Industrial lubricant product attributes

Lubricant records tend to lose the facts that decide whether a product can be substituted. A supplier line such as "AW 46 hydraulic, 5 gal" gives a viscosity grade and a pack size, but says nothing about base oil, additive chemistry, food-contact registration or which OEM specifications the product meets. Those details live in the product data sheet and the SDS, often in tables that differ from one manufacturer to the next.

Oils and greases also need different schemas. An oil is described by ISO viscosity grade, measured kinematic viscosity, viscosity index, flash point and pour point. A grease is described by NLGI consistency, thickener type and the viscosity of its base oil. Mixing the two in one generic template produces blank columns and misplaced values, such as a grease's base oil viscosity entered as if it were an ISO grade.

Maintenance buyers usually start from a requirement: the OEM specification in the equipment manual, a food-plant rule requiring NSF H1, or an operating temperature. The record must carry those requirements as separate, filterable fields, along with the container size and type, since the same formula is sold in tubes, pails, drums and totes under different part numbers.

The industrial lubricants attribute template

18 candidate fields in 4 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 10 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Container Net Contents container_net_contents	Text	Core	5 gal (18.9 L)
Manufacturer Part Number manufacturer_part_number	Identifier	Core	HYD-46-H1-P05
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Core	10614141000354

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Kinematic Viscosity @ 40 °C kinematic_viscosity_40_c	Number · mm²/s	Core	46.2
Viscosity Index viscosity_index	Number	Buyer decision	145
Operating Temperature Range operating_temperature_range	Text · °C	Buyer decision	-30 to 100
Flash Point (COC) flash_point_coc	Number · °C	Buyer decision	240
Pour Point pour_point	Number · °C	Buyer decision	-45

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Lubricant Type lubricant_type	Controlled list	Core	Anti-wear hydraulic oil (ISO-L-HM)
Base Oil Type base_oil_type	Controlled list	Core	Synthetic (PAO)
ISO Viscosity Grade iso_viscosity_grade	Controlled list	Core	ISO VG 46
NLGI Consistency Grade nlgi_consistency_grade	Controlled list	Core	NLGI 2
Thickener Type thickener_type	Controlled list	Core	Lithium complex
Container Type container_type	Controlled list	Core	Pail
Anti-Wear / EP Additive Chemistry anti_wear_ep_additive_chemistry	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Zinc-free (ashless)

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
NSF Nonfood Compound Category nsf_nonfood_compound_category	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	H1
Specifications & OEM Approvals specifications_oem_approvals	Text	Channel / evidence	ISO 11158 HM; DIN 51524-2 HLP
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• Thickener type
• Specifications and OEM approvals
• NSF registration number
• Zinc-free / ashless formulation
• Base oil viscosity for greases

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing industrial lubricants ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Does this oil meet the specification listed in my machine's manual?
• Is this grease NSF H1 registered for use in our food plant?
• Can I switch to this grease without purging, given the thickener already in the bearing?
• Is this sold as a 5 gal pail, a drum, or cartridges, and what are the part numbers?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

FAQ