Machinery Lubrication magazine published by Noria Corporation
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1316458
18 | November - December 2020 | www . machinerylubrication.com LUBRICANT HANDLING AND APPLICATION is considered abnormal and understanding what troubleshooting detail to report can provide pivotal information when avoiding a failure. Much like lubrication tasks, inspections work best when standardized and carried out in detail. All lubrication inspections on-site should have detailed work instructions of the who, what, where, when and why. While often overlooked, Goals and Reward Systems (H7M) have their place in reliability as well. If individuals involved in the lubrication program do not have clear objectives, compla- cency can set in even among the best employees. As plants begin to build upon or reinvent their lubrication programs, one of the initial steps should be identifying site role models to recruit into the program, establish long-term goals and further identify more granular short-term goals needed to complete long-term ones. Rewards for meeting and exceeding goals within the program offer incentives to do the right thing, even when no one is looking. While monetary incentives are considered to be a quick motivational tool, there are other rewards that can possibly yield even better long-term results. Augmenting the morale of the site can be accomplished through the visual awareness of program improvements on small team project wins via bulletin boards, newslet- ters and lunch-and-learns. Changing the culture from a "firefighting mentality" through reliability advancements in lubrication yields lasting results that create a sense of pride in the organization for years to come. It is common to see lubrication handling and application tasks being performed in the plant based solely on the knowledge handed down over the years through apprenticeship. While the utilization of site knowledge is invaluable, formal education and training in the field and classroom should be coupled with this experience to reach lubrication excellence. Understanding the role lubrication plays in equipment uptime, prop- erly training individuals on best practice versus traditional practice and establishing a Lubricant Handling and Application Training (H8M) plan to correct these poor practices drives the standard of expectations. is execution can be correlated to the process of learning to swing a golf club. Most untrained newcomers to the sport will likely develop poor techniques early on. Bringing in a trainer can help combat these bad habits. One of the first things a trainer will focus on is the proper tech- nique of a structured swing. rough repetition over time, the golfer develops the proper swing pattern, which leads to better overall performance. Training in the workplace works in much the same way. is progression generally results in some retraining of experienced individuals in troubled areas and minimizes the concern that poor practices may be passed on to newer individuals during the onboarding. Identifying proper technique and understanding the benefit of correct lubrication practices sets the tone for a more reliable tomorrow. Key Performance Indicator Level By now we should have a sound understanding on the importance of the groundwork laid during the Platform level as well as the ownership involved during the Management level. e final level, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), aids in qual- ifying investment or focus on an area of the process. Some key aspects of launching new KPIs are: • Data should be easily attainable • KPIs should be agreed upon by the majority of stakeholders in the program • KPIs should have standardized update frequencies During the initial development or revitaliza- tion of a lubrication program, there should only be a few sound KPIs established. As the program advances, the KPIs should advance as well. e Lubricant Handling and Application KPIs (H9K) provide an intermittent measure- ment of each of the factors mentioned above in the Platform and Management levels. e completion of tasks, performance of tasks and inspection, and the systematic evaluation of a lubricant handling training plan are just a few examples of popular metrics associated with this particular factor. Focusing on these specific values aids in driving the overall lubri - cation program effectiveness. Conclusion After reviewing the intricate details of the Lubricant Handling and Application Lifecycle Stage, it should be abundantly clear why this aspect is imperative when striving for lubrica- tion excellence. Understanding the importance and need for each of the three Levels, as well as what goes into properly classifying the Factors included involved in each Level, safeguards the holistic program integration and leads to a clean, "well-oiled" and optimized lubrication and reliability program. ML About the Author Matthew Adams is a tech- nical consultant for Noria Corporation, concentrating in the field of predictive maintenance. He has experience in multiple condition-based main- tenance technologies and focuses the majority of his attention on lubrication program devel- opment, training and general consulting. Matthew holds Machinery Lubrication Engi- neer certification (MLE) a Machine Lubricant Analyst (MLA) Level III certification and a Machinery Lubrication Technician (MLT) Level I certification through the International Council for Machinery Lubrication (ICML). Contact Matthew at madams@noria.com to find out how Noria can help you maintain the compressors at your facility.