the appropriate grease, care should be taken when doing this, use of gloves to prevent skin disease such as dermatitis
Other methods of applying grease or oil manually are with the used of grease or oil guns which attach to grease and oil nipples on machinery and automotive components.
The grease or oil is then pumped into the nipple and onto the surface/component that requires lubrication