Executive Summary
The NLGI High-Performance Multiuse (HPM) grease certification was developed to compliment its GC-LB performance classification, offering updated specifications to recognize advancements in materials, technologies and applications. The goal of HPM certification is to meet the needs of modern grease-lubricated applications. For more about the NLGI HPM certification, visit www.nlgi.org/about-us/high-performance-multiuse-grease/.

Q.1. What do you know about the NLGI High-Performance Multiuse (HPM) grease certification?

In fact, I searched for more information about it and found that the NLGI HPM grease certification is a designation granted by NLGI. It signifies that a grease has met performance standards for high-performance, multipurpose applications.

Mostly everything!

Not much. It’s another specification. 

I think it’s important to have updated specifications to include the performance requirements of not only modern but industrial applications for greases.

Aware of some details via events and presentations.

It is a modern grease specification for a general high-performance multipurpose grease, which helps non-grease experts identify useful tests/specifications for an OEM’s unique application.

I know it is out in the marketplace, but not many people are aware of its importance.

There are multiple levels of HPM certification, which represent higher standards than the GC-LB standards. These should represent improved levels of product quality for a variety of applications.

While some grease manufacturers and marketers see value in this specification, there does not seem to be the level of demand from OEMs and end-users that would justify the cost.

Mosty through STLE information.

Nothing.

Quite a bit.

As an NLGI member, I had some peripheral involvement in the development of HPM. HPM, with its associated tags, is meant to be relevant to the current state of industry needs and allows users to identify the performance characteristics of greases to make the best choice for their application.

I didn’t know there was one.

In the HPM core specification, seven tests are common to the GC-LB specification, but may have more restrictive limits. The HPM certification offers a core specification and four performance tags. Greases must meet the core specifications in order to add a performance tag. There is no limit to the number of performance tags for each certified grease as long as they meet the specification(s). It is a better stringent compliment to the GC-LB. 

This is a new classification to use instead of the qualification GC-LB traditionally used in the automotive industry. HPM is a high-performance specification for multiple uses for industrial application.

It’s a great improvement over the past standard. Now we have a guide for comparing brands.

Standardized certification to guarantee quality of grease. Multiple certifications possible depending on application (high load [HL], white oil [WO], etc.).

Not aware of this certification.

This specification qualifies greases with a high level of performance, using more modern test methods currently available. The HPM specification has subcategories for specific performance attributes, such as HL, corrosion resistance, high temperature, etc.

This is the new specification from NLGI to cover modern grease chemistries. This program and its enhanced categories are excellent ways to define performance properties of greases and are truly valuable to marketers and end-users.

It is intended to add definition to grease performance in specific (added) testing applications in some situations.

I am not familiar with it.

It seems to me that it does not replace NLGI GC-LB certification. Rather, HPM supports a higher performance level in certain testing categories. It also seems that the best GC-LB greases will easily meet the HPM standards. I see at least two advantages in embracing the NLGI HPM certification: 1.) Grease marketing has evolved into a carnival type environment. The “world’s best grease” are not necessarily worthy of that title. A pinch of pixie dust here or chlorine there and the lever arm demonstrations common at county fairs convince the naive public that paying three to five times more for the “world’s best grease” is reasonable. NLGI HPM certification should limit some of this nonsense. 2.) As increased demands are placed on today’s auto/industrial components, the performance of the grease used to lubricate these components has to be appropriately elevated. Customer confidence (OEM or end-user) must be protected. Lower volumes used, higher operating temperatures, longer lubrication intervals, etc., demand higher performance standards.

It’s a new certification available for high-performance greases.

This is a certification program that has provided an internationally recognized grease specification for grease and bearing manufacturers, users and consumers for a very long time.
 
It’s the new independent grease performance certification from NLGI to document multipurpose grease performance. Your grease can receive a range of performance claims based on how it performs in various certification tests. It was designed to help end-users compare the same core set of grease tests from different suppliers and assist in choosing the appropriate grease for user needs based on the HPM claim(s) carried by the grease.

I would like to know more regarding this certification.

Never heard of it.

I’m somewhat familiar with HPM, but I’m not familiar with the certification process.

I am very familiar with certification and the requirements.

That is the newest certification that classifies the performance of greases in different ways like workload, water resistance, corrosion resistance and low temperature performance.

I’m not familiar with this specific certification or specification, but if NLGI have been involved, then no doubt it has some merit.

Just that it exists.

I think everything.

The new specification allows more flexibility, covers more options and relies, in many cases, on more modern tests and equipment. It utilizes the most recent knowledge and understanding of greases and applications and correlation between applications and bench testing for its guidelines.

Everything as I wrote the original specification.

I have been able to follow the NLGI process and new testing procedures.

Nothing—never heard of it until now.

I am not sure. It’s a group of minimal test results to qualify a grease as high performance. Some tests are friction and wear tests. I don’t know them by heart, but I believe there should be a fretting brinelling test, four ball methods and maybe others.

Only the basics of what is involved to obtain.

Only name.

It is recognized as a mark of quality for grease. The performance-based specification ensures the grease can support these areas and can extend or maintain the operation of equipment. The specification’s limits are challenging yet achievable in order to set a new performance standard that grease users and specifiers can utilize for selecting greases to use in their applications.

HPM greases provide excellent corrosion protection, water resistance, as well as being able to perform extremely well at very low temperatures.

This is the updated grease certification program which is tailored for the new development in the grease industry.

It was designed and is useful for meeting the demands put on by newer severe applications. It should become the specification for most equipments in the future.

It’s a grease specification. NLGI certifies the grease, and you get listed.

The tests performed to evaluate the tribological performance of grease (e.g., four-ball wear test) are not sufficient to qualify greases under combined tribological and electrical loads.



Should NLGI develop specifications for electric vehicle (EV) greases?
Yes 78%
No 22%
Based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers.

A lot.

I am familiar with grease certification.

I am quite familiar with the NLGI certification system.

It is a specification for grease and bearing manufacturers, users and consumers.

In Asia, this certification has minimum value. However, it is a good reference grease standard for many medium and smaller grease manufacturers who don’t work with OEMs.

GC-LB was developed primarily for automotive applications. Grease demands and formulations have changed such that there is a need for an updated classification for a broader range of applications and performance criteria.

I didn’t hear about it before.

I know the specifications relatively well, as we offer mechanical dynamic testing as a service.

I know a little about it, but I cannot remember what the criteria is to meet it.

A lot of things thanks to previous STLE conferences.

Our company is a member of NLGI. We know all about the certification program. In the future, we plan to join that program to improve our grease quality.

We are the first company to register their grease.

Q.2. How do you see the value in NLGI GC-LB grease certification?

The NLGI GC-LB certification is valuable because it provides a standardized, reliable measure of grease quality that meets the needs of both high-performance automotive applications and the durability required in demanding environments. It enhances reliability, safety and performance, which are crucial for both consumers and professional mechanics.

I don’t have to use it, because we are not a grease producer.

Very high.

I think GC-LB is still valuable for the automotive industry as it sets the standard for certified greases and is still relevant today.

Proper greases that last a long time and potentially for life are extremely valuable.

I view it as a certification of the grease that has been vetted and tested for the application in which it was designed for.

The GC-LB will continue to represent a baseline minimum standard of quality for automotive applications.

Good.

While the demand for this specification has diminished due to developments of fill for life in the automobile industry, there is still historical demand for this. However, the increase in the cost of the certification may have outpaced the demand for the certification.

It’s an easy certification for manufacturers to maintain. It’s a simple system that gives aftermarket users (particularly) an easy choice of grease to use.

The old GC-LB certification was developed for the 1960s era automotive wheel bearings, an application that no longer exists. That being said, a number of OEMs have incorporated it into their specifications. GC-LB will persist and have value as long as it remains in OEM specs.

GC-LB has value in its economy. It is much cheaper than HPM since you can perform the testing in your own lab if you can versus paying outside resources.

Being certified is valuable due to having knowledge of a certain subject.

It might be useful for technicians working in company, but not in universities.

NLGI GC-LB is recognized as a mark of quality for grease specifiers. Due to advancements in materials, technologies and applications, NLGI recognizes that current applications may be better served by updated specifications. This was started as an automotive certification. The new specifications will be in parallel to GC-LB. NLGI will continue to support GC-LB certification and the use of the mark on finished products.

It is a critical standard for greases used in automotive applications, particularly for wheel bearings and chassis components. The GC-LB certification ensures that the grease performs well in both high-speed (GC) and high-load (LB) environments, making it especially valuable for manufacturers and mechanics. It ensures that the grease is versatile, meeting the needs of automotive parts where performance, durability and resistance to degradation are vital.

This was a quality insurance for the lubrication on automotive industry.

Why use an older, less specific guide?

I don’t. I think HPM is the future and a great standard to adhere to.

Certifications and standards always have value, though if an existing standard can adequately encompass a subject, adding an entirely new specification to handle that subject is a redundant waste of resources.

This specification is becoming outdated since most automotive grease applications are fill for life.

It sets a standard for use so at this time it has value.

It’s a legacy spec for the narrow segments of automotive, light duty, wheel bearing and chassis greases. Historically useful but doesn’t capture modern chemistry performance and uses some dated testing methods.

I am still evaluating the information and data.

What used to be the gold standard in grease performance now seems to be the minimum standard by which OK grease is rated. It is time for an update.

I believe it’s a benchmark standard.

I deal with mostly industrial equipment and the GC-LB is not a factor.

A grease certification is based on the belief that grease manufacturers produce weak and inadequate products that are unable to perform and therefore requires the rule of an institution. While in reality, grease manufacturers can exceed the performance against any level of a certification.

GC-LB is recognized as a mark of quality for grease specifiers, but it’s lacking on the market. Although NLGI still supports it, the value is decreasing gradually.
 
Despite NLGI GC-LB certification being designed specifically for automotive applications, it has come to see wide adoption in other industries as a way to ensure end-users/OEMs receive a grease with certain basic performance requirements. Due to its wide adoption in various industries there is still a high degree of value in the certification. Until OEMs and users remove the requirement from their specifications it will continue to see value. It’s important to note that one should not confuse value with applicability to the application; as long as there are specifications requiring it, you will still need to meet it.

Valuable.



What do you rate the most important property needed for an EV grease?
Low noise 25%
Electric conductivity 25%
Electric resistivity 37%
Long life         65%
Based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers. Total exceeds 100% because respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.

Although I don’t possess a GC-LB grease certification I think it would be very valuable to have.

It is important for end-user training as well as researchers, failure analysis and lab personnel. 

I assume the certification process will provide additional confidence that a grease claiming to meet the HPM performance level actually does. Again, not being that familiar with the certification I’m not sure if my assumption is correct. 

I think familiarity will maintain the market interest and use of GC-LB until the marketplace understands a distinct benefit.

NLGI GC-LB certification is important but if industry uses HPM certification, GC-LB certification is at some point duplication.

It is useful for novice lubrication professionals, or generalists that deal with lubrication, and likely to be helpful in a range of applications. However, there will always be applications that require a bit more thought, and as such, the input from experienced lubricants professionals.

GC-LB certification is still valuable and will be valuable for some time, but it should be replaced by HPM. 

Yes, I do see the value of HPM as it raises the performance over and above the multipurpose greases today. At a minimum in North America meeting GC-LB is the basic performance requirement. This is migrating to HPM for many applications. Future greases need to meet HPM. 

Certifying the grease to meet standards is a must to ensure product quality to meet application requirements.

For users, I suppose it gives them a certain minimum quality assurance. 

I see it as very pertinent to the people in the industry. Expanded knowledge leads to successful careers.

It has been the standard for high temperature grease and people understand the properties of being a multipurpose grease with the GC-LB certification.

Not so much, don’t use that at the moment.

No value in China.
 
I think that it doesn’t have value in South Korea.

It is important because this certification is recognized as a mark of quality for grease specifiers.

The GC-LB certifications still have a place in the grease industry, but with all of today’s greases that meet both specifications they are not as important as they were in the past. But it is good for greases to be labeled with their certifications just so that there will not be as many mistakes in determining which grease is best suited for each application.

It is still useful for older generation vehicles but should be phased out and upgraded to newer demands from vehicles.

For Europe not so much for the chassis part of this certification. This certification is typically used as a uniform quality standard for high-performance wheel bearing-greases.

A clear standard that is well understood is always useful.

Reassurance for end-users.

Only in the U.S. and Central America. Outside these regions there is low demand even understanding.

No use in Southern Africa.

This specification is a good basic level grease standard.

The value is in how this certification is presented to customers. Can be an effective way to educate those who purchase grease presenting this certification as a “benchmark” for the quality of the grease. It can also aid those who sell grease to differentiate the application of one grease to another. Is this grease ideal for mobile equipment, industrial equipment or both?

Meet more demanding performance requirements.

I see it as a standard and one that is credible but could be upgraded like most other testing methods for oils as well.

NLGI GC-LB is the reference in some OEM equipment specification. So, it matters.

Very important.

Still recognized in the industry, especially since HPM is just getting started. I feel that eventually HPM will be the standard. 
 
Clearly described test procedures and limit values help to safeguard international supplier-customer relationships.

It’s somewhat outdated in my opinion as most passenger cars do not contain grease fittings anymore.
 
One of our greases has the GC-LB grease certification. In some cases, we see the advantage in marketing business.

Yes, still in use for automotive applications, especially in India and China. Outside these countries (including the U.S.) there is no need for the HPM and/or GC-LB specification.

Editor’s Note: Sounding Board is based on an informal poll sent to 15,000 TLT readers. Views expressed are those of the respondents and do not reflect the opinions of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. STLE does not vouch for the technical accuracy of opinions expressed in Sounding Board, nor does inclusion of a comment represent an endorsement of the technology by STLE.