Spray lubricant: a guide to types and applications

Lubrication is an essential aspect of industrial maintenance, helping to ensure theefficiency, safety and operational life of machinery and components. Reducing friction, preventing wear , and protecting against corrosion are just some of the basic functions a lubricant is called upon to perform.

“How important is the role of lubricant in industry?” In industrial settings where plants and equipment are subjected to intensive cycles and challenging environmental conditions, proper lubrication becomes crucial to avoid failures, optimize performance, and reduce downtime costs.

Spray lubricants, in particular, offer versatile and targeted solutions that are ideal for quick and precise action on a wide range of applications.

Why choose a spray lubricant for industrial maintenance?

I spray lubricants thanks to their aerosol format, offer numerous advantages in terms of application, effectiveness and ease of use, adapting to a variety of operational needs and industries. Let’s look in detail at why more and more professionals and companies are choosing to use lubricant sprays in their daily activities.

Ease of use and precise application

“How often do you find yourself struggling at the time of lubricant application?” One of the main advantages of the spray lubricant is the ease of application. The spray format allows forcontrolled and targeted dispensing, ideal for precisely lubricating hard-to-reach components such as internal gears, bearings or guides.

In fact, thanks to their use, it is not necessary to disassemble parts of the machinery, which reduces intervention time and the risk of error.

Products such as bearing spray grease, the silicone protective spray or the spray grease enable fast, uniform and long-lasting results even in complex environments or with special geometries.

The versatility of use of spray lubricant

I spray lubricants are available in a wide range of specific formulations for every need: from lithium spray grease for high pressures and heavy loads, to the silicone spray lubricant for protection, sliding and waterproofing.

There are multifunctional spraysof different types and specifications so that they can be used for a wide variety of applications.These lubricants act smoothly on a variety of surfaces such as metal, plastic, and can be applied both for extreme precision work and to cover large areas with their actions.

Wide coverage in a single gesture

Another strength of silicone lubricant spray and other lubricant sprays is that they can quickly treat large areas in a single step, providing an even, continuous film.

This feature is particularly useful in preventive maintenance operations or on production lines where efficiency and speed are required. Fine misting avoids waste and allows clean and precise use, improving productivity and reducing component wear over time.

The application advantages of the spray lubricant structure

The structure and delivery method of the spray lubricant allows for a great deal of application advantages over other types of lubricants, such as pastes and classic greases.

To better understand the structural features of these products, let us look in detail at some of the main benefits that make them optimal tools in industrial maintenance.

Spray lubricant penetrates smoothly into tight areas

The aerosol formulation of spray lubricants, featuring different types of nozzles, allows effective penetration into even the hardest-to-reach areas.

Thanks to the pressure of dispensing, the product can infiltrate tight spaces, such as gaps between components, threads or complex mechanisms, ensuring complete and uniform lubrication.

This special feature is very advantageous when faced with applications of extreme precision and with restricted areas of action, such as lubrication of hinges, locks, chains and intricate gears , where access by traditional methods would be limited.

Spray lubricants prevent product waste

Often, when lubricant is applied to a particular piece of industrial equipment or machine, the amount of lubricant that is used is more than necessary.

This results in a waste of material and at the same time a greater economic expenditure, most often due to the difficulty of coating the affected part and the difficulty of applying the lubricating products themselves.

The use of spray lubricants allows targeted application, significantly reducing product waste. The ability to precisely dose the amount needed avoids excess and waste, optimizing efficiency and contributing to more economical management of resources.

In addition, controlled dispensing minimizes the risk of contamination of other parts of the machinery or the surrounding environment, keeping the work area clean.

Security in application

The spray lubricant improves safety during maintenance operations.

Remote application reduces direct contact with the product, decreasing operator exposure to potentially harmful chemicals. In addition, many sprays are formulated with nonflammable propellants that are free of harsh solvents, reducing the risks associated with flammability and toxicity.

All types of spray lubricants on Mascherpa

Lubricating sprays, as mentioned earlier, come in different solutions, each of which can be adapted by a different application.

Mascherpa with its range of spray lubricants Molykote provides most of these types including:

• Spray paste
• Spray grease and spray silicone grease
• Spray anti-friction coating
• Solvent spray
• Dispersion sprays and other coatings
• Spray oil

Spray pastes

Spray pastes are high-performance lubricants that combine the ease of use of an aerosol format with the technical properties of solid pastes.

They are particularly suitable for the assembly and maintenance of components subject to high friction, extreme pressures and high temperatures. This product category includes Molykote spray pastes with anti-seize formulations, which are ideal for preventing wear and corrosion while ensuring safe assembly.

This type of lubricating spray can be used in applications that include industrial valves and fittings.

Spray greases

Spray grease is a versatile lubricating solution for industrial maintenance, allowing uniform application even in hard-to-reach places.

These spray lubricants include from lithium spray greases, ideal for mechanisms exposed to heavy loads, to spray greases for bearings or for chains in motion. There is also no shortage of silicone spray greases, chosen for their excellent resistance to water, oxidation and chemicals, often used in food or aggressive environments.

Spray anti-friction coatings

This type of spray lubricant is designed to create a dry, adherent lubricating film with anti-friction and anti-wear characteristics. These are. spray lubricants based on solids such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) or PTFE, which are ideal under high load conditions and in the absence of conventional lubrication.

Solvent sprays

Solvent sprays are not true lubricants, but they play a vital role in surface preparation and maintenance.

In fact, these products are used at the beginning of new maintenance or machining processes and are responsible for effectively removing oils, greases, carbon residues, and old lubricants, preparing the components for the application of the new lubricant spray.

Solvent and cleaning sprays are compatible with metal surfaces, plastics and on electronic components, ensuring safe use and fast evaporation.

They are often used in automotive, precision engineering and industrial plant maintenance.

Dispersion sprays and other coatings

Dispersion sprays include. water- or solvent-based lubricating coatings that form protective films resistant to wear, moisture and chemicals.

These products also offer anti-seize and anti-adhesive properties, maintaining lubrication under harsh conditions.

They are suitable for the food,electronics and chemical industries, where clean, stable and technically advanced products are required.

Spray oil

L’lubricating spray oil is one of the fastest and most effective solutions for reducing friction and preventing wear in dynamic mechanisms.

Perfect for chains, gears, locks, linear guides and light industrial equipment, these products are also available in variants based on silicone, for applications requiring cleanliness, water resistance and chemical inertness.

Silicone oil spray is particularly valued for its “clean” and long-lasting lubricating effect, especially when dealing with machinery in the food and medical industry.

The technologies behind spray lubricants: lithium and silicone

Underlying most of the spray lubricants in our range are 2 specific technologies:

• Silicones
• Lithium

Lithium spray greases: reliability under load and extreme conditions

Lithium spray lubricants are among the most widely used because of their excellent mechanical stability, water resistance and ability to operate under heavy loads.

These lubricants are mainly used in the maintenance of bearings, chains, guides and joints subject to high pressure or constant vibration. An effective example is. MOLYKOTE® 1122 Chain Grease Spray, a high tack spray grease that resists runoff and protects industrial chains even in wet environments.

Silicone lubricants: “clean” protection and wide compatibility

Silicone-based lubricants offer an ideal alternative in settings where cleanliness, chemical neutrality and moisture resistance are required.

Silicone technology forms a thin, stable and inert lubricating film that is particularly suitable in food, medical or environments with heavy exposure to chemicals.

Products such as. Molykote® Separator Spray provide anti-corrosion protection, smooth sliding on metal and plastic surfaces, and are NSF H1 certified for incidental food contact.

The applications of spray lubricants: precision, protection and versatility

Considering their ease of use and pliability, spray lubricants are used for multiple applications covering, virtually, all industries:

• Chains, hinges and locks
• Screws and threaded connections
• Bearings
• Food grade food machinery
• Gears
• Valves and fittings

Lubrication of chains, hinges and locks

Transmission, lifting or conveyor chains are subjected to continuous work cycles, contaminated environments and weathering. Inadequate lubrication can cause seizing, chain elongation and accelerated wear.

These types of sprays provide effective protection even with frequent washing, thanks to the antimicrobial preservative that prevents deterioration of the lubricant.

Spray lubricants also, as mentioned earlier, are perfect for application in tight spaces such as the spaces between chains, hinges and locks, which require very precise work.

Lubrication of screws and threaded connections

Screws, bolts and threaded connections require specific lubricants to prevent seizing, oxidation and fretting corrosion, especially under conditions of repeated assembly and disassembly.

Molykote® P-1900 FM Paste Spray is a high-performance spray paste that reduces friction and protects threads from corrosion even in aggressive environments. Due to the absence of PTFE and PFAS, it is also suitable for sensitive applications with stringent environmental requirements.

Bearing lubrication

Bearings operate under high loads and variable speeds, so a spray lubricant must provide mechanical strength, long-term protection and thermal stability.

Molykote® G-4500 FM Multi-Purpose Synthetic Grease Spray is designed to provide long-lasting lubrication, even at low temperatures, with excellent compatibility toward plastics and elastomers.

Food grade and food machinery

In the food industry, lubrication must ensure high performance without compromising product safety. For this reason, only NSF H1-certified lubricant sprays are used for incidental food contact.

Mascherpa offers several suitable products, such as. Molykote® Food Machinery Oil Spray, ideal for guides, chains and gears of food machinery.

Lubrication of gears

Gears must withstand dynamic loads and continuous vibration while maintaining efficiency and quietness.

For these applications, Mascherpa offers the following. Molykote® L-0500 Spray, which adheres to surfaces providing protection against corrosion and wear even in wet environments.

Lubrication of valves and fittings

Valves, especially in industrial plants and the chemical and food sectors, must maintain a perfect seal and functionality even after long periods of inactivity or in the presence of aggressive substances.

The use of dedicated spray lubricants enables precise and clean lubrication, which is essential to ensure smoothness of moving parts and prevent seizing or hardening of seals.

Rely on Mascherpa’s experience when choosing spray lubricant

The choice of a spray lubricant cannot be left to chance: each application requires a specific formulation that can provide protection, durability and operational safety.

Whether for chains, gears, bearings or food machinery, Mascherpa offers a full range of technical and certified solutions, developed in collaboration with the industry’s most reliable brands.

Contact our team of experts to receive tailored advice and find the right product for your maintenance needs.