Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1463313
ML www.machinerylubrication.com | March - April 2022 | 9 H ow many lubricants do you use in your plant? How many are kept in inventor y? How many are on your lube list? ese are some of the first questions to ask during a lubri- cant selection review — one of the most fundamental steps in a lubrication assessment. Most people working around lubricated machinery think they have a rough idea of how many lubricants are used in the facilit y, yet they're usually surprised by the truth uncovered during a lubricant selection review; there is often a significant gap in the perceived number of lubricants in a plant versus the actual number. In many cases, there are lubricants in use and found around the facility for one-off reasons or for other reasons that deviate from the best practices of optimizing lubri- cant selection. I call these lurking lubri- cants — sometimes hiding literally behind beams or other structures, intentionally or not. And even when they are in plain sight, they often stay there due to a lack of awareness of the threat they have to plant reliability. ere is good news though: the efforts required to avoid these lurking lubricants can be quick and simple, and the benefits are immediate and long-lasting. Locating these Lurking Lubricants Try this: take a couple of hours to walk around the plant (maybe during daily inspec- tions) and write down every lubricant found in the facility. Be sure to note every lubricant labeled for use in machines, lubricants in various types of containers, etc., and don't leave off any that you find. Even if the products are similar, they must be listed separately. How many did you come up with? 25? 50? 75? Having lubricants scattered around the plant, unaccounted for, is cause for concern. Sometimes these lubricants are simply in their jug or top-up container by a machine, left for innocent reasons. Other times, the lubricants are inten- tionally hidden in discreet places to get around approval processes. Look for all of these. ose of you who have worked on the plant floor for years, especially older facilities, are likely already smirking because you're aware of this truth. Either way, innocent or devious, the mismanage- ment of these lubricants can lead to serious problems with machine reliability. Machine failure is often linked to lubricant failure. W hile part of that is due to causes such as lubricant starvation or the degradation of the lubricant over time, too often, the problems start before the lubricant ever enters the machine. When lubricant selection is not managed prop- erly with the right policies and accountability, this bleeds into a perpetration of incorrect lubricant storage practices and inconsistent ways grease or oil is applied to machines. What Triggers a Lurking Lubricant? Managing all the lubri- cants used in a plant can be challenging, even with the right intentions. But when lubrica nt selection is not viewed as important, it can get out of control. I've seen this countless times performing lubrication assessments over the years and have noticed a few themes behind lubricant mismanagement. 1. Lack of central owner- ship of the lubrication program When no single person or committee is responsible for lubrication decisions, there are bound to be mistakes and slipups. Conversely, if there are multiple people making their own decisions independently in different areas or on different shifts, they can overlap and cause a number of problems such as cross contamination. T ho s e c h a r g e d w it h ownership of the lubrication program, often referred to as "Lube Champions," will have duties that include: • Ma na g ing pla nt-w ide lubricant selection deci- sions • Organizing and displaying the lubricants and their intended applications in a "Lube List," either posted around the plant and/or in an accessible digital dash- board • Ma na ging lubric ation tools and storage areas • Taking responsibility for lubrication practices and inventories • Making observations and adjustments when lubrica- tion-related issues occur • Monitoring lubrication metrics and KPIs Ideally, the Lube Cham- pion will provide solutions to lubrication issues and regularly Learn More: noria.com/ascend/ Factor: S4M —Consolidation and Optimization Level: Management & Training (M) Stage: Lubricant Selection About: Establishing a lubricant consolidation involves optimizing the number and types of lubricants used. More about this ASCEND ™ Factor