Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1250226
COVER STORY on the lubrication committee. Whatever method you choose, endeavor to establish good communication between these two groups. 12. Daily and Monthly Reports No one likes paperwork, but in lubrication, it can pay great dividends not only in identi- fying trouble areas but also for documenting routine maintenance. Items to record include oil losses, lab tests, lube maintenance, tank level checks, bearing and gear losses, investi- gations, etc. Comparing losses with previous periods to demonstrate improvement is important. Photos of gear deterioration can be proactive. Keeping records of the proper lubricant to use in each piece of equipment preserves continuity. Any department that ignores paperwork and reports contains the seeds of its own destruction. e lube depart- ment should always justify its existence, since it is a necessary evil in some people's eyes. 13. Skill, Aptitude and Motivation If you are lucky enough to have someone on staff who enjoys lubrication work and is talented at it, try to hang onto that person. ese individuals are rare and deserve special treatment. Visualize them as an insurance agent for your equipment, which they truly are. ey generally are self-starters and do not need much motivation. ey see things that need to be done to prevent problems that others might miss. Again, look for a committed employee, not the time-server, for lube work. Avoid the alienated employee like the plague. 14. Establish Goals and Sub-goals Even talented people must have goals to assure their efforts are productive. ese goals also need to be translated into sub-goals to truly affect day-to-day activities. Periodic assessment of how you are doing will keep you on track. Never give up the practice of goal establishment or you will simply drift. Any accomplishments will be accidental if this occurs. METHODS 15. Use Lube Specs Purchasing lubricants on an objective basis is nearly impossible when doing so by brand name. Every manufacturer wants to differen- tiate its products from the competition, but almost all have a degree of interchangeability. While the details for buying lubricants based on specifications are beyond the scope of this article, 95 percent of all lubricants can be purchased this way. Suppliers also may be willing to cut prices appreciably when faced with this situation. 16. Emphasize Bulk Packages Buying lubricants in bulk can save you money in several ways. First, suppliers can offer lower prices simply because of reduced packaging cost. Eliminating a lot of smaller packages that eventually must be disposed of can offer savings as well. e lubricant is also kept cleaner if transferred directly from the bulk package to the point of use. Finally, getting the lubricant to the point of use can cost 10 times more in labor with drums than with bulk packages. Critics claim bulk usage encourages waste due to more being available, and this can be a disadvantage if not moni- tored closely. 17. Consolidate Lubricants Over time, as new equipment is brought into a plant and lubricants are purchased, it is inevitable that several identical products with different brand names may find their way into inventory. By encouraging personnel to think 12 | May - June 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com