Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1123345
38 | May - June 2019 | www . machinerylubrication.com process line or other element that defi nes a smaller group of machines in close proximity. An inspection is an activity that usually can be completed in as little as a few minutes per machine, so a larger number of machines will likely be on this route. On the other hand, a fi ltration route with a fi lter cart should have fewer machines, since it will take more time to transport and set up the fi lter cart for each machine. In any case, it's important that route size is based on the estimated time to complete and is no more than a few hours. By keeping this constraint, the scheduling of routes can be optimized more freely. After the majority of tasks are assigned, the remaining tasks can be designated to their own smaller routes or included strategically in one of the main routes. For example, a route at a paper mill for weekly inspection of 15 pumps in the basement room may consist of a monthly oil sample extraction on four of the pumps during every fourth occurrence. Or, the monthly sampling of the four pumps could be on their own route and tasked simul- taneously with the inspections when they occur at the same time. Manpower Study Once the routine lubrication tasks have been added, all the routes may be ready for scheduling. However, before this schedule can be assigned, the available manpower must satisfy the estimated manpower required by the routes. is should not just be a rough idea of which maintenance personnel will be available but rather a more comprehensive study on the number of individuals qualifi ed for each of the lubrication technician activi- ties and how many hours per time period they can dedicate to lubrication activities. For example, if the lubrication tasks add up to 2,000 hours required annually, this does not mean that someone who works 2,080 hours a year can satisfy all the lubri- cation requirements. Usually there are other daily requirements, such as meetings, train- ings, administrative tasks, scheduled breaks, etc., that limit their available hours. With those remaining hours, only a percentage (normally no more than 80 percent) should be considered for true utilization. Overtime should also not be part of the initial schedule of lubrication activities. This manpower study should provide confi dence that an appropriate number of hours will be available during every cycle of the lubrication routes and that they can be performed by qualifi ed lubrication tech- nicians. ese estimates should be for all routine tasks in addition to an estimated amount of time for any on-condition tasks that might occur. Lubrication technician qualifi cation is another important factor in the manpower study. A matrix of required training and certifi cations should be defi ned for each set of lubrication task routes. If qualifi cations vary, the manpower study should be task- type specifi c. For instance, oil sampling requires a specifi c skill and may only be performed by one or two designated lubrica- tion technicians. In this case, the availability of these individuals must be analyzed to allow appropriate scheduling. Scheduling Routes With the initial routes structured and adequate manpower available, the routes can now be scheduled. is can be done by using the required qualifi cations and blending experience levels, but the preferences of the lubrication technicians (or those performing the activities) should be considered. ose more familiar with an area of the plant are more likely to be assigned to the lubrica- tion routes for that area, although it is best practice for more than one qualifi ed lube technician to be familiar with each task route. e shared experience and knowledge across all the lubrication technicians support long-term sustainability by minimizing risk with decentralization. Route Feedback, Compliance and Optimization A management system for lubrication task routes should be designed with self- improvement in mind. e fi rst part of this involves compliance of each lubrication task route's completion. Not only should confi r- mation of the route completion be sent to the management system, but feedback details should be provided as well. is feedback may include verifi cation of each inspection point (with fi nding of abnormal results), consump- tion of materials used or disposed of (such as lubricant volume), start time and completion time, deviations from task steps and reasons for added time, suggestions for step improve- ments (including tools, materials, etc.), and recommendations for route sequencing or optimization improvements. Of course, compliance is also about task completion. It is best when there is built-in fl exibility. For example, a weekly inspection route may not need to be completed on the exact day it is assigned but instead may have a compliance window of two to three days. If the route is completed within this window, assurance is given to the schedule. Otherwise, performance measures should be tracked to indicate those that do not meet compliance and where the backlog of uncompleted routes can be assigned. If there continue to be chal- lenges with completing routes within the compliance window, adjustments should be made to the route schedule. e lubrication technician's competencies and other infl u- encing factors should be reviewed as well. Feedback is also required to schedule corrective actions and assess suggestions for route optimization. Working with this feedback is primarily the job of planners, schedulers and lubrication champions. is feedback upon route completion has several key benef its. First, with each abnormal inspection result (along with feedback from oil analysis, sensors, etc.), justifi cations should be made for follow-up on-condition actions. Some may require immediate attention, such as reporting and fi xing a leak. Others may result in actions being added to the schedule, like a fi lter or breather change. Secondly, the lubrication technician performing the route should be given an LESSONS IN LUBRICATION 23% of lubrication professionals say training defi ciency is the biggest problem or area of opportunity for lubrication tasks in industrial facilities, according to a recent survey at MachineryLubrication.com