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Machining center lubrication

Where to lubricate, oil types and viscosity (ISO VG), and replacement guide. Intervals, oil types, and values are first of all whatever the machine manufacturer specifies for each model. The values here are examples from published materials (especially for Haas, Hurco, and Makino machines), so always check the operation manual and periodic maintenance manual for your own machine.

⛽Lubrication points and oils

Location	Machine	Oil (example)	Interval guideline
Feed-axis sliding surfaces, linear guides, and ball screws (automatic lubrication)	Common	Oil specified by the machine maker. Examples: Hurco uses ISO VG68 way oil (3.0 cc per shot, 2.9 bar). Haas uses synthetic gear oil (SYNGEAR SH-1150, equivalent to ISO VG1500; alternative: Mobil SHC Gear 1500). Makino feeds "sliding-surface lubricating oil" automatically through its lubricator.Haas advises switching from the old red grease / liquid grease (HLG) system to an oil system. After lubrication, the oil is usually either collected or drains into the coolant tank.	Oil level is checked daily on Hurco and Makino machines, monthly on Haas. NSK suggests checking the automatic intermittent lubrication of linear guides weekly and topping up each time.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}
Linear guides and ball screws (grease-lubricated machines)	Common	Grease specified by the machine maker (Haas horizontal pallet pool: Mobil Grease XHP 222)NSK warns against mixing greases of different brands (a different thickener can break down the grease structure). After a refill, run the machine in to push out the excess; in winter, low temperatures increase sliding resistance. Brother says to grease before a long shutdown and run the axes through full strokes about 3 times.	Makino: manual greasing every 2000 hours or 1 year. For automatic greasing, replace the cartridge when the low-remaining-amount or low-pressure warning appears. NSK (linear guides in general): replenish normally every 1 year (every 3000 km for conveyors etc. exceeding 3000 km per year), and check for contamination and chip intrusion every 3–6 months. Haas: monthly for nipple-fitted types (weekly for water-absorbing materials), every 6 months for horizontal pallet pools.^{[6][5][4][7][8]}
Spindle bearings	Common	It depends on the lubrication method: grease-sealed (often no greasing needed), oil-air (Hurco: ISO VG68 CLP oil with EP additive, air 3 bar, 0.24 L/min), or jet (Makino: its own specified spindle lubricating oil). Haas: Mobil 1 0W-20 (3.79 L).Hurco states not to use molybdenum disulfide additives, mixed oils, or way oil in the spindle, and specifies oil cleanliness of 13/10 per ISO 4406. Makino explains that with oil-air lubrication only the air does the cooling, whereas jet lubrication can cool with temperature-controlled oil.	Haas: spindle lubrication tank oil level monthly, spindle lubrication test every 6 months. Makino: spindle lubricating oil and cooling oil levels daily. Hurco: oil-air oil level daily.^{[9][1][3][4][10]}
Spindle cooling oil and feed-axis cooling oil (temperature controller)	Common	Oil specified by the machine maker (Makino example: Shell Tetra Oil for spindle cooling; on some models it is shared with the spindle lubricating oil)Feed-axis cooling oil cools the ball screw and also lubricates the support bearings (Makino).	Oil level is checked daily. Air filters are washed with water periodically; line filters are replaced when the clogging indicator reaches the alarm level.^[10][11](1 source, for reference)
Spindle gearbox (geared spindles)	Common	Haas examples: 40-taper VMC uses Mobil 1 0W-20 (1.5 L), 50-taper VMC uses Mobil 1 75W-90 (1.0 L), 50-taper HMC uses 75W-90 (2.5 L)	Check the level monthly; change once a year^[3][4](1 source, for reference)
ATC (tool-change arm, cam box, magazine chain)	Common	Arm and transmission: ISO VG150–220 for Hurco; the Haas side-mount cam box uses Mobil 1 75W-90 (7.57 L vertical, 8.52 L horizontal). The magazine chain uses grease (Hurco: a thin coat of NLGI 1, and 5 cc of NLGI 2 at the nipple).	Oil level every 3 months (Hurco 500 hours, Haas quarterly); ATC oil change once a year (Hurco 2000 hours); chain and drum greasing every 6 months (1000 hours).^[1][3][4][6]
Hydraulic unit (tool clamp, pallet clamp, brake, counterbalance, etc.)	Common	Anti-wear hydraulic fluid (Haas: ISO VG32 Mobil DTE 24 Ultra)Do not mix oils of different brands. Low oil level causes a flow error and stops machining (Makino).	Makino 2000 hours, Hurco once a year: replace oil and filter (oil level every 3 months). Yuken decides based on an analysis of the oil's condition.^{[3][12][1][13]}
Rotary tables and tilting tables (4th and 5th axes)	Common	Oil specified per model (most Haas models use Mobil 1 75W-90; the hydraulic brake uses DTE 24 Ultra)Haas warns not to put lubricating oil into the hydraulic port or hydraulic fluid into the oil port.	Haas: oil level once a year, change every 2 years. Hurco: change the trunnion rotary-axis and tilt-axis oil once a year; check the oil level of the B-axis tilt mechanism and C-axis table weekly.^[3][4][1]

🛢Oil types and how to choose

Slideway oil (way oil)As a guide, VG68 for horizontal surfaces and VG150–220 for vertical surfaces and large machines (Mobil, Shell): Lubricates ways and ball screws. Prevents stick-slip at low feed rates (alternately sticking and sliding, which makes the axis move jerkily) and maintains positioning accuracy. It is formulated to be tacky enough not to run off vertical surfaces and to separate easily from water-soluble cutting fluid. Makino states that mixing oils of different viscosity, or oils of the same viscosity from different makers, changes the sliding resistance and the machine will no longer hold its accuracy.^{[14][15][16][17][2]}
Spindle oil (spindle/bearing oil)ISO VG2–22. Ultra-low-viscosity types for jet lubrication also exist (ENEOS High Speed Fluid, 1.60 mm²/s at 40 °C).: Lubrication of high-speed spindle bearings. Low-viscosity oil. Haas specifies automotive synthetic engine oil 0W-20 for spindle lubrication, while Hurco uses VG68 for oil-air. Do not assume "spindle = spindle oil"; follow the machine's specification.^{[18][19][20][3]}
Hydraulic oilISO VG32–68 (HL, HM; HG for combined hydraulic and sliding-surface use). Haas uses anti-wear VG32.: Transmits power for tool and pallet clamping, brakes, etc., and lubricates pumps and valves.^[20][3]
Gear oil (ATC, gearboxes, rotary tables)Hurco's ATC uses VG150–220. Haas often specifies automotive synthetic 75W-90, and uses VG1500-equivalent synthetic gear oil for the automatic lubrication of the feed axes.: Lubrication of ATC cams and transmissions, spindle gearboxes, rotary-table worm gears, etc.^[3][1]
GreaseHurco: NLGI 1 for holders and chain, NLGI 2 for the chain nipples. Haas: Mobil Grease XHP 222 for linear guides.: Linear guides and ball screws (grease-lubricated machines), ATC magazine chain, pull studs and holders, drawbar. Do not mix greases of different brands (NSK). Haas generally gives an unopened shelf life of about 5 years for oils and greases.^[5][1][3]

📚Sources

Items without a mark are those on which two or more materials from different publishers agree. Values and intervals are governed by each machine's specifications. The text is summarized in Kezuriba's own words.