Variable loads, contamination and start-stop cycles demand more than a standard grease can deliver. Grease HS2 protects across all conditions.
Conveyor bearing grease: consistent protection under variable conditions and contamination
Conveyor bearings are often treated as low-priority assets, and seen as simple, inexpensive components that are easy to replace. In practice, they are among the more demanding lubrication challenges in a production facility.
Conveyor bearings operate under a combination of conditions that creates significant lubrication demands: variable speeds and frequent start-stop cycles, variable and even potential shock loads, and continuous exposure to contamination from dust, or even water and elevated humidity. Standard performance multipurpose greases are commonly used in conveyor bearing applications because they cover a broad range of conditions at acceptable cost. In practice, the specific demands of conveyor bearings require more than a “simple multipurpose formulation” can deliver consistently.
The result is predictable, but far from optimal: high lubricant consumption, frequent relubrication to compensate for additive depletion and contamination ingress, and a high bearing replacement frequency that is accepted as normal. Interflon Grease HS2 changes that.
Why do standard multipurpose greases underperform in conveyor bearing applications?
Conveyor bearings place three demands on a lubricant simultaneously. Most greases are formulated to address one or two of them well. Addressing all three at once requires a different approach.
The first challenge is speed range. Conveyor systems operate at variable speeds and go through frequent start-stop cycles. Each phase of that range places different demands on film thickness. At higher speeds, a lower-viscosity film is required to reduce internal friction and shear. At lower speeds and during start-up, that same film is too thin to maintain adequate surface separation. A grease formulated around a single viscosity grade will perform adequately at one end of the range and underperform at the other.
The second challenge is load variation. Conveyor bearings are regularly subject to variable loads and potentially even to shock loads, which are highly impactful on the bearing surfaces. Handling these requires both AW and EP chemistry to be able to provide effective protection where film thickness may be suboptimal to these changing conditions. Standard multipurpose greases rarely carry the balanced additive system needed for this, let alone in sufficient levels to assure prolonged protection.
The third challenge is contamination. In environments with dust, water or elevated humidity, the contaminants may enter the grease, and there with the bearing, where they can cause severe damage. In case water is abundantly present, the risk of water wash out is realistic. Frequent relubrication is then used to compensate, introducing high lubricant consumption, contamination of the surrounding environment from purged grease, and significant labour cost. The underlying issue is that the grease cannot maintain adequate protection when contamination is present.
How does Interflon Grease HS2 maintain consistent protection in conveyor bearing applications?
Grease HS2 maintains consistent protection by addressing all three challenges simultaneously, something a standard multipurpose grease is not designed to do.
Its adaptive lubricating film adjusts to operating speed. At lower speeds and during start-stop cycles, the film builds increased thickness to maintain sufficient surface separation under higher contact stress. At higher speeds, it thins to reduce internal friction without compromising protection. This behaviour covers the full speed range of a conveyor system without requiring a grease change.
Its balanced AW, EP and friction modification (FM) chemistry fortified by MicPol® technology provides appropriate protection across variable and shock load conditions. There is no need to choose between a grease that handles high loads or one that handles high speeds or frequent start stops. Grease HS2 handles all.
Its water resistance, corrosion protection and adhesion to metal surfaces are exceptionally high. Contaminants such as water, dust and humidity are kept out of the bearing, while the grease resists washout. This eliminates the need to remove contamination through frequent relubrication, significantly reducing lubricant consumption and the environmental and cleaning costs associated with grease purge in highly contaminated environments.
A conveyor bearing housing after extended operation in a dusty environment. Contamination ingress and inadequate protection are the primary causes of premature bearing failure in conveyor applications.
Interflon Grease HS2 is fortified with MicPol® technology, in which a micronised part of the base oil is polarised to create strong adhesion to metal surfaces. These polarised particles bond directly to the bearing surface, providing optimal surface protection, outstanding adhesion and very long service life. Contamination resistance is a further benefit of this strong surface bonding.
What results can you expect with Grease HS2 in conveyor bearing applications?
The combination of adaptive film behaviour, balanced additive chemistry and exceptional contamination resistance delivers outcomes that a standard EP2 grease cannot match.
- Significantly reduced relubrication frequency, resulting in lower lubricant consumption
- No contamination of the surrounding environment from grease purge during relubrication
- Consistent protection under variable operating conditions and environments, resulting in significantly extended component life
- Reduced bearing replacement frequency and fewer production line stoppages caused by bearing failure
- Elimination of centralised lubrication systems in many applications: where relubrication intervals extend to 7–10 times longer than with standard EP2 greases, the high frequency that justifies automated systems no longer exists, and manual relubrication at extended intervals becomes the more practical and cost-effective approach, freeing up CLS systems to be used in “hard-to-reach” lubrication points.
- Broader lubrication rationalisation: Grease HS2 performs well across a wide range of bearing applications beyond conveyors — including electric motors, gearboxes and drive shafts — making it possible to consolidate multiple application-specific greases into one product across the facility
Frequently Asked Questions about conveyor bearing lubrication
The most common cause is a combination of contamination ingress and additive depletion. In conveyor environments with dust, water or humidity, standard greases do not possess the right protective qualities to prevent surface damage by contaminants, or to withstand water wash out. Frequent relubrication common to push contamination out of the bearing. Grease HS2's high water resistance prevents water wash out and strong adhesion to metal surfaces prevent contamination compromising the lubricant film and creating wear patterns. The MicPol® technology offers premium, durable surface protection, significantly reducing the relubrication frequency required to establish and maintain protection.
When a bearing is relubricated, this pushes out grease from that same bearing. This purged grease typically end up on surrounding equipment, floors and products, creating cleaning costs and potential hygiene or safety issues, which is increased by frequent relubrication. Grease HS2 reduces relubrication frequency significantly, which significantly reduces the frequency of relubrication events. Each relubrication does still purge old grease — that is unavoidable — but the total purge volume over time is dramatically lower. Without a centralised automatic system continuously pushing grease through the bearing, there is no constant flow of expelled grease. When a technician does relubricate manually at extended intervals, old grease can be removed directly at the point of service, keeping the surrounding environment clean and prevent the contamination it causes.
In most cases, yes. Grease HS2 covers a wider performance range than standard multipurpose greases: variable and high speeds, balanced AW and EP protection, high water resistance and contamination resistance. It is regularly used as a direct replacement in conveyor bearing applications, delivering longer intervals, lower consumption and reduced bearing replacement frequency. An Interflon Technical Adviser can confirm suitability for your specific application.
Not necessarily. Centralised lubrication systems are often installed to manage the high relubrication frequency that standard greases require. When relubrication frequency drops significantly, the justification for a centralised system often falls away. Many Interflon customers have been able to eliminate or reduce centralised lubrication infrastructure after switching to Grease HS2. Where centralised systems remain in place, they can often be redeployed to higher-value applications — such as difficult-to-access lubrication points where automated delivery offers genuine operational advantages. An on-site assessment will confirm whether this applies to your facility.
Interflon Grease HS2 is fortified with MicPol® technology, in which a micronised part of the base oil is polarised to create strong adhesion to metal surfaces. These polarised particles bond directly to the bearing surface, providing optimal surface protection, outstanding adhesion and very long service life — remaining effective between lubrication events. Contamination resistance is a further benefit of this strong surface adhesion. In conveyor bearing applications, this durable surface bonding means the bearing retains a protective layer even when the bulk grease is being challenged by dust, water or humidity. The technology is PFAS-, microplastics- and nanotechnology-free.
Find out whether your conveyor lubrication strategy is costing you more than it should
A single on-site assessment by an Interflon Technical Adviser identifies where the greatest impact can be achieved and what a switch to Grease HS2 would realistically deliver in your situation. Where a pilot is appropriate, it runs with documented outcomes before any broader commitment is required.