The transition from the third to the fourth edition is not merely a reprint with a few typo fixes. The 4th Edition, authored by experts Robert M. Gresham and the late Kenneth E. Bannister (with significant updates by the Noria Corporation team), reflects the seismic shifts in industrial technology over the last decade.

No book is perfect. Industry experts have noted that the 4th Edition could be stronger in two areas:

However, these are niche complaints. For 98% of industrial machinery (pumps, compressors, conveyors, presses, turbines, mixers), the content is exhaustive and exact.

The handbook concludes with practical advice on implementing a world-class lubrication program. It highlights that the best technology is useless without proper training and culture. Key implementation strategies discussed include:

The text stresses that lubrication technicians must be elevated from laborers to "Lubrication Engineers" through certification (such as ICML certification) and ongoing education.

The 4th Edition excels at visual decision support. When your hydraulic press runs hot, you open to the "High Temperature" flowchart. It asks:

Without this flowchart, a novice might change the pump. With it, they check the cooler fins first.

Most contamination enters oil before it hits the sump. The handbook provides engineering drawings for proper bulk tank storage, desiccant breather sizing, and "First-In, First-Out" (FIFO) inventory logic. A standout section in the 4th Edition is the "Seven Steps to a Clean Lubricant Room," complete with photographic examples of "good vs. bad" storage audits.

While the third edition still holds value, the 4th Edition is mandatory for three specific audiences:

The title contains the word Practical for a reason. Unlike academic texts such as Hamrock, Schmid & Jacobson’s Fundamentals of Fluid Film Lubrication, this handbook assumes you are holding a 24mm wrench or turning on a particle counter.