The method of oil and air lubrication is also referred to as minimum quantity
lubrication or minimum quantity cooling lubrication.
With these lubrication systems the pump supplies the oil either directly or through a progressive distributor to a mixing block (mixing distributor), which is also connected to the compressed air supply network via a pressure controller. Inside the mixing block oil and compressed air are metered and mixed and distributed to several oil-air lines. Inside the oil-air lines a continuous oil film is formed from the oil supplied in pulses under the influence of the compressed air. This oil film moves forward within the oil-air line in the form of streaks until it reaches the bearing point or the friction / sealing point. There, the oil comes off the tube walls or the supply bore and is applied onto the appropriate points. With oil and air lubrication, the lubrication points are continuously sprayed with a fine oil film. Thanks to the positive pressure generated in oil and air lubrication systems , foreign objects and substances are prevented from entering the bearings or seals. The oil-air mixture is even capable of penetrating the air vortex that is generated around the bearings due to the centrifugal forces occurring at high speeds. With the oil and air system no micro-aerosols are formed and the bearing temperatures are reduced.
The major benefits of oil-air lubrication are listed below: