Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/704613
20 | July - August 2016 | www.machinerylubrication.com facility was able to identify the "problem child" machines and swing into proactive mode. During the first 12 months with the new oil test lab, many more machines were added to the oil analysis lists. At the end of the first full year, the data was analyzed. Approximately $28,000 had been saved simply by not changing oil when the test results showed normal conditions. In addi- tion to lubrication cost reductions, those "problem child" machines were fixed before they ran to a catastrophic failure and halted operations. UOSA has now enjoyed the benefits of a robust oil analysis program for more than 10 years. Training has been provided to all technicians involved with lubrication, which has resulted in more buy-in from the work- force. Progress has been slow but steady. Getting buy-in was a struggle. For approximately nine years, lubrication enhancements were managed in an ad-hoc fashion by the maintenance planners and crafts personnel. In 2014, the mechanical manager suggested formalizing the program with an eye toward consolidating lubricants. After agreements were reached on making these improvements, the facility evaluated how lubrication was managed. This included a review of how other organizations had successfully approached lubrication improve - ment. The standout move was hiring a lubrication consultant, who was furnished with a list of lubrication points on the most critical assets. The consultant spent several days onsite, making field visits to machines and reviewing the CMMS lubricant database. These onsite and field visits helped the consultant develop an understanding of how and what should be changed about the program. More than 45 lubricant types were consolidated down to a list of 17. This was called the "consolidation lubricants list." Proper oil-dispensing containers were ordered to go with the consolidation oils. What had been designated a lubrication room in the new maintenance building had become a catch-all for spares of all kinds and junk. Lead technician Stephen Myers took on the task to clean out this room, add storage shelving, and order consolidation oils and oil-handling equipment. UOSA even received recognition in Machinery Lubrication's Lube Room Challenge for this effort. Custom tags were created to identify and mark each lubrication point. Each tag included the equipment's unique identifier, the given name of the lubricant and the lubricant code shown in the CMMS. Color- coded dots were also added to the back of each tag as another form of identification. To help technicians remember the three most important points about the lube program, laminated letter-sized sheets were placed in their PM books, hung in the lube room and left in their vehicles. The points were : • Use specified consolidation lubricant only when the official light-blue lube tag is installed. • For topping off, use the original lubricant if the official light-blue tag is not installed. • When in doubt, contact the mainte- nance planning office with questions about any lubrication matter. Additionally, all technicians are regularly reminded to contact the maintenance plan- ning office whenever a lube point is changed to a consolidation lubricant. Obstacles to Overcome The resistance to change was the biggest impediment to launching lubrication enhancements. Personnel had performed lubrication in a ritualistic manner for so many years that no one felt a need to change. As lubrication reviews were performed, mistakes were found, like extreme-pressure (EP) oil being used in a gear drive with yellow metal components. Oil analysis revealed this error as high levels of copper and zinc in the oil. Incorrect viscosities, oil with the wrong additives and contaminated oil were also discovered on numerous occasions. Allowing the maintenance planning office to expand its role in lubrication tasks supported areas into which the field technicians and managers simply did not have time to delve. With a few successes in hand and some avoided catastrophes, word got around and resistance began to fade. The new way was becoming the accepted way. Refining the Use of Grease Improving the use of grease was a vital aspect of the lubrication improvements. Many different tubes of grease were in the storeroom. Much of it was ordered and never used or received as spares at the closeout of a project. This selection was Custom lubricant identification tags in production An example of how lube tags are hung at the facility Gold-colored grease gun for EP grease CASE STUDY