mined that as much as 43 percent of
equipment failures are directly attributed to
the incorrect choice and usage of lubricants.
A common mistake that can lead to
premature failure is the selection of the
wrong viscosity based upon the operating
conditions (load, speed, surface rough-
ness, etc.), which can greatly increase the
amount of wear a machine experiences.
While the cost of a lubricant can be very
low, the benefit of using it correctly can be
very high.
Aside from using the incorrect viscosity,
the cleanliness of the lubricant makes a big
difference in how well and how long a
machine can operate. By keeping the lubri-
cant clean, you can extend the life of the
machine in which it is operating. A study by
Ernest Rabinowicz has shown that 70
percent of machines lose their usefulness
due to surface degradation of internal
parts. Proper lubricant conditioning can
lessen this occurrence and thus extend
machine life.
So while it is difficult to put a dollars and
cents value on the cost of a lubricant
throughout the life cycle of a piece of equip-
ment, the effects the lubricant has on the
machine are limitless. In order to get the
most from your machines and cut down on
the mean time between failures (MTBF),
you must properly maintain the lubricant.
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