Even those who have been in the lubricant business for years have difficulty remembering all of the industry’s common terms and organization names. Below is a thorough list of lubricant industry acronyms and their meanings.
ANSI………………American National Standards Institute
API………………..American Petroleum Institute
ASME…………….American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASTM…………….American Society for Testing and Materials
ATF……………….Automatic Transmission Fluid
AW………………..Anti-Wear
CMA………………Chemical Manufacturers Association (Organization renamed ACC)
CRC………………Coordinating Research Council (USA)
CST……………….Centistoke
EDM………………Electrical Discharge Machining
EGR……………….Exhaust Gas Recirculation
EMA………………Engine Manufacturers Association
EP…………………Extreme Pressure
EPA………………..Environmental Protection Agency
FDA………………..Food and Drug Administration
HD………………….Heavy Duty
HDD……………….Heavy Duty Diesel
ILMA………………International Lubricant Manufacturers Association
ILSAC…………….International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee
ISO………………..International Organization of Standardization
JASO……………..Japan Automobile Standards Organization
LNG……………….Liquefied Natural Gas
LPG……………….Liquefied Petroleum Gas
LWI………………..Load Wear Index
LRI………………..Lubricants Review Institute
MITI………………Ministry of International Trade and Industry
MP………………..Multi Purpose
MSDS…………….Material Safety Data Sheets
NGEO……………..Natural Gas Engine Oil
NLGI……………….Natural Lubricating Grease Institute (USA)
NMMA…………….Natural Marine Manufacturers Association
NPRA……………..National Petroleum Refiners Association
NSF……………….National Sanitation Foundation
OEM………………Original Equipment Manufacturer
OPEC……………..Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties
OSHA……………..Occupational Safety and Health Association
PCMO…………….Passenger Car Motor Oil
PQIA………………Petroleum Quality Institute of America
QPL……………….Qualified Product List
QC…………………Quality Control
R & O……………..Rust and Oxidation
SAE………………..Society of Automotive Engineers
STLE………………Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
SUS………………..Saybolt Universal Second
TAN………………..Total Acid Number
TBN………………..Total Base Number
TPI…………………Technical Product Information
USDA……………..United States Department of Agriculture
USP………………..United States Pharmacopeia
UTF………………..Universal Tractor Fluid
VI………………….Viscosity Index
VII…………………Viscosity Index Improver
VM…………………Viscosity Modifier
VOC……………….Volatile Organic Compound
ZDDP………………Zinc Dialkyl Dithiophosphate