Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1148092
www . machinerylubrication.com | July - August 2019 | 13 lubrication visible to everyone, both manage- ment and staff . Sustainability Sustainability doesn't happen by acci- dent. It must be designed into every step of the process. e Aiken facility has labored to ensure that it will not relapse. By constructing a corporate enterprise program with the neces- sary lubricants, tools and parts, our technicians have easy access to designated products. Aiken recently fi nished building a comprehensive preventive maintenance (PM) deck within the software, which includes lubrication tasks. Organizing and automating the PM program frees up staff for higher-level tasks. With every lubrication point and its requirements docu- mented within the lubrication matrix, our machines are protected from the inadequacies of tribal knowledge. e lubrication matrices contain 1,563 grease Zerks and 142 gearboxes. Of those 142 gearboxes, 25 are fi ltered, and 38 are monitored with oil analysis. Where Aiken Is Today Aiken's journey is not fi nished. We have room to grow. In the past fi ve years, we have nearly doubled output without adding any new production lines. Maintenance has been the major driver in this gain. Operational effi ciencies are the highest they have ever been, with the plant nearing 90 percent across all three lines. A corporate leader recently recognized Aiken as having one of the best maintenance departments in the division. Maintenance is no longer the fall guy for each failure. Morale has improved among personnel and provided confi rmation of years of hard work. 3 Takeaways for Success Along the way, the Aiken facility has learned the recipe for success. While the following keys are not lubrication-specifi c, they should be considered for a lubrication excellence transformation. The Right Plan Start small and build on your successes. Do not attempt to make a wholesale change. Instead, make small changes, learn from them and repeat. People are visual, so begin in an area where your eff orts will be visible, either to the eye or the bottom line. Success generates more success. As always, be honest in your dealings. It's OK to make a mistake. Also, have a vision of what lubrication excellence looks like. Visit another plant or organization that has lubri- cation excellence in action. The Right People Growth in an organization requires a change agent. e lubrication champion must be given the responsibility and authority to make change as he or she sees fi t. e best champions are people who live and breathe the reliability lifestyle. Plant management must also fully support the change agent in this journey. Far too often, support is seen in words but not deeds (money). When seeking outside support, look for someone with patience. A world-class lubri- cation excellence journey will take years to implement. If your consultant is primarily concerned with a quick sale, move on. The Right Time Do not expect change to occur in a day. During my oil analysis training course, Noria's Jim Fitch spoke about change in organizations. He provided several case studies that high- lighted how lubrication excellence programs can take years to fully integrate. Aiken's journey happened in spurts. When we recog- nized the need for change or new knowledge came to light, we formulated a plan and made the change. Patience is a must. Your organization may not be ready for change when you are. Maybe the capital funds aren't immediately accessible, or personalities are preventing change. Build your plans and lay the groundwork early. When the plant realizes a need for change, you will be ready. Lubrication excellence was the catalyst that changed the Aiken facility. Our machines run longer, more material is produced, and the plant has become the linchpin of our division. Aiken is a fun place to work. Let our experi- ence serve as an example of how lubrication excellence can be the infl ection point that takes your organization to greatness. ML ML