Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1061099
GET TO KNOW Name: Bradley Vinson Age: 23 Job Title: Reliability Technician Company: Altec Industries Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky Length of Service: 3 years Vinson Realizes Value of Precision Lubrication Practices ree years ago, Bradley Vinson joined the Altec Industries team as a maintenance technician soon after obtaining his associate degree. He performed several lubrication preventive maintenance (PM) tasks during his time as a maintenance technician, but it wasn't until he transferred to his current position as a reliability technician that he realized the true value and importance of precision lubrication. at's also when he began to focus on which failures were lubrication related and how Altec's practices could make a dramatic diff erence. Q: What types of training have you taken to reach your current position? A: I have taken Noria's Machinery Lubrica- tion I course, which really brought to light the importance of lubrication practices, as well as best practices for oil sampling and analysis. I have also attended several predic- tive maintenance training courses, including thermography, vibration analysis and other reliability-centered training. Q: What professional certifi cations have you attained? A: I have ISO Category I Vibration Analyst, Level II Certified Thermographer, Level I Machine Lubrication Technician, and Certi- fi ed Maintenance and Reliability Professional certifi cations. Q: Are you planning to obtain additional training or achieve higher certifi cations? A: I should obtain my ISO Category II Vibra- tion Analyst certifi cation when I reach the experience time required. I also plan to attend more training in the future, such as precision maintenance practices, root cause analysis and other reliability-centered topics. ere are so many ways to continually improve, and I believe that training is a large part of leading that improvement. Q: What's a normal work day like for you? A: My tasks consist of writing lubrication specifi cations for new machines, continuously improving lubrication procedures, completing predictive maintenance routes and analysis, and other continuous improvement items. However, my primary focus is to determine the root cause of machinery failures and to help our team pull those failures out by their roots. Q: What is the amount and range of equip- ment you help service through lubrication/oil analysis tasks? A: We primarily use oil analysis for our machining centers, press brakes, band saws, etc. In our lubrication program, we also have the normal manufacturing equipment, such as electric motors, pumps and bearings. Q: On what lubrication-related projects are you currently working? A: In the near future, I hope to implement ultra- sonic lubrication for our machinery. I realize the benefi t of knowing exactly how much lubricant a component needs and being able to provide that amount every time as a huge key for machinery failure elimination. Be Featured in the Next 'Get to Know' Section Would you like to be featured in the next "Get to Know" section or know someone who should be profi led in an upcoming issue of Machinery Lubrication magazine? Nominate yourself or fellow lubri- cation professionals by emailing a photo and contact information to editor@noria.com. 28 | November - December 2018 | www . machinerylubrication.com