Chairman’s Column December 2016
Andrew Goddard
Last year ATIEL, the technical association of the European lubricants industry, completed a second survey of its members’ lubricants to ensure continued compliance with ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) European Oil sequences.
The technical association began
conducting quality surveys in 2013 as a way to monitor compliance of products with the European Engine Lubricants Quality Management System (EELQMS) which is a requirement for lubricant marketers making performance claims against the ACEA sequences.
The results of the survey, which forms part of ATIEL’s programme to improve the overall quality of automotive lubricants marketed in Europe, were released in February 2016. ATIEL’s findings indicated that there was no evidence of any significant failures that could be termed a ‘major non-conformance’ in that they would be likely to lead to accelerated engine failure in the short term. However the survey highlighted the need for more guidance and training for lubricant marketers making claims against the ACEA Oil Sequences.
In response to the survey findings, ATIEL has developed new guidance for engine lubricant marketers on making valid performance claims against more than one category within the ACEA 2012 sequences. In the guidance, ATIEL are restating that combined performance claims against two or more categories within the ACEA Oil Sequences on the same lubricant formulation are possible where all, and not just some, of the chemical limits and physical testing requirements can be met.
As VLS has found over the past two years some marketers are making claims which are technically impossible, for example
claiming A3/B4 and C3 against ACEA 2012
sequences for a single engine lubricant. These instances are either technically impossible due to conflicting demands of two or more categories, or highly unlikely due to minimal overlap in physical and chemical properties required for that combination of categories or demanding combined requirements that are unlikely to be met (eg FE at an HTHS of 3.5mPa.s and above).
Along with incompatible claims, ATIEL are also clarifying the situation regarding partial or incomplete claims. The ACEA Sequences state that ALL tests must be passed in order to make a performance claim. Therefore ATIEL are clarifying that a claim such as ‘C2 (without fuel economy)’ is not valid against the ACEA C2 Category and ‘C2 (without fuel economy)/C3’ is also not a valid combined claim.
To highlight potential possible and impossible combinations of claims that can be made against the ACEA 2012 European Oil Sequences and also combinations that are possible but have restrictions that make the combination unlikely, ATIEL has produced a helpful matrix that quickly enables marketers to identify problematic claims. The matrix along with the guidance is available on the ATIEL website at
http://atiel.org/industry-info/ acea-sequences/acea-claims-2.
As always, lubricants marketers who are responsible for all aspects of product liability should ensure that engine oils making claims are fully compliant with the limits for all engine and laboratory tests required for individual categories before including claims against the ACEA sequences.
Andrew Goddard Chairman, Verification of Lubricant Specifications
LINK
www.ukla-vls.org.uk
• Do you believe that consumers and end users should be able to make an educated and informed choice about which product to buy?
• Are you concerned about false claims in the UK Lubricants market?
• Do you want a way to show the quality of your own products?
VLS is an independent organisation providing a credible and trusted means to verify lubricant specifications. Join VLS and be part of the Lubricant Industry Initiative to bring transparency to the lubricant market place and protect and educate the end user.
For more information visit
www.ukla-vls.org.uk or contact
admin@ukla-vls.org.uk.
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