In the Lubricant industry, tackifiers are generally used in Grease type applications, where high speed/RPM are encountered and a "stay-put" property is desirable or in selected Open Gear systems.
Most industrial reducers or gear box are enclosed and run at medium speeds ( 1000 rpm) and generally splash lubricated. At higher speeds, pressure circulation is adopted. In both cases tackiness agents are not warranted.
It is in the Open Gear category that the terms "tackiness" may have crept in. The most common type of Open Gears are found in Sugar Mills, where due to sugar cane juice carryover and contamination, bituminous based products were used. These were tacky and provided good protection against juices and subsequent water wash off. Due to environmental concerns, these aromatic compound based products have now been discontinued. And replaced with cylinder oils. Tackiness agents may or may not be required in this application. Lubricants may not be in circulation.
In the open gear family, the Girth Gear of a rotary kiln in a Cement plant running at a steady state, is very very slow and is around, 3 to 5 RPM. The special Open Gear Lubricant in this instance is additivated with tackifier agents, as there is no "Pan" below to collect the lube. Forced circulation ( lubricant is atomised) is adopted with the support of a centralized lubrication system.
