Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1189076
AS I SEE IT • Lost or slowed production (tangible) • Energy/fuel consumption costs (tangible) • Product defects/spoilage (tangible) • Leakage, waste and disposal costs (tangible) • Over-budget overtime and other unplanned labor/contractor costs (tangible) • Over-budget parts costs (tangible) • Over-budget "rush" part shipping costs (tangible) • Disruption of purchasing (intangible) • Disruption of storeroom (intangible) • Damage to staff morale (intangible) • Loss of customer goodwill (intangible) • Safety consequences (tangible and intangible) • Environmental consequences (tangible and intangible) e following itemizes ways to monetize a lubrication transformation without the need to avert a future failure event. In other words, it becomes a break-even business proposition within today's budget cycle. Afterward, it's all gravy. 1. Reducing Your Fuel and Energy Bill One of a lubricant's main functions is to reduce friction. is is achieved through lubricant selection and the method of lubrication. Even small differ- ences in the choice and use of lubricants can have a huge impact on energy consumption. Based on what we've observed, this fact is not intuitive to most users and hence often missed. Precision Viscosity When it comes to energy economy, viscosity can be both an inhibitor and an enabler. e oil film produced by a lubricant is directly influenced by viscosity. However, too much viscosity causes churning losses (internal oil friction) and heat production, especially in engines, gears, bearings and hydraulics. It can also result in starvation. Energy consumption is mostly influenced by the time-weighted average viscosity of the lubri- cant during the machine's service life. Keep in mind the ISO viscosity grade system is based on 50-percent increments from one grade to the next. From the standpoint of energy consump- tion, the best choice often lies somewhere in 4 | November - December 2019 | www . machinerylubrication.com 100 40 45 12 3 2 20 30 20 72 Addressable Maintenance Costs 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Replacement Parts 0 50 100 Before After Relative Costs Maintenance Labor Misc. Supplies & Equipment Lubricants Total Figure 1. Reducing maintenance costs through enhanced lubrication Figure 2. The impact of quality lubrication on maintenance costs Maintenance Costs Quality of Lubricants & Lubrication between. Even then, precision viscosity selection can be achieved. Precision Boundary Film-Strength Properties Some lubricants gain film strength (reduction of contact friction and wear) from intrinsic properties of the base oil, especially certain synthetics. Other lubri- cants rely on additives such as friction modifiers, anti-wear and extreme-pres- sure agents, solid lubricants and fatty acids. e effectiveness of these additives in reducing wear, friction and energy consumption can fluctuate considerably between the different additive types employed. The performance of these additives also varies by machine and application. Good lubrication engineering is needed to find the optimum solution. Grease Consistency e consistency of grease can have an impact on energy consumption in ways similar to viscosity. e energy needed to move grease in frictional zones and in adjacent cavities by moving machine elements is affected by the lubricant's consistency and chemistry. Grease-Channeling Properties A grease with good channeling char- acteristics helps keep the bulk lubricant